Arriving to a room dusted with rose petals and red shiny helium heart balloons floating from every angle of the bed brought flashbacks of a similar event my husband planned when we first started dating. Champagne is chilling on ice as the sunlight filters through the room overlooking San Diego’s Harbor Island Marina. We watch kayakers glide through the parked boats and an occasional yacht leave its slip. Twelve floors above, in a newly remodeled suite, our private balcony beckons with chocolate covered strawberries and bubbly. An impressive array of rose petals cascade across the room and are made into a heart atop the bed. We have arrived for our wedding anniversary to enjoy this Romance Package at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina.  

Such outstanding service and warm hospitality accompany a multi-million-dollar renovation that has made the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina an ideal place for a staycation or family getaway, with a property that has every amenity one might need.

Situated in San Diego harbor – minutes from San Diego’s pristine SoCal beaches, the International Airport, Petco Park, and downtown’s Gaslamp and Little Italy neighborhoods – the Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina is perfectly located for endless possibilities. With perfect temps year-round and a plethora of world-class family attractions nearby, you can decide if you want to relax or take advantage of the area’s entertainment.

Don’t want to leave the property? The Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina offers seaside pools, new dining concepts, a state-of-the-art fitness center, and boating and water activities right outside. Plus, room views from the refreshed Marina Tower of this enchanting coastal paradise are pretty hard to leave.

Vibe

The lobby is a bustling community space, with a fresh, clean, modern nautical ocean feel and décor that imparts a feeling of someone’s stylish home. We noticed a bride at the lobby bar and a bachelorette party seated nearby at the brewery. Families, couples, and small groups abound at this community hub for locals and visitors alike.

Dining

Take in the Harbor Island waterfront views from the Sheraton’s new restaurant Rumorosa or Brewery X, the hotel’s hip, colorful, laid-back in-house brew pub featuring outdoor seating to sample beer flights with some of San Diego’s best suds – like a Mexican Lager, West Coast IPA, Hazy IPA, Pilsner, and Huckleberry Hard Seltzer. Pair these with chef-driven bar bites like the S.O.K. Dog (bacon wrapped hot dog topped with fried onions and cheese sauce) or a Pig Mac with Duck Fat Dirty Fries. From Brewery X, we watch happy kids join their parents at the outdoor seaside firepits for complimentary evening S’mores.

Spice up the dining experience at Rumorosa, the hotel’s new modern Cali Baja restaurant