Best Western Plus Hacienda Hotel Old Town

Pros
— Great location in heart of Old Town
— Restaurant (Tequila Factory) has one of the best views of San Diego (but like all good views restaurant, the food does not match)
— Beautiful complex of buildings!
— Rooms have microwave, coffee maker, iron, TV, refrigerator, and safe.
Cons
— Be prepared to walk. .. and walk. .. and walk. .. and walk to your room; this is a village, not 1 building, but many buildings AND at different levels; I had to take 3 elevators from lobby to room each time: 7 – 10 mins. walk. And the elevators belong to the 1980s
— The beautiful outside complex of this hotel does not match the quality of the rooms inside. There’s a major disconnect.
— SMOKING; While smoking is not allowed inside of the rooms, this is an «outdoor hotel,» so there are no «inside hallways.» Ashtrays are found outside of most rooms (hallways are outside porches). As a result, your next door neighbor (of close proximity) who smokes outside of his/​her room will not care if the smoke seeps into your room. In short, outdoor smoke easily comes into your room.
— Lacks professional details: the elevator key demonstrates the hotel’s hidden aestheticism
–Some irritation: When I had requested a 12:30 check out time (30 minutes longer), they were gracious to give it to me, but neglected to tell me that my key card expires at noon. Thus, after walking «miles» and 4 stairways to get to my room and discovering that my room key did not work, I had to «walk miles» to the front office and get a new key. .. and «walk miles» back to my room.
— WIFI works and it’s free, but at first, it took a long time to pick up the wifi. Then, with my iPAD, I always had to re-​input code after a few hours.

Rooms are pretty old, but kept decently clean. Breakfast is good and offers a variety. There are noise and safety issues here, though. Many of the rooms have jacked up doorways, doors that are hidden deep along dark, outdoor corridoors, and room keys that don’t consistently work. Its pretty nerve jangling after hours. Folks come here to party, so prepare yourself for noise. Staff will not address noise, and may even ignore your calls if you ask them to address noise. They also play a game here where staff place you in their least desirable room possible, and then wait for you to complain before they change you to a better one. It has happened to me 3 out of the 3 times I needed to stay here. Just saying… I have found other local accommodations for future travel, and will likely avoid this hotel in the future.

Where do i start? Do not stay here if you value quality sleep! Single pane windows bring the constant noise of old town inside. Every morning at 8 the groundskeepers from somewhere nearby serenade you with the nonstop music of weed eaters and leaf blowers!
These noise of a nearby nightclub was also booming in my room until past 12:30 one night. Again a window upgrade would have done wonders.
The beds are possibly the worst I’ve slept in since i pulled over in the middle of the night in some no tell motel in Arkansas one night due ti sleep deprivation.
In addition to the frustrations from a week of lack of sleep, i asked housekeeping three times in one day to replenish the towels at the pool. After having to drip dry twice i called the front desk and they resolved the issue.
If i had been staying on my dime i would have not stayed a whole week to see what else the hotel had in store, but alas here i am for another night…

Let me start by saying I’ve stayed here about 10 times in the last 15 or so years and had a lot of wonderful times! However! Customer service is seriously lacking these days.
I’ll make this shortish, here’s the positive first:
*Nice heated pool
*Clean beds
And here’s what’s gone downhill:
*Internet was unavailable the entire stay, even though they have 3 wifi connections. All connections provided absolutely no service. Ethernet in room was broken.
*I was overcharged on my card at their restaurant the first night. Even though we had only two diners and I left a cash tip (for 25%!). I only noticed I had been charged 20% more than my bill when I checked my card online and compared it to the receipt that they gave me. They offered no apologies and after much deliberation gave me the difference in cash. Shady!
*The shuttle, though advertised as an amenity to provide transportation to or from the airport or Amtrack station, it only runs certain hours, so if you have an early or late flight, you’re out of luck. This is a new change, and the service is one of the reasons I’ve chosen this hotel so many times. This time however, I had to pay $ 25 out of pocket to get to my early (before 7am) flight.
*Room was not serviced because we had a «do not disturb sign» on our door from 1 – 2 while the baby was sleeping, fine. It’s our fault we missed the window. But when we called to request some new towels and coffee for the room, they forgot about us, then took two hours to bring them up.
*speaking of which, because they have no separate pool towels, you must use your room towels for the pool, so if you want to shower on the same day you use the pool, you’re out of luck.
*Furnace in room was broken, blasted the room with tons of heat on every setting.
Very very disappointed we spent the extra money to stay in what used to be one of our favorite hotels, when the money would have been better spent at one of the many other establishments in the area.

