Sommerset Suites Hotel

I lived in San Diego 20 years ago, and have lots of friends there, and visit often. We’ve stayed at several places, and since it was only a 4 day weekend, wanted to try and keep the cost low. We wanted to stay near Hillcrest because that’s where our friends live. It was important to have a separate bedroom since we all have different sleep schedules. It was by far, the most reasonable suite we found. The room was nice and clean, which is by far the most important thing. The beds were very comfortable, and it was nice having a private balcony to sit outside. I would definitely stay there again because of the convenience. It’s a bit dated, but clean! I think they could invest some money in new carpeting, and replace the fabric on the dining room seats but besides that I have no complaints. The staff was very friendly and helpful. If you’re looking for a spacious room for a reasonable cost, I would recommend checking into Sommerset Suites. They also have a very nice breakfast every morning with waffles, bagels, donuts, cereal. Also lots of restaurants/​bars/​stores within walking distance!

Nice comfy rooms, convienent Hillcrest location, and good rates can be found here. Also the free onsite parking a rarity for San Diego. That being said this place could use a remodel. The front desk and the entire hotel seem a bit dated. Howeverwhen they do decide to upgrade, the rates will certainly go up. Enjoy them while you can.

Stayed here for NYE and it was perfect. Located in a beautiful area and the rooms were huge! Its more like apartments lol. Its well maintained and very clean with security doors also so people cant get in from the streets unless you have a key card. Its located close to down townwhere all the fun is so it wont be a to expensive Über drive either. Ill be back when back in San Diego.

I love this place. I’ve stayed here before and I just spent NYE here, I enjoyed my stay. They had plenty of parking, clean rooms and breakfast in the morning. While I didn’t make it in time for breakfast I was able to grab some peanut butter and apples as quick snack. They also served coffee bean coffee. Our room had a kitchen two beds and a balcony. It also had long mirrors, it wasn’t fussy or pretentious it was just a nice stay.
Also my friend wanted to wear a tie and we went down to the concierge to see if there was someone who could help. Nick helped my friend tie his tie, saved his outfit. Service was great. We’ll be back to this place next time we’re in town. :)

We can’t wait to go back again. My partner and I just got married and wanted to get away for the weekend to celebrate, our big Honeymoon Cruise is not until December. What a fabulous hidden gem, Sommerset suites will be our new mini vacay spot. The staff is great and greet you so warmly as soon as you walk in. I made our reservations with Cici by phone and at check-​in made us feel like we were old friends. The manager Ian came out and handed us a very nice bottle of Mascato and a congratulations card and surprised us with an upgrade to a one bedroom suite. We were overwhelmed by the kindness.
The room was lovely, the full kitchen was great, I didn’t not plan to use it but my new wife could. Lol. The cleanliness of the room, the comfort of the bed, the softness of the pillows the lovely balcony and amazing continental breakfast made our little honeymoon amazing. Hats off to Ian, Cici, Martha in the breakfast room and all the people in housekeeping for all you do. See you real soon.

