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Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter: Full Review and Exclusive Look at the Vice President’s Suite
- Alyssa
- Jun 9, 2025
- 11 min read
Updated: Dec 14, 2025
On a spur-of-the-moment trip to San Diego to see the blue whales migrating, we needed a hotel with only a day’s notice. We wanted to stay downtown for easy access to restaurants and activities, and the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter put us right in the heart of the action. The hotel sits steps from the Gaslamp District, surrounded by bars, restaurants, shops, and the convention center.
Because a major business convention was happening the same weekend, nightly rates were sky-high, well over $500 per night. Instead of paying cash, we booked a standard king room using 130,000 Hilton Honors points for a two-night stay. What we didn’t expect was a surprise upgrade to the Vice President’s Suite, turning a quick weekend trip into an unforgettable experience.
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Location & What’s Near Hilton San Diego Gas Lamp
If you're staying in San Diego for nightlife, food, events, or sightseeing, the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter hits a sweet spot. The hotel sits on the quiet edge of the Gaslamp District, which means you’re close enough to walk everywhere, but far enough from the loudest bars to still get a good night’s sleep. Many people choose this hotel because they want walkability, easy access to downtown attractions, or a simple home base for events at the Convention Center. Here’s what makes this location genuinely appealing:
Right in the Gaslamp Quarter (Steps From Restaurants & Nightlife)
If you’re someone who plans your stay around good food and evening plans, this location is ideal. The Gaslamp has everything within a 1–5 minute walk:
Sushi bars
Rooftop lounges
Brunch cafés
Steakhouses
Dessert shops
Late-night taco spots
It’s a great choice for couples’ trips, birthdays, “foodie weekends,” and anyone who doesn’t want to Uber everywhere.
Across the Street From the San Diego Convention Center
This is a prime hotel for:
Comic-Con
Industry expos
Medical, tech, and business conventions
Large-scale events
You can literally walk across the street to the convention doors, no traffic, no expensive parking, no long shuttles. This is one of the top reasons travelers book this hotel specifically.
Close to the Waterfront (Harbor Cruises, Whale Watching, USS Midway)
If you're planning a whale-watching tour, like we were, this hotel puts you close enough to stroll down to the marina. Within a 10–12 minute walk, you have:
Whale-watching departure points
Harbor cruises
The USS Midway Museum
The Embarcadero shops and cafés
Marina views and walking paths
10-Minute Walk to Petco Park
Baseball fans will love this location. Whether you're going to a Padres game or a stadium tour, it’s a short, scenic walk from the hotel.
This alone makes the Hilton Gaslamp a favorite during:
Opening weekend
Summer games
Special events at the ballpark
Concerts
Why This Location Works So Well
This hotel shines for people who want to stay in the middle of everything:
You don’t need a car.
Everything is walkable.
You save money on parking and transport.
Your plans, food, events, activities, are just outside the front door.
Whether you’re visiting for Comic-Con, catching a Padres game, eating your way through the Gaslamp, or heading out on a whale-watching excursion, the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter puts you in the right place.
Getting to the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
The Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter is less than 4 miles from San Diego International Airport (SAN), making it one of the easiest downtown hotels to reach. The drive typically takes 10 minutes, and you’ll have multiple transportation options depending on your budget and preferences.
Ride-Share (Uber/Lyft)
Ride-shares are abundant at SAN and usually cost $25–$45, depending on traffic and time of day. Prices can climb during evening rush hour or big downtown events (conventions, Padres games, concerts).
Taxis
Traditional taxis cost roughly the same as ride-share, usually $30–$45.You can pre-book through San Diego Yellow Cab, which is helpful during busy weekends when the Gaslamp fills up fast.
Rental Cars
SAN has over ten major rental car companies located at the dedicated on-site Rental Car Center. Typical weekly rates: $350–$450, depending on season and car class.
Before renting, factor in:
Downtown hotels often charge $50+ per night for parking
Valet is usually your only parking option
Gaslamp parking garages also add up quickly
Public Transportation (Budget-Friendly)
If you’re traveling light and want to save money, Bus Route 992 connects SAN with
Downtown San Diego.
Cost: $2.50 per person
Schedule:
Every 15 minutes on weekdays
Every 30 minutes on weekends/holidays
Hours: ~5:00 AM to midnight
Stops: Terminals 1 & 2
How We Arrived
For this trip, we drove ourselves, so we skipped ride-shares and rental car fees altogether. It was nice not having to budget for transportation, especially during a busy convention weekend.