Stayed there from December 23^rd thru the 29^th! Have to thank Audrey for making sure that I had easy access to our room since I had a injury to my ankle and had to maneuver with a Boot and cane. And to the best Courtesy Shuttle Driver, Zachary what a wonderful young man! Always courteous and very kind and listens to Jazz!
Absolutely loved the location my Sister and I enjoyed our stay. Beautiful Lobby and grounds and very nice staff! Our room was great had everything we needed. My only complaint was intermittent issues with the Internet and they do need better channel selections. Loved the proximity to shopping and restaurants in Old Town San Diego.

When I come into San Diego for business, and now for pleasure, I always consider staying in Old Town. First of all, it’s not in the middle of the city and the quaint area is just nice to stroll and shop and eat. Then I choose to stay in the Marriott Courtyard instead of here. I have a Marriott Rewards card and I need to maintain my status; otherwise, I would have chosen to stay here instead. It’s a strange layout. It takes about several floors and you need a map and code ring to get around. It’s was built on a steep hill and the rooms are place to match its terrain. The rooms are old but clean. I always get free breakfast and a free drink at happy hour too. The views facing the city are very nice as well. When you walk out of the hotel you are right in the middle of the action of Old Town. Restaurants and shops surround the hotel and the preserved Old Town park is just down the road. They have a paid parking garage, but I like to park on the side streets for free. Some of the rooms have a kitchen, and the ones facing a courtyard are very nice. Don’t overlook this place because it’s a Best Western.

There is a lot of construction going on in the streets. If you come during the day I am sure it will be a pain in the butt to get in and out. We checked in around 10pm although the construction workers were gone the equipment was parked in the streets and walking around to get to the hotel restaurant was treterous, we had to walk over plywood, and other construction stuff.
Other than that the lady that checked us in was very accommodating she gave us a room with a view of old town. She also took the time to answer my questions without making me feel like I was wasting her time. Our room came with 2 complimentary drinks at the hotel restaurant! We were elated! (See review of restuarant)
We drove to our room and parking was almost full but we managed to find a spot outside the structure. We took the elevator up to the room it was clean, the beds looked comfy, and we turned on the air conditioner and within a few minutes the room cooled down and we were comfortable.
We did not have issues with noise, or Anything we slept through the night. In the morning i had to leave for a meeting but I could see that the hotel was just a few streets from old town!!! I wish I could have stayed longer but it was a biz trip.
I will difinetly be coming back soon! Hopefully after all the construction is completed.

My family and I stayed here this past weekend and fell in love. Our room was in the 600’s, so we were way up on the hill. Our balcony view was amazing!
The hotel staff was very accommodating when my baby girl wet the bed. Thank God the room had two beds! And whenever we needed something, they were quick to respond.
There was a parking garage which made us very happy as we didn’t want to park on the street, in the heat.
Our room was beautiful! It was refreshing to walk into a air conditioned room out of the heat. We did have to walk up a million stairs to get to our room when we wandered into Old Town but it was a great exercise.
I loved the hotel. I loved the location. I was sad to go but we will return!

For a best western this place is cool. The rooms were big and clean. It has access to multiple points in old town. This place is great for a weekend getaway with the family.

I saw this hotel a few times and was told by a co worker it was good, but didn’t stay here until now and it is now one of my my favorite San Diego hotels.
I’ll start with the negative stuff up front:
— I stayed here for 10 days and parking was only bad Friday and Saturday in the parking garage. There are two other hotel only parking areas I didn’t check, but the parking garage is shared by hotel, public and hotel restaurant. There was a big event across the street and a HS reunion so I had to park minivan rental in a compact spot. After a few hours I went back out and had my pick of parking. Aside from that it wasn’t bad. We also had expensive communications equipment in the van and it seemed safe. I saw video cameras on every level.
— The room isn’t 4 stars by any means but the old Spanish style applies to the room. The beds are comfortable and the bathrooms are acceptable. The Spanish exterior of the hotel is very charming.
— Most stuff closes in Old Town around 10pm, but I was typically in bed by then for work.
— One of the elevators was broken and I had to drag my bags up a flight of stairs. The hotel is multiple buildings like a campus on a hill. The receptionists were very helpful to others so they didn’t have a lot of stairs to go up and down.
— The only thing that did kinda suck was the long check in line at times. Only 2 people can check in at a time and it took like 15 min a person. If it is busy you can be in line for 30 min.
— I am patient and not picky so none of these things seemed that bad to me at all.
The positive:
— You can’t beat this location. Old Town San Diego is very charming and the hotel is feet from the main drag. You could stay here for a month and not eat dinner in any of the awesome restaurants twice. The people are friendly and the area felt safe.
— The presidente club gives free breakfast, two free drinks at dinner and one of a few entrees for dinner at the hotel restaurant, the Tequila Factory. All active military and Government get this. We ate the free dinner there most nights. The staff was great and friendly and the food was very good. The breakfast buffet was awesome.
— I didn’t use the pool or hot tub, but it always had a few people in it or more and seemed very popular.
— The trolley/​train and bus station is a 5 min walk away. We bought a day pass for $ 5 and took the train downtown. Sure beats a $ 20 cab ride each way.
Everyone in our group wants to stay here again.