My first impression of this place was it seemed scary. First, I had trouble getting to the front desk, as one of the elevators was broken, then when I finally got there, the lobby was a lot smaller than it looked in the pictures, and somewhat shabbier. While I liked the front desk lady, check in took way too long. I had come all the way from the east, east coast and I was a first time flyer and didn’t have rolling luggage. A mistake I will never make again, btw. My flight had been delayed from Portland, ME and I ended up having to spend the night in Chicago. I had been at the Portland airport from 3pm to 11pm, Didn’t get into Chicago until 1:00am, didn’t get to my hotel room until 2-​ish. Then I had to get up early for my flight into San Diego. Needless to say, after running around airports and spending hours in one, and carrying my heavy shoulder bags back and forth, and being on a plane for 5 hours, I just wanted to get to my room asap. The last thing I felt like doing was looking at a map of San Diego and sitting in the lobby chatting with the front desk lady while she took forever checking me in. That fiasco aside, trying to make my way to my room was also harrowing and I had to go through a series of dimly lit hallways, that quite frankly, looked more ghetto than any east coast hotel I’ve ever stayed at. I got lost trying to find my room and had to carry my crap all back down to the front desk again and then back up. Then my room key didn’t work. I had to go back down again. Ugh. Nobody offered to help me with my bags. That was a huge strike against them in my book as well.
The few guests I saw on my multiple trips up and down, seemed to me like creepy old men. Maybe it was the dirty looking atmosphere that gave me that impression, I don’t know. I didn’t like how the hallways were open to the outside night and day either. My room was located right next to one of the open doorways. The hallways really are what made me feel scared to begin with. The carpet is filthy and the walls looked old and dirty. I felt like I was in a murder hotel. lol. I was also taken aback when I got into my room. Again, it looked nothing like the website and at first I felt like I had been duped into staying at some roach motel. The furniture and decorations looked very dated. I’m not going to lie, I freaked out a little. I got on the phone with a friend and was panicking. I had him looking into other hotels in the area. But then, I used the bathroom, which was nice, and went onto the balcony to smoke. The balcony itself was nothing special but feeling that beautiful California weather calmed me down immediately. It was February and being from the east coast, I was coming from one of the worst winters we had seen in a while. The lovely, warm breeze made me feel like maybe this place would be alright. I looked around the room a little more and realized that it really wasn’t that bad. The beds were decent and since I had a suite, there were two tvs. I thought that would come in handy for my guest and I. The little kitchenette was fairly decent and the furniture, although dated, seemed to be in good shape. So I made up my mind that I would stay. It’s a good thing they have those balconies because, to me, it was their saving grace. If not for that, I probably would’ve hightailed it out of there and demanded a refund. They had a decent breakfast but it did get old after a while. While they did have a variety, the food quality wasn’t great. The daytime staff were great but the evening staff were horrible. There were two men manning the desk at night and they were both disinterested and somewhat rude, especially the bald one. He acted inconvenienced anytime I needed anything. When we ran out of toilet paper and towels, I had to go to the desk to get them myself. That was very poor service. I’ve never been treated like that in a hotel, not even Motel 6. The price was good for the location and there was a lot of stuff to do in the area. The front desk lady was really helpful with the sightseeing stuff.
The cleaning service was just weird. The one day I put a «do not disturb» sign on the door, is the only day they actually cleaned my room. The days I didn’t put the sign on, they didn’t clean it. I was so confused. I didn’t sleep at all while there. It had nothing to do with noise, I just really didn’t feel comfortable or safe there. The place had a seedy quality to it. I might stay there again the next time I go to San Diego, but it would only be due to the area it’s in and the fact that I’m now familiar with that part of town, but most likely, I would try to find something better.

First time to SD and a project put me in this hotel. I wasn’t too happy at first but when I got here the place was really really great. Excellent service from the front desk through the mail the ruins a really big and spacious clean and kind of well designed with a full kitchen. This place is a good stuff and reasonably priced I would stay here again in San Diego for sure. The hotel is in a great neighborhood with everything you need from candy to Rite Aid this place is pretty good.

I love this hotel. I stayed here on my first trip to San Diego. When I came back I tried somewhere new (Handlery Hotel on Hotel Circle) and found it really disappointing. I checked out and booked Sommerset after and had another great stay. The rooms are huge and include a kitchenette with fridge, oven and microwave. There is ample parking. Free breakfast. Lots of bars and restaurants within walking distance. It’s a little pricey compared to other SD hotels but it’s worth it. The décor is very 90’s but the rooms are clean and the bed comfortable. There is also a cute balcony on most (all?) rooms. The only con is the pool is tiny and only 3ft deep. I’ll stay here again.

My family calls this place «The Poopie Hotel» you’ll soon understand why.
We checked into our room and discovered a brown, wet, smelly stain on the floor. When housekeeping was called to clean up the brown, wet, smelly stain, we were told «they are not allowed to use carpet cleaner and the best he could do was spray it with water.» Housekeeping told use to throw a towel over the stain. The manager on duty investigated the brown, wet, smelly stain and agreed we should not stay in that room. Unable to accommodate us, the manager on duty found another place for us to stay and the hotel covered all charges. The managers called the next day and apologized for the incident. The management staff seem to be on key but the experience with housekeeping will keep us from returning to this hotel. Is this a nice place to stay? We’ll never know.

Awesome staff was helpful in the extreme. Extremely quiet and very clean room. There where sirens from the nearby hospitals, but in the room we were in we could barely hear them. Great location. Good price. Only knock was the bed was a queen rather than a king; fine for singles, but a bit tighter than the two of us are used to.

I was looking for a hotel to book for my parents’ visit to San Diego next month. Ron, the front desk attendant, was the most courteous person I’ve spoken with through my hotel-​shopping. He is the reason I booked with Handlery! I hope my guests will have the same great impression I had at the Handlery!

