Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

Andaz San Diego [In-depth Review]

Katie Seemann's image
Katie Seemann
Katie Seemann's image

Katie Seemann

Senior Content Contributor and News Editor

391 Published Articles 62 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 29U.S. States Visited: 29

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, F...
Edited by: Keri Stooksbury
Keri Stooksbury's image

Keri Stooksbury

Editor-in-Chief

49 Published Articles 3439 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 50U.S. States Visited: 28

With years of experience in corporate marketing and as the executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Qatar, Keri is now editor-in-chief at UP, overseeing daily content operations and r...
& Kellie Jez
Kellie Jez's image

Kellie Jez

Director of Operations & Compliance

6 Published Articles 1226 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 10U.S. States Visited: 20

Kellie’s professional experience has led her to a deep passion for compliance, data reporting, and process improvement. Kellie’s learned the ins and outs of the points and miles world and leads UP’s c...

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

One of the best things about points and miles is the ability to travel without having to put too much thought into how much it will cost. Recently, I helped organize a meet-up of travel-hacking women. We all knew of each other through Instagram, but few of us had ever met in person.

We agreed on San Diego as our destination and decided to stay at Andaz San Diego. We chose this hotel because there was a promotion at the time offering 2 elite night credits per night. Since many of us were chasing Hyatt status and had Hyatt free night certificates to use, it seemed like a great choice.

I was able to book flights from Columbus, Ohio to San Diego, California on Southwest using Rapid Rewards points, and I booked the Andaz San Diego using World of Hyatt points (scroll down for details), allowing me to enjoy a weekend away (with a bunch of internet strangers!) for a grand total of $11.20 out of pocket!

In this review, I’ll give you a detailed look at Andaz San Diego, including its location, amenities, dining options, and more.

Location

Located in San Diego’s Gaslamp District, Andaz San Diego is a contemporary boutique hotel in a historic 1913 building. Just 1 mile from the San Diego Convention Center, this hotel is convenient to many of San Diego’s top attractions, including Petco Park and Seaport Village.

Andaz San Diego exterior
Andaz San Diego.

I flew into San Diego International Airport (SAN) and took a 15-minute Uber ride to the hotel. Thankfully, I had Uber Cash from The Platinum Card® from American Express. Since I was traveling in December, I had a monthly credit of $35 to use instead of the usual monthly credit of $15, so I didn’t have to pay anything out of pocket for my ride.

Hot Tip: The American Express® Gold Card also offers Uber Cash as a benefit and it can be combined in your Uber account with credits from your Amex Platinum card.

Booking

As I mentioned earlier, I booked 3 nights at Andaz San Diego using World of Hyatt points. This Category 4 hotel only costs 15,000 points per night (standard). The cash cost when I booked was $291 (including taxes) per night, giving me 1.9 cents per point in value. We value World of Hyatt points at 1.5 cents each, so this was a solid redemption. You can definitely get higher values from Hyatt points, but I had the points in my account and that seemed like a better option than shelling out over $800, so I opted to use my points.

Queen Bed room at Andaz San Diego cost
A standard award night at Andaz San Diego costs 15,000 World of Hyatt points. Image Credit: Hyatt

This would be a great place to use the Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificate that comes with The World of Hyatt Credit Card. I used mine earlier this year at Andaz Savannah, so I didn’t have one available (ironically, my new certificate showed up in my account right after this stay).

If you’ve got free night certificates and can’t find availability at Andaz San Diego or would prefer a larger property, there’s another option close by — Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego.

Bottom Line: Since this article was published, Andaz San Diego has moved up to a Category 5 Hyatt property that costs 20,000 World of Hyatt points per night for a standard award redemption. Since it’s a Category 5 now, you can’t use Hyatt Category 1-4 free night certificates at this location. 

Elite Benefits and Check-in

My check-in experience was fine but wasn’t overly warm or welcoming. My low-level Discoverist status was mentioned, but I wasn’t offered any upgrades or additional amenities. Additionally, the person who checked me in was going to charge me for the destination fee (more on this later) until I mentioned that it should be waived on award bookings.

Front desk Andaz San Diego
The front desk at Andaz San Diego.

The lobby at the Andaz San Diego has an artsy, city-chic vibe with lots of fun artwork and bold colors.

Andaz San Diego lobby
Andaz San Diego lobby seating area.

The lobby was also home to 2 friendly giraffe friends who were dressed up for the holiday season. Perfect for an Instagram moment, they even have their own hashtag — #andazgiraffe.

Andaz Giraffe
I enjoyed meeting some new giraffe friends in the lobby. Image Credit: Senitra Horbrook

Hot Tip: For a better chance at scoring a room upgrade, you’ll want to earn World of Hyatt elite status. Discoverist status comes automatically with the World of Hyatt card. If you’ve got your sights set high, aim for Globalist status, which comes with great perks like free breakfast and upgrades. While staying at Hyatt hotels helps, you can earn Globalist status just through credit card spending.

Destination Fee

Andaz San Diego charges a “Destination Fee” of $30 plus tax per night. Basically, this is a resort fee with a different name since this hotel isn’t a resort. However, you can avoid this fee by booking with points.

Destination fee at Andaz San Diego
You’ll pay a destination fee of $30 plus tax each night at Andaz San Diego, however, this fee is waived if you book with points. Image Credit: Hyatt

Here’s what’s included in the destination fee:

  • $10 daily food and beverage credit for The Rooftop by STK or in-room dining
  • Nightly wine and beer tasting
  • Guest package delivery
  • Computer usage
  • Shoeshine
  • Sanitizer kit (hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes)
  • Hotel-branded tote bag
  • A round of sparkling wine at STK Steakhouse with a dinner reservation
  • $25 off of $50 at Maceoo (a men’s shirt store next to the hotel)
  • A day pass to a private boxing club
  • 15% discount at Saffron and Sage Services, a local day spa
  • 1-hour kayak or paddleboard rental with Seaforth Boat Rentals
  • 10% discount on activities from Old Town Trolley

Bottom Line: The bad news is that Andaz San Diego charges a daily $30 destination fee. The good news is that this fee is waived on award bookings!

Amenities

Fitness Center

For being a relatively small hotel, the fitness center at Andaz San Diego is pretty big. Located on the rooftop level, this bright and airy gym featured elliptical machines, treadmills, a stationary bike, free weights, and a weight machine.

Gym at Andaz San Diego
The rooftop fitness center.

Complimentary Happy Hour Tastings

Each evening you could stop by the lobby for a taste of wine from Fallbrook Vineyard or craft beer from Rough Draft Brewery. Selections rotate seasonally.

Happy hour tastings at Andaz San Diego
Happy hour tastings.

Rooftop Pool

Located on the rooftop level right next to a bar and restaurant, the heated pool featured plenty of lounge chairs and a great city view.

Rooftop pool at Andaz San Diego
Rooftop pool.

There were few covered private cabanas available. To secure one of these cabanas, you either need to book the Cabana Suite or commit to a food and beverage minimum spend. The minimum spend changes seasonally and can be as high as $750.

Andaz San Diego pool cabana
The private cabana that comes with the Cabana Suite.

Complimentary Snacks and Water

During my stay, Andaz San Diego offered guests complimentary bottled water and snacks. That’s the great news. The not-so-great news is that they didn’t do a good job of letting guests know about this perk. I only discovered this halfway through my stay when a few of us were waiting in the lobby for some other friends and the front desk attendant offered us water, cookies, and bagged trail mix.

Pet Friendly

Andaz San Diego is a pet-friendly hotel. For a fee of $75, you can bring a dog up to 50 pounds or 2 dogs with a combined weight of 75 pounds to stay in your room. The hotel provides pet beds and water bowls upon request, and there are even dog treats available in the lobby.

Dog treats at Andaz San Diego
There were dog treats available at the front desk for 4-legged guests.

Room Service

During my stay, room service was available Monday through Thursday from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. and Friday through Sunday from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Unfortunately, this information wasn’t communicated to me at check-in and there wasn’t any information about it in my room, so I couldn’t try it out.

Hot Tip: If you’re bringing the whole family, check out these fun things to do in San Diego with kids.

The Room

I booked a 1 Queen Bed room for 15,000 points a night. This 315-square-foot room was modern and comfortable.

Queen Bedroom

By the door was a closet with iron and a free tote bag (a reusable grocery bag) to take home.

Andaz San Diego reusable tote bag
A reusable tote bag for guests to take home.

There was also a minifridge, safe, and Keurig coffee machine.

Coffee set up in room
Each room has a Keurig coffee machine.

Across from the entrance, next to the windows, was a nice work desk that had plenty of light and plugs to keep all of your devices charged.

Work desk at Andaz San Diego
Work desk.

The bed was piled high with thick pillows and offered a restful night’s sleep.

Queen room at Andaz San Diego
Queen bed with thick pillows.

There was only 1 nightstand by the bed, which was fine for this trip since I was by myself, but if you were traveling as a couple, it could be inconvenient. There weren’t any plugs by the nightstand either, so you couldn’t charge your devices by the bed.

Nightstand in standard queen room
There was only 1 nightstand by the bed and it didn’t have any plugs to charge your phone.

Bathroom

The bathroom was really cool — not huge, but it was gorgeous. The floor-to-ceiling dark grey tiles made it feel modern and luxurious, while the glass vanity and stainless steel exposed sink gave it an industrial feel.

Shower in Queen room
Walk-in shower.

By the sink, there were plenty of towels, a hairdryer, and a make-up mirror. There was also a wellness kit with hand sanitizer and alcohol sanitizing wipes.

Bathroom in Queen Room
Vanity.

One of the things I look for the most in a hotel room is a good shower, and this one did not disappoint. The large stand-up shower featured Jonathan Adler bath products in large pump bottles.

Jonathan Adler Bath products at Andaz San Diego
The shower featured large-size Jonathan Adler bath products.

The only thing I really didn’t like about my room was the window/view situation. There were nice floor-to-ceiling windows, but unfortunately, they just looked out onto other rooms.

There were sheer curtains and blackout curtains, so if you wanted any privacy you had to use the blackout curtains. Even with the curtains open, there was very little natural light, so the room had a cave-like feeling.

View from room at Andaz San Diego
The view from my room was directly into other rooms, so there wasn’t much natural light or privacy.

In addition, this area looked down onto an open-air private dining room that’s part of one of the restaurants. There was music and lots of crowd noise that carried all the way up to my room on the fifth floor on Friday and Saturday night.

Room view at Andaz San Diego
On Friday and Saturday night, there was a lot of noise that came from the party room below my room.

Food and Beverage

The Rooftop by STK

The Rooftop by STK, located on the rooftop at Andaz San Diego, serves up breakfast/brunch, lunch/dinner, and specialty cocktails, along with incredible views in one of the area’s largest rooftops. In times when the weather is less than ideal, the retractable roof and walls are put in place.

The Rooftop by STK at Andaz San Diego
The Rooftop by STK has a retractable roof and heaters for when the weather is less than ideal.

I really enjoyed eating breakfast there each morning. The food for our group never seemed to come out at the same time, but it was delicious. My favorite item was the breakfast sandwich with an over-easy egg, cheese, and bacon served on a pretzel croissant.

Breakfast at The Rooftop by STK
Breakfast at The Rooftop by STK was delicious.

STK Steakhouse

STK Steakhouse, located on the lobby level at Andaz San Diego, serves steak and signature sides for happy hour and dinner daily. In addition, brunch is served on the weekends.

STK Steakhouse at Andaz San Diego interior
STK Steakhouse at Andaz San Diego.

Service

Daily Housekeeping

As I start to travel more again, I’ve seen many hotels still holding out on reinstating daily housekeeping. As someone who prefers hotels over vacation rentals, it’s something I really miss. Coming back to a made bed and fresh towels is a luxury we used to expect at hotels, but unfortunately, it’s becoming harder to find this perk.

Housekeeping is offered at Andaz San Diego after 3 nights, however several of the people I was traveling with reported the ability to request it upon check-in. I wasn’t offered the option, so I didn’t get any housekeeping services during my 3-night stay.

When I ran out of coffee for the in-room Keurig, I called the front desk to get some more and it was promptly delivered to my room within 10 minutes.

COVID-19 Protocols

The COVID-19 protocols at the Andaz San Diego included some signage and a few hand sanitizer stations. Daily housekeeping had been suspended as well.

Covid 19 protocols at Andaz San Diego
There were signs posted throughout the hotel reminding guests of COIVD-19 best practices.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I enjoyed my stay at Andaz San Diego, although, if I were to stay again, I would call ahead to make sure I could get a room that wasn’t on the interior of the building.

If you’re planning to explore San Diego and would like to use Hyatt points for your stay, this hotel could be a great choice.

For rates and fees of The Platinum Card® from American Express, click here.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.

Frequently Asked Questions

What category is Andaz San Diego?

Andaz San Diego is a World of Hyatt Category 5 hotel. It costs 20,000 points for a standard award night.

When did Andaz San Diego open?

The building that Andaz San Diego occupies originally opened in 1913. The hotel itself opened in 2010.

How many rooms does Andaz San Diego have?

Andaz San Diego has 159 rooms, including 17 suites.

What's included on the Andaz San Diego rooftop?

On the Andaz San Diego rooftop, you’ll find The Rooftop by STK, a restaurant serving breakfast/brunch and lunch/dinner daily, as well as a heated pool, a bar, and a gym (located inside on the rooftop level).

Does Andaz San Diego have a pool?

Yes, there is a heated rooftop pool at Andaz San Diego.

Katie Seemann's image

About Katie Seemann

Katie has been in the points and miles game since 2015 and started her own blog in 2016. She’s been freelance writing since then and her work has been featured in publications like Travel + Leisure, Forbes Advisor, and Fortune Recommends.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status