Check-In Experience
Our first interaction with the hotel was with the valet team. Since the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter does not offer self-parking, valet is the only option. There’s a small stand outside and a pull-in lane so you don’t block traffic, which is convenient given how busy the Gaslamp can get. We arrived late, around 9:30 PM, well past the standard 4:00 PM check-in time. Even then, the valet booth was empty. We waited in the car for a few minutes hoping someone would come out. Eventually a staff member appeared, but instead of approaching us, he stopped to pet a dog wearing a sweater (to be fair, the dog was adorable). Elijah had to get out of the car and flag him down before we could hand over the keys.
Valet parking is $65 per night, and since it isn’t included with award stays, we paid $130 total for two nights.
Once parked, finding the entrance proved a little confusing, several doors were locked, and we circled the building before finally finding an open one. Inside, the lobby has a small bar/restaurant, a bathroom, an ATM, a grab-and-go snack area, and the front desk.
The front desk staff, thankfully, were the opposite of the valet experience, incredibly friendly and welcoming. They were excited to tell us we’d been upgraded from a standard king room to the Vice President’s Suite, and walked us through how to find it (which we still managed to mess up anyway).
They also explained our Hilton Honors perks:
$15 per person, per day for food & drinks (doesn’t roll over)
Complimentary bottled waters in the room
Instructions on how to use the credit before midnight
Check-Out
Check-out is at 11:00 AM, and the process was incredibly easy thanks to Hilton’s text-based front desk. They messaged us in the morning asking for our email when we were ready to check out and reminded us to leave the keys in the room. We texted them as we were walking out, and our final bill hit our inbox within seconds. Retrieving our car was just as smooth. We scanned the QR code on our valet ticket, and it automatically generated a text message addressed to the valet team. We tapped send, that was it, and by the time we reached the front of the hotel, our car was already pulling up.
Inside the Vice President’s Suite at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
Room Details
We booked a standard king room for two nights using 130,000 Hilton Honors points, and expected a normal stay, until we were told at check-in that we had been upgraded to the Vice President’s Suite. This upgrade didn’t cost us any extra points, but we did pay a $200 refundable incidental deposit.
Finding the room felt like navigating a hidden annex of the hotel. The suite is located in a separate building, so we had to go up one floor in the main tower, cross an outdoor terrace, and then locate another elevator tucked behind a wall. We admittedly missed a few details during the check-in explanation, but eventually found our way, and we were not ready for what was waiting inside.
First Impressions: A Hallway Bigger Than Our Original Room
When we opened the door, we stepped into a long art-lined hallway that was almost the size of the room we had originally booked. It set the tone immediately: this was not a normal upgrade. Off the hallway was a half bathroom with a sink and toilet, convenient, but not the cleanest. There was a hair left on the toilet seat and a reddish stain at the base, which threw us off a bit considering how upscale the suite itself looked.
Dining Room & Wet Bar
Past the hallway, we entered an enormous dining room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Gaslamp Quarter. The table seated at least eight people, something we joked we had no business using since it was just the two of us. Just off the dining space was a small wet bar with water bottles, a Nespresso machine, cream, sugar, and plenty of pods. It was small but fully stocked, one of the more convenient parts of the suite.
Living Room: Artsy, Bright & Huge
The living room carried the same oversized theme. A large sofa, two chairs, and a coffee table created a cozy sitting area beneath a floating, Calder-style metal mobile. The artistic touches made the room feel stylish, modern, and a bit gallery-like. With the huge windows open, the space filled with natural light and felt incredibly inviting.
Bedroom: Spacious, but Not Perfectly Designed
Through a pair of double doors was the bedroom, which was larger than a standard hotel room on its own. It had a panoramic view of the pool and convention center, a TV, a dresser, a closet, and two nightstands.
But we noticed some quirks:
The TV was positioned far to the left, making it awkward to watch from bed.
Only one nightstand had outlets.
We had to plug one phone in across the room.
For a suite this size, these small inconveniences felt out of place.
Hidden Patio
We didn’t even realize the suite had a patio until later. It was hidden behind two full layers of thick curtains, and even with the blinds open, it was hard to see the door. The patio itself was simple, two chairs and a small table, but had nice views of the train tracks, convention center, and surrounding area.
Bathroom: Gorgeous Tub, Confusing
The bathroom was easily the highlight, a deep soaking tub with a frosted floor-to-ceiling window (and a small unfrosted section), a standing shower, double vanity, and a separate toilet room. But even this space had its quirks. Cleaning seemed inconsistent. The tub had a few spots of residue, and the shower had grime on the showerhead and leftover hair on the drain, surprising given the overall luxury feel. The bathtub spout was also confusing. The handheld wand wouldn’t turn on until we discovered (after Googling the exact fixture model) that a tiny hidden ring at the base of the spout had to be pulled to divert the water. There were no instructions anywhere, making something simple feel unnecessarily complicated. And since the toiletries were mounted inside the shower, they weren’t usable while taking a bath.
Small Problems & Odd Design Choices
As we settled in, we noticed a few more things:
The dining room curtains had no visible control panel.
The living room curtains only worked when a random, unlabeled wall switch was on.
The artistic choices seemed to overshadow basic usability in several places.
These weren’t deal-breakers, but they highlighted the difference between a room designed for aesthetics vs one designed for practicality.
Hilton Honors Perks
As Hilton Honors members, we received $15 per person per day in food and beverage credit to use at the bar, restaurant, or snack bar. It had to be used by midnight each day. We ended up using it at the snack bar, which had drinks, snacks, and even cute Hilton-branded souvenirs.
How The Suite Differs From a Standard Room
Before diving deeper, it’s important to note that the Vice President’s Suite is not a typical room at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter. We booked a standard king room using points and were unexpectedly upgraded, so what we experienced is not representative of the average stay here. A standard room at this hotel is much more traditional: a single open space with a bed, desk, TV, bathroom, and modest square footage. In contrast, our suite felt more like a private residence, complete with a dining room, living room, large bedroom, two bathrooms, panoramic windows, and a patio. The layout alone makes the suite feel like a different category of stay entirely.
Ironically, the suite showed more wear and tear than we’ve seen in many standard rooms. While the space was undeniably impressive, we noticed design quirks and cleanliness oversights that stood out more because of the room’s size and upscale styling. Some elements prioritized aesthetics over functionality, like the finicky bathtub spout, tricky curtains, and awkward sink in the half bath. We want to highlight this so readers booking a regular room don’t assume these specific quirks apply to the entire hotel. The upgrade was an exciting surprise, but it also meant our experience had unique pros and cons that most guests won’t encounter.
Property & Amenities
The Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter has one of the best locations in the city if you’re visiting for nightlife, food, or events. The hotel sits right in the heart of the Gaslamp District, meaning you can walk to dozens of restaurants, bars, dessert shops, rooftops, and lounges within minutes. Whether you’re craving tacos, sushi, craft cocktails, or late-night bites, it’s all right outside the door.
One of the most unique parts of the property is the elevated outdoor terrace, which connects the main hotel building to the residential-style wing where the Vice President’s Suite is located. The terrace feels like its own private courtyard, decorated with murals, pops of modern art, patio furniture, and even a giant chessboard. It’s an unexpectedly artsy common area and a fun place to relax between outings.
The pool area is also located on this terrace but sits in a dedicated gated section, giving it more privacy. While not a large resort-style pool, it's a great spot for a dip or quick sun break if you're spending the day walking the Gaslamp. Inside, the lobby has a small bar and restaurant where breakfast is served in the mornings and light bites and drinks are available later in the day. It’s convenient if you want something quick before heading out, and it stayed consistently busy while we were there thanks to the convention across the street.
One feature we genuinely loved was the hotel’s text messaging system. Before we even arrived, we received a text asking about our arrival time, and throughout our stay the front desk checked in, answered questions, and helped us with requests quickly. It felt modern, easy, and much more efficient than standing in line at the desk.
Final Verdict: Is the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter Worth Your Wallet?
Our two-night stay at the Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter ended up being one of our most unique hotel experiences, not because of the hotel itself, but because we were unexpectedly upgraded into the Vice President’s Suite. We paid nothing out of pocket for the room (only $130 total for valet), thanks to using 130,000 Hilton Honors points. For the amount of space we received, it felt like an incredible deal.
That said, the suite came with some surprises, and not all of them were positive. While the room was undeniably massive, complete with a full dining room, huge living space, oversized bedroom, and two bathrooms, it also showed noticeable wear and tear that didn’t fit the luxury label. Things like an awkward, barely usable sink, unclear controls for lights and curtains, hard-to-operate bath fixtures, and the unexpected worry that people outside might be able to see into the shower and tub all chipped away at the “wow” factor.
If this suite ever appears on the website again, it would almost certainly fall well above $1,000 per night, and at that price point, guests would expect a sharper, better-maintained room than what we experienced. The size was impressive, but the condition didn’t quite match what a suite of this status should offer.
Still, the location of this hotel is truly unbeatable. Being able to walk to restaurants, bars, the convention center, and the waterfront made our stay extremely convenient, and the Gaslamp District energy is a huge selling point. The hotel staff were kind, the texting system was incredibly helpful, and the overall stay was enjoyable, especially since we booked with points.
Would we stay again? Absolutely, but we’d aim for a standard room or junior suite rather than relying on this particular suite being in top shape. And if you’re using points rather than paying cash, this hotel becomes an even better value, especially when paired with its prime downtown location.
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