Well we were having an enjoyable stay at this hotel until our car window was broken and our kids TV screens stolen from the back seats. Yes, they do warn you about leaving valuables in your car but we were parked on the 3^rd level parking with «security» walking the hotel and cameras (that supposedly didn’t catch anything either) we found out from one of the workers that this happens about once a month. They seemed very unwilling to help us file our police report and one of the managers seemed like she was trying to avoid talking to us. Definitely not staying here again and I won’t be recommending it to anyone. If you do choose to stay here, leave absolutely NOTHING in your car.

It feels like a tropical get-away…love every bit of our stay.
The layout of this hotel is wonderful, we feel like we are on a tropical vacation somewhere. The rooms are angled and scattered in a way that it seems like a huge resort although it is actually very quaint and relaxed.
From check-​in to check-​out, our stay is always perfect. We enjoy watching the sunset on the outside patio, a good nights sleep on the soft bed, quiet surroundings and clean, manicured hotel grounds. No complaints about the hotel at all. We will definitely stay here again when we want a more romantic setting.
We take advantage of The Tequila Factory located on the premises and have Bloody Marys and a vast buffet with everything you could imagine for breakfast. Very yummy although the service tends to be a bit slow. Sunday brunch is all you can drink champagne and/​or mimosas if you wish. This is also where you claim your 2 free drink coupons when staying at the hotel.
There is a pool and spa as well as a fitness center and other amenities to make your stay more pleasant and well rounded.
I don’t know about parking but there is a covered lot on the hotel property. We always have taken the train, so we just walk the short distance from Amtrak to the hotel… less hassle and so much more fun!
The only downside to staying here is that we were hoping for more of a nightlife and Old Town has NONE, Shops close up early and the bars and restaurants seem to flip a switch at a certain hour so that you don’t want to hang around. Los Locos is about the only friendly place after 9pm. That being said and learned, however, we do know we love the nearby Gaslamp nightlife… so we head over there and have a great time, then return to our Mexican siesta in Old Town. To get to Gaslamp, one can either take the trolley system (Note: Trolleys stop running before the bars close, so beware if you are relying on them in the wee morning) or you can also take a taxi for a mere $ 14 – 15 plus tip. Either way, it is not too far away and is easy to get to. So, this is definitely NOT the hotel’s fault that Old Town is not evening friendly… just a word to the traveler.
Thank you to the Hacienda for always making our stays feel like our own casita with a touch of paradise.
CHEERS!!!

Thank you Caitlyn for taking us in and giving us a great rate, all in the middle of the night. Caitlyn was kind, respectful and understanding. Never once were we made to feel as if we were a bother. The hotel is big and spread out; lots of walking required. The rooms are not large but are cozy enough. The view of the city is amazing! We received vouchers for breakfast and drinks and a discount on parking.
Honestly our every need was met. It was a wonderful experience.

Great!
We had a king bedroom with a pullout couch. Large bathroom. Comfortable bed.
Also the whole little set up is right in the heart of Old Town San Diego and had great views and a nice terrace to sit out on.
The only dislike would be the parking. It was a little difficult to figure put which parking complex was for the hotel. It is actually combined with the restaurant. Hotel parking is a couple floors down.

Was here on a business trip and this is where the company that flew me out put me. Can’t say enough good things about the place from the staff, the views, the rooms and the food. The tequila factory has one amazing breakfast that I had free buffets to and they even gave me free drink tickets which i didn’t use. They also offer a free shuttle service to and from the airport that I highly recommend using.
I had a room by the pool and the view of San Diego was beautiful as the hotel is up on the hills. The hotel itself is one weird layout, but after the first walk through knowing where your room is located you can figure it out. The lay out is like a spanish village, very different experience. The rooms weren’t super modern but they were super clean and had more than enough room for me by myself. The hotel is in the heart of old town with a lot of shopping and food nearby.

