I recently attended the Adobe MAX conference at the San Diego Convention Center (if you're a creative, you need to go!) and since it was a packed event, most of the hotels near the convention center were full.  Thankfully, Sofia Hotel had a room available and I'm so glad they did because I really enjoyed my stay here. 

This was the perfect hotel for me to stay at because it’s historic, had a great price point, a lovely restaurant, friendly customer service and an ideal location near the Gaslamp Quarter.

Here’s a breakdown of why I loved this hotel so much:

LOCATION

The hotel is in a prime location, a couple blocks from the Gaslamp Quarter. I’m so glad that the hotel wasn’t in the middle of the Gaslamp Quarter because there would have been some loud nights with all the bars around the area. It’s also an easy 15-minute walk to the convention center and I enjoyed my walks in the nice weather every morning. From the airport, it was about a 15-minute ride and only $10 with uber.

GREAT PRICE

Since the conference was bringing in thousands of visitors, the hotels really jacked up their prices. Sofia Hotel was the only hotel that still gave their customers a fair price and I love them for that.

THE HISTORY

I love historic hotels because I love reading the stories behind the building and where it all began. Sofia Hotel is proud of it’s history and had nice wall sconces in the corridors with historic photos and captions of Old San Diego, which I really enjoyed. 

THE AMENITIES

I wasn’t able to enjoy much of the amenities because I was at the conference most of the time, but I really wish I could have taken advantage of the free yoga classes and the free walking tour guide of the city. The lobby was beautiful and cozy with unique couches and desktop stations. There’s also a dispenser with tasty lemon-infused water. Additionally, the hotel provides free wifi, but the signal was very weak and didn’t work too well. 

THE ROOM

The room I stayed in was very spacious with a living room and bedroom. For whatever reason, there were tons of seating areas: 4 chairs and one couch. That’s a lot for one standard hotel room, but I’m not complaining. There were 2 flat-screen TVs, plenty of outlets, fluffy towels, a large bath sink, and 2 free bottles of water everyday. My only gripe was the small bed. I was sharing a room with my boyfriend and the bed was super tiny for two people. What really confused me was that there was plenty of space to put in a king size bed, but they decided to go with a tiny double bed instead with wasted space. If you're planning on sharing a bed at Sofia Hotel, make sure you ask for a room with a bigger bed.

DINING

Sofia Hotel has a lovely restaurant and bar called Currant American Brasserie. We ate here for brunch one morning and their handmade beignets were to die for. So soft with your choice of dipping sauce (we chose pecan bacon, which was amazing). Our waiter was very friendly and the service was outstanding. I highly recommend eating here if you want to enjoy a quiet and enjoyable breakfast, lunch or dinner away from the hustle and bustle of Gaslamp District. If you’re looking for other places to eat and drink, there are tons of other restaurants and bars nearby.

I hope I can return to Sofia Hotel again when I’m in San Diego so that I can enjoy more of the amenities. Free yoga classes sounds like a treat!

xo, Crystal