Poor status recognition is a standard feature for all the big chains in the USA, because almost everyone has some kind of status, often from a CC. Last time I stayed in the Kimpton, earlier this year, they still had free wine in the lobby for a couple hours in the early evening. Kimpton has an outdoor pool/bar area on the third?? floor, which should be open. Indigo has an outdoor bar overlooking downtown and Petco park near the top floor (not quite the roof), which should also be open??

As someone who visits SD on a weekend getaway on a frequent basis, I prefer the Indigo rooms/location/vibe, but honestly they are really quite comparable and I would not pay a significant premium for one over the other. The location of the Kimpton will be louder in the evening, as Gaslamp is a lively area. Personally, I found the rooms at the IC to be quite underwhelming and I am not a fan of the location, as there is really nothing interesting nearby except for the waterfront. That said, it is very easy to get around downtown SD and I consider the entire area to be completely walk-able. They also have a trolley and a free on-demand shuttle (FRED), which make getting around even easier.