Originally Posted by
downinit
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.
Helpful reply.... thank you.
I agree that the IC rooms seemed underwhelming, and not worth the premium I'd pay, especially when factoring in the lounge fee for my additional guests. It would have been another $1500 for 5 days.
I don't know how crazy the nightlife is, but I like nightlife. :-) Unfortunately both of the rooftop (open air?) bars at the Kimpton and Indigo are closed. (Kimpton for "the season" and Indigo for renovations.)
I ended up booking at the Kimpton because they were much better at communicating and they seemed to have nicer suites. And after I booked, the manager ended up contacting me and really went far above and beyond in setting me up with substantial upgrades. So far I'm very impressed. I'll report back, but any additional tips from San Diego visitors would be welcome.
As far as status goes, you are spot on. If everyone has status, then nobody has status. I think the promotion they did granting Diamond status with the challenge to stay 10 nights, and then the system bug that allowed people buy Ambassador and extend that status artificially bloated the ranks with members that don't really stay that often. I will say that internationally, Diamond Ambassadors get treated well; maybe because they don't have so many of these types of visitors. I just got back from 3 weeks in Hong Kong and I enjoyed suites at every property. Oh, and the Crowne Plaza there doesn't have a lounge, but they offer a special menu for Diamonds with free drinks and appetizers for 3 hours... pretty much like the IC lounges. Nice setup.