Writing this blog post is taking me back down memory lane! In case you missed it over on my Instagram stories a few weeks ago, I took a lovely mid-week vacay down to Tower23 Hotel at Pacific Beach in San Diego. I went with my friend Katie from Wander Abode and we had a wonderful time! Before I shared with you my San Diego Travel Guide, I wanted to do a dedicated blog post all about where to stay in SD. I lived in Orange County growing up, so San Diego was practically our neighbor. Between the ages of 8 and 12, I visited the area very frequently because my sister attended University of San Diego. So after countless trips down here, I feel confident in pointing you guys in the right direction of where to stay, where to go and where to eat. But today, I’ll be sharing where to stay and why its the best spot in town!
When planning a vacation, the first thing you ask yourself after deciding where to go is, where should we stay? When I started planning, I knew we had specific needs that needed to be met. So many factors get involved when choosing a location since it all depends on what you want to do, where you want to go and what exactly you’re looking for in the area. If you’ve heard of Pacific Beach before or are planning on staying, then your top priorities will be staying close to the boardwalk and near all of the fun. The first thing to highlight about T23 Hotel is how perfect the location is. You’re less than a minute walk from walking on the sand and dipping your toes in the water, and you’re directly behind the beach. Hence why the hotel is named Tower23 Hotel—because its so close to the beach! Specifically, you’re located right next to lifeguard Tower 23. So almost immediately, all beach lovers and people coming to hang at the beach will know this is the place to stay. Aside from being that close, the boardwalk is the only thing between the hotel and the warm sand. Also, the pier is insight from the rooftop!
Now that you have a good feel of what is outside the hotel (boardwalk, beach, pier), lets talk about the inside of the hotel. Something that immediately caught my attention when pulling up was the size. T23 is considered a boutique hotel, so when you pull up, don’t expect some roaring mansion resort. Expect a cute, quaint, beachy feeling hotel that’s personal and intimate. I immediately felt like I was walking into some Nicholas Sparks love story—you know, the beach, a cute boutique hotel, it just reminded me of a Summer love story! But my point is, don’t let the outside size fool you. After getting checked in, Katie and I walked up to floor two to look around and set our bags down. If you ask Katie, she’ll tell you exactly this: I walked in, went to the middle of the room, had the biggest smile on my face and started clapping. You guys, I’ve traveled a lot of places and stayed in a lot of hotels—and this by far is the largest room I’ve stayed in. The layout was wide and open, plenty of countertop and work space, a couch to relax in, a back porch with a rooftop entrance, a bathroom that had a separate shower & tub, and a sprawling king bed. If this isn’t what dreams are made of, I’m not sure what is! I appreciate a lot of things in life, but I truly appreciate a nice bathtub and a hotel that feels like home. Though Tower23 may be smaller in size on the outside compared to others, pretty please don’t underestimate how large and homey it really is! Safe to say on day one, I already was in the vacation mindset and ready to let loose.
In case I haven’t already convinced you yet that this is the best place to stay in SD, let me talk about the amenities and the food. On the first floor of T23 you’ll find the lobby, elevators, and their one restaurant JRDN. Also, access to the parking garage where you can valet and get your car, or get set up on the bikes. When staying at T23, they offer you access to beach cruisers that you are free to take out on a ride complimentary to booking with the hotel. Talk about a win! After we set off with our adorable bikes, I noticed around town you can rent ones elsewhere, but of course you need to pay with an arm and a leg. So when booking, consider that in your price you are also getting a free form of transportation! We rode down to Belmont Park area, got a snack, walked around, people watched, and took a bunch of photos with all the pretty backdrops the boardwalk has to offer. I can’t tell you how nice it was to take that much needed break, be in the moment, and just let loose.
The night before I went home, I got to enjoy an early dinner at the hotel’s restaurant JRDN. One of you actually messaged me when I shared on stories and said that you go to this restaurant every time you’re in town because it is THAT good. After having eaten there, I can now agree with you and say this is a must on the “to-eat” list. I’ll share more on my travel guide, but I highly recommend getting the pretzel bites, crunchy roll, and wings. Well balanced diet, I know! While we waited for our food, we yet again got to take in the gorgeous view that Tower23 Hotel has to offer. People watching, the light ocean breeze, and of course that breathtaking sight of being on the water. So dreamy!
I’m really excited to follow up with you guys and post my travel guide to the area, sharing must-eats and more. Until then, I hope you find this post helpful regarding where to stay in San Diego and why Pacific Beach is the perfect place for any type of getaway. The hotel though is truly what made this trip what is was for me, and that was relaxing and convenient. Because after all that’s going on in my life, that is what I needed! Let me know if you have any questions regarding booking, what they offer, or anything at all. I’m here to help!
A big thank you to T23 Hotel for hosting me. All thoughts & opinions are my own.
Photography: KStu Photography
XO,
Danielle Alana