InterContinental San Diego by IHG

Reviews

• CA

  Cristina A

  6 days ago
  2.0
  The InterContinental San Diego is a beautiful hotel, and the staff is generally friendly and welcoming. However, unfortunately, my experience was disappointing when it came to accountability and follow-through. I specifically requested a mini refrigerator for my baby’s milk and medication. I communicated this request multiple times and even called the hotel several times to follow up, but the refrigerator was never brought to my room. When you’re traveling with a baby and need to properly store milk and medication, this is not a minor inconvenience—it’s something that should have been taken seriously and handled promptly. We also had breakfast at the restaurant downstairs, and for approximately $140, I honestly expected much better. The food and overall experience were not worth the price. You can easily go somewhere else in San Diego and get a much better breakfast for significantly less. It’s really unfortunate because the hotel itself is nice, and the staff members we interacted with were friendly. However, a five-star hotel should also deliver five-star service, attention to detail, and accountability when guests make reasonable requests. Just be aware that while this is marketed as a five-star hotel, my experience did not reflect a five-star level of service. There are plenty of other hotels and restaurants in San Diego where you can receive a better overall experience and value.
• BH

  beili hong

  Sep 5, 2026
  1.0
  This was my first stay at the InterContinental San Diego, and unfortunately, it was a very disappointing experience. I stayed with my child and my mother over the Labor Day weekend. When we checked in around 6 PM on September 4, Riley at the front desk was friendly and helpful. Since the hotel was nearly full, I asked about a late check-out. Riley told me to call the next morning to check availability. At around 9:30 AM on September 5, I called the front desk and was told that late check-out might not be possible, but the staff member would check and call me back within 10 minutes. I explained that I would be on a short boat tour and would return around 1:15–1:30 PM, and that I only needed the room until 1:30 PM. Before leaving for my tour, I went to the front desk at around 10:30 AM because I had not received the promised call. Another staff member checked the system and did not tell me that my request had been denied. Based on that conversation, I reasonably believed there was no problem returning by 1:30 PM. When I returned around 1:15 PM, my room key had already been deactivated. I was also charged a $100 late check-out fee. I spoke with the front desk manager, Nova, and this is where the experience became extremely upsetting. Instead of calmly explaining the situation, he was aggressive and dismissive. At around 1:25 PM, he told me I had only FIVE minutes to go upstairs, collect our belongings, and leave. I was traveling with my mother and my child, so five minutes was completely unreasonable. After I objected, he eventually gave us another 30 minutes, and we left around 1:45 PM. The issue is not simply the $100 fee. The bigger issue is the lack of clear communication and the extremely unprofessional way the situation was handled. If my late check-out request had been denied, the hotel should have clearly told me before I left for my tour. I am very disappointed that my first experience at an InterContinental property ended this way. I believe Nova’s treatment of a guest was inappropriate for someone in a management position. I am requesting a formal apology from Nova and an explanation from the hotel management regarding how this situation was handled. I hope the hotel takes this complaint seriously and reviews both the communication process and the manager’s conduct.
• MS

  Michael S

  Aug 31, 2026
  5.0
  This was our first time staying at this hotel, and I couldn't have been happier. Are there less expensive places to stay in the area? Easily, Yes. Would I have had the same guest experience? Easily, NO. From the jump, you'll notice that the attentiveness of the staff is next level. They clearly work to not be what everyone else is these days; slow, grumpy, and making excuses for poor performance. As we walked up to the front desk to check in, we were greeted immediately by Jose Carrillo, before we even got to the counter. He got us checked in, and also took the time to review what rooms were currently available that matched my reservation to get us the best possible at the time. His attitude and professionalism were top shelf the entire time. I will also say, that the entire stay, EVERY time we walked by the front desk (not to stop, just walking by), whoever was there working would say "Hello!" or "Good morning" or "Welcome back". We never crossed the lobby floor without being acknowledged. It didn't end with them... we even got greeted by the hostesses at Vistal as we walked by. My wife and I also got the club access for our stay. I have to say... this is easily the best deal in Downtown San Diego. If you stay at this hotel, and you don't get the lounge access, you are leaving real value on the table. I'll just leave it at that. In addition, there is another young lady who was working in the lounge who's name I regrettably didn't get. She delivered outstanding service to the guests in the lounge. Maritza and Nick were also great, but this other young lady really stood out. She gave butler level attention, not just lounge supervisor attention. She also made sure that as guests left the area, she was out there resetting it to new so it was ready for the next guest. The room was great. The pool was great. The gym was REALLY nice. All that was awesome... but, I truly want to highlight that the best part of this hotel are the PEOPLE who make it tick. Incredible service. I highly recommend to anyone, and I will absolutely stay here again.
• MP

  MA Pearce

  Aug 25, 2026
  1.0
  This was, by far, the worst hotel experience I’ve had for the price we paid. The biggest issue wasn’t that one thing went wrong. It was the consistent dismissiveness and lack of follow-through from the staff throughout our entire stay. We repeatedly asked for basic things, were given a “10-minute” or “5-minute” response time, and then simply forgotten about. It made us feel like our requests—and frankly, our presence as guests—didn’t matter. For example, I called room service and was told someone would call me back within five minutes. No one did. This happened repeatedly. After ordering food, we called to ask for silverware and were told it would take 10 minutes. It never came. Rather than continue waiting, I eventually had to go downstairs to the bar myself and ask for silverware. The following day, we needed towels. We called the front desk, explained what we needed, and were again told, “10 minutes.” Nothing happened. And this was the theme of our stay: ask, be told someone would take care of it, wait, and then realize no one was coming.What made it especially uncomfortable was that this didn’t feel like an isolated mistake or one overwhelmed employee. It happened repeatedly and across different interactions. There was a noticeable lack of urgency, communication, and basic hospitality. For the price, I expected a four-star experience. Instead, the service made the property feel more like a Motel 6 disguised as a four-star hotel. The most disappointing part of this stay was not the room or the amenities. it was how the staff made us feel as guests. We shouldn’t have had to repeatedly chase people down for basic requests or solve problems ourselves.
• ND

  Nicholas Dembinski

  Aug 23, 2026
  2.0
  I paid just about $1600 for three nights. They don’t even offer complimentary coffee in the morning. Make sure to let your housekeeping know why there isn’t a tip. I had to buy over priced black coffee each morning. Also the front desk controls the thermostat so the first two nights we sweated our asses off until I realized they govern the temp and fan speed. At least let us have control over the air flow. I complained and they fixed it for our last day/night there. But I just can’t get over the lack of amenities. Black coffee. Holiday Inn Express gives you that and breakfast. Another issue is the fact nothing opens until 7am. I am an early riser and had to go down two elevators and go outside to walk to Starbucks. I just want a cup of coffee to start my day. Again the woman at the main desk was very kind and helpful. The problem I have is the cost of everything is so expensive yet you get the bare bones minimum. Also the bay view rooms are not worth the money. They aren’t true water view rooms. You have to look at an angle to get the views. And in fact the main view we had was the airport. And the chaise lounge is situated the wrong way to view it all. We moved it. Also no hot tub on the pool deck? Huh? In retrospect I should have figured this would be the case in a state like California. But come on man. If you’re gonna be an over priced beautiful place to stay, offer some bare bones amenities. Like coffee. Will not be back to this hotel.

Frequently Asked Questions About InterContinental San Diego by IHG