Really loved this hotel. Hot tub and pool were nice, although it was a bit too cold to swim. The rooms were suites and really great. Nice living room & kitchen area. Free breakfast every morning. Breakfast options are pastries, hard boiled eggs, waffles, bagels, fruit, cereal, etc. They have a Mac computer with internet & printer that you can use in the lobby area, and really great ice water with different fruit infused in it (delish & refreshing). Maid service was good and staff were always helpful. We always got in too late for the free cookies, but one of the staff would sometimes give me some of his cookies that he had brought from home! Parking lot beneath the hotel, but spots are pretty tiny. Good location, not far from downtown, the Zoo, SeaWorld, etc. Also, close to so many hospitals (this must be San Diego’s version of Pill Hill) so many people staying here have a family member at the hospital.

Das Hotel an sich ist sehr gut gelegen. Guter Ausgangspunkt um San Diego zu erkunden. Die Zimmer sind sehr großzügig geschnitten mit Küche, Schlafzimmer und Wohnzimmer. Das Frühstück war nicht das beste und parken kostet 10 $ pro Tag/​Nacht.

I almost don’t want to write a glowing review because I don’t want this place to get too booked up and lose its low-​key, down home appeal! But it’s too good to keep all to myself. What’s great? Location, cleanliness, service, convenience, affordability… We loved it! Why not 5 stars? Only because it’s not a 5-​star hotel (no room service, etc), it’s not super fancy. But it was perfect for my kids and me for a get-​away. Super close to the zoo, walking distance to many fantastic restaurants (don’t miss D Bar!), plus you have the convenience of a full kitchen – and they did our dishes! As a mom, I really appreciated that unexpected touch. The sirens, etc. didn’t bother us at all and we didn’t find it noisy. We will be back, very soon!
Oh and my kids just reminded me – great wifi!!!

We chanced upon Sommerset purely by chance because we wanted to stay someplace in San Diego where stuff was going on.
We checked in late Christmas night, and check-​in was easy and quick. The front desk helped us know where everything in the area was. The king suite room was clean, well-​maintained, and the kitchen was well stocked (except dish-​cleaning soap). Our room overlooked the pool, and the balcony was nice.
The complimentary cold breakfast was standard, with nothing gluten-​free. Not a knock on that, since they never claimed it was, but just a head’s up. Every day was the same, with cold cereal, hard-​boiled eggs, muffins, coffee/​tea, and yogurt. There was someone keeping it well stocked during breakfast, and nothing was depleted for more than about a minute, as she was restocking it rapidly.
The room was relatively quiet for being surrounded by hospitals, but not badly so. I brought a noise machine, and that covered almost everything up.
Check-​out was also easy. We would stay here again.

This is my second visit to Sommerset Suites. Excellent service as the first time.
Super friendly staff… thanks Ian, Bonita, Santiago and the best hostess for breakfast Martha.
Can’t wait for my next trip to San Diego!

I’d give it 5 stars but the tiny parking garage gave me anxiety. If you drive anything bigger than a compact car, be warned. Parking my suv was not too easy, very tight spaces.
In all other regards, we had a great stay. The staff was helpful & professional, and the property was clean and well maintained. Free breakfast was good, had a waffle maker which my kids enjoyed in addition to the usual continental breakfast spread. The woman who was in charge of the breakfast area was awesome, she kept things clean & stocked perfectly with a smile.
The Friday BBQ by the pool was a nice touch as well. My kids enjoyed the shallow pool, we felt the place was very family friendly.
I would return, but with a smaller car.

Had a nice a valentines day getaway with my girlfriend and I have to say, this place is great. Friendly staff and the clerks in the lobby are nice too. They give you complementary cookies at the front which are pretty good.
The Room– very clean and spacious. The studio suite we stayed in was amazing. It came with a full kitchen. It comes in handy for a homemade dinner.
The bed was was the only downfall, as good as this place is you would think the beds would be a bit more comfortable but good enough to sleep in.
There are a lot of nice restaurants that are close by but they get packed really quick so if your a breakfast person and want to go out, get up early. But they do have a free breakfast at the hotel which I didn’t get try sadly. Overall it was a great stay and I may be back again if I’m ever in town again.