The hotel is old colonial style with high ceilings. It was a lovely hotel. While most hotels are very ornate in the rooms, Best Westerns are usually plainer with a little flare here and there.
My boyfriend and I stayed here for one night for a weekend getaway. The location was wonderful because we were mostly just going to enjoy Old Town so it was nice to just walk everywhere for two days. Yes you pay $ 15 for overnight parking but the hotel treated us to two free margaritas from the Tequila Factory. We ordered room service from this restaurant and it was delicious.
I do recommend staying here!
I have always liked Best Westerns and this one was great. The staff was kind and welcoming during our stay. There were the basic amenities that every Best Western has (i.e. hair dryer, coffee maker/​coffee, microwave, mini fridge, shampoo/​soaps…) and a nice, comfy bed.
We will be staying here again!

The hotel is in the heart of Old Town San Diego and set on a hillside. The accommodations are great and this is one of the nicer Best Westerns we’ve been to.
My biggest gripe (and reason for only 3 starts) is the parking. In Old Town parking is at a premium (reminding me of San Francisco), and the hotel charges $ 15/​night. The parking garage has several floors, but very little of it is devoted to hotel guests. It has a low clearance (6’4″ not counting speed bumps) and it is NOT large vehicle friendly. By large vehicle, I mean anything bigger than a four door sedan. I also don’t recommend it for anyone who has issues with confined spaces, doesn’t want door dings or those who drive a truck/​SUV.
At the top of the hotel is the Tequila Factory. They also provide room service for the hotel. I highly recommend eating here. Included in the hotel’s resort fee are free drink coupons for the restaurant (one per registered adult).
Also included in the resort fees are two bottles of water (you will find them in the room’s mini fridge). Ours were frozen, but they thawed quickly enough.
We stayed in building 300 in a room with two queen beds and a sofa bed. The room was spacious and had a narrow balcony overlooking the pool. Beware, this building can only be accessed by climbing at least 3 steep flights of stairs. Be prepared to hike your luggage a long way from the parking garage. No bag carts are available for this building.
We have two toddlers, and although traversing the stairs was scary as hell, the balcony was relatively «kid safe.» If you are traveling with kids, I do not recommend staying anywhere other than the ground floor. First thing this morning, we got a call from the front desk manager. He informed me they had received a complaint from the downstairs unit about someone jumping around. The kids weren’t exactly walking lightly, (let’s face it, there isn’t a 1 year old in the world who even understands what that means), but they were not jumping around. Thankfully we were packed up and ready to check out, because there was no way I could prevent further complaints.
Upon check out, I did suggest they consider putting guests with children on the ground level and the staff member agreed, but put it back on me suggesting that in the future, I need to mention this at check-​in (my reservation had the number and ages of my children, but I didn’t want to start an argument). Then, to my amazement, he waived the parking fee.
A happy ending to a mediocre lodging experience.

Nice room but you need a map to find!!! This place is a maze!!! Beautiful location and tones of shops! My only complaint is the glow from the thermostat being right across from the bed is a bad location! I like a dark room and the glow was annoying !!!

Perfect spot for wedding guests!
My entire family stayed at the Hacienda for our wedding weekend and LOVED IT. My mom wants to stay in Room 208 every time she visits me in San Diego now. The grounds are beautiful, most rooms have high vaulted ceilings, the free shuttle is clutch for out-​of-​towners and its in a perfect location where guests can walk around, grab tacos, margaritas, souvenirs, etc. The bridal suite was massive and theres a pool for the younger guests too. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking to stay in a safe, centrally located, family-​friendly hotel in San Diego. McKenzy, our coordinator, was a pleasure to work with as well.

3.5 stars.
Stayed here for a wedding weekend. Good location in old downtown SD. The place is pretty, it almost feels like a little community. However, it feels like a maze! I admit I’m directionally challenged at times but it’s built on a hill and there are so many stair cases it made my head spin. There’s a pool and hot tub but the pool is probably the size of three or four hot tubs put together. Which was over run by children (not saying this is negative or the hotel’s fault but just something to note).
The rooms were well kept with abundant air conditioning. And the couch folds out to a small bed so 3 can fit in a room nicely.
The restaurant is the tequila factory, the weekend brunch is decent and comes with bottomless mimosas and made to order omelet bar. I think 16.99 a person.
My one real complaint was our rooms were not ready at checkin. And this was true for like half my party. I get that it was Fourth of July weekend but I thought businesses prepare for holiday weekends by staffing more people. They forgot to give us our complimentary beverage cards for the bar as well. Lastly, when we finally got to our room they programmed our keys wrong and had to wind back through the maze of a place to get them fixed. Overall this place is clean and comfortable but nothing above average.