Thanks to a friend, I was pointed towards the Sommerset Suites (SSH) as a great place for a family of four to stay. I always look for a suite with a bedroom since I have two young ankle biters. It’s hard to find one that has two queens as opposed to a king, but SSH does. Yay. I have found my new go-​to spot to stay when heading to SD for a weekend away.
The first encounter I had was in making the reservation. I checked
and also the SSH website. The prices were different so I called up and asked if I could get the
rate without going through their website. Much to my delight, she said yes. She also gave me a tip – always call for the best rate. The consolidation websites take a hefty cut of the rate so the hotels will most always give you a good deal if you call them and quote the
rate. BONUS! Friendly AND helpful.
When we pulled up we were delighted at how close it was (one block) to all the great unique shops and eateries of Hillcrest. We checked in and were pleased by our room. Little kitchen, living room, bedroom. Four person eat in table. Two flat screens. The only downsides were that the bathroom, although good size, needed a new tub (the finish was peeling and it looked really old) and there were no DVDs. Most suite hotels or family hotels do have DVD players. But otherwise, there is a little pool and a spa (my kids love swimming!), free WiFi, and a complementary continental breakfast. Parking is extra, $ 9 per day but I’m sure that’s because it’s still considered the city.
Balboa Park and the zoo is very close, the beaches are 15 minutes away as is Old Town. It’s close to the football stadium and downtown is a heartbeat away. All in all the location is perfect. There are great eats around walking distance, a movie theater across the street, and all that SD has to offer right there. Enjoy!

Sommerset Suites is a great alternative to staying along hotel row on interstate 8 or the convention center area downtown. The rates are very reasonable and the place is very clean with extremely friendly staff members.
Normally reserve one of the larger Suites with a large bedroom off to the side. All the rooms come with a small kitchen stocked with your basic cooking utensils. They also have a nice pool area with a gas grill that is up for grabs. Saw several families grilling while the kids went swimming in the pool. I love to party on my private patio up on the top floor and then go out for some festivities.
Several really cool restaurants, bars and unique stores are within walking distance. I really like the Whole Foods store that is just a heartbeat away by foot. Easy access by car to Balboa Park and the Zoo without having to get on the freeway. I usual do the DDD marathon and check some of Guy’s favorite SD picks. Then maybe a trip to one of the nearby beaches. OB Dog is my favorite.
Nice complimentary breakfast to get fueled up in the morning. Free WIFI when it is time to Unilocal or just goof off. Covered parking on ground level is a treat as well. If you need anything just tell them and they will take care of it.
Located in the interestingly diverse and hip Hillcrest area which has some really fun synergy. Scripps Hospital is right next door so you may hear an ambulance or two at times on certain sides of the building when you patio door is open.
This is not a high end resort but a great bang for the buck. Check out their specials to save some money and stay 3 day or more. It’s like a small apartment. SCORE!

Sommerset Suites has to be the absolute best-​kept lodging secret in San Diego. It offers a killer rate for long-​term stays, and makes that long-​term stay enjoyable with surprises around every corner.
Many of the amenities you expect at any hotel, but often have to purchase, are complimentary here. Wi Fi is free, parking is free, breakfast is free, and the list goes on — although I think the free parking depends on your length of stay. Some reviewers last year complained about the Internet. Personally, I have been able to stream hockey games on my laptop and HDMI it to the flat-​screen TVs. I haven’t had a single issue getting good quality HD from that Internet connection. Additionally, my wife works online all day and has not complained once. And her work requires a high-​speed connection.
Also, with the review below me about the timed lights and old carpet — I don’t know what that guy is talking about. Our rooms have lamps.
Here’s a list of other aspects we love about Sommerset:
Full kitchen and full-​size fridge /​Two flat-​screen TVs (in the living room and bedroom) /​Sweet balcony with furniture looking into downtown Hillcrest:
Also, comfortable king beds with lots of pillows and curtains that actually keep the sun blocked /​Easy to use room climate control /​Cheap, on-​site laundry facility and they can give you change at the front desk /​Clean, quiet, heated pool and hot tub /​Daily breakfast with waffles, fruit, coffee, bagels, cereal /​great location close to dozens of restaurants, nightlife, and a 24-​Hour Fitness Center /​Close to Balboa Park and 5-​minute drives to Padres and Chargers games.
Additionally, the staff here is friendly without being intrusive. Any request we’ve had has been too easy for the desk to handle. Rated 4 stars because it is the best available without being the 5-​star penthouse on the waterfront.
Oh, and they have free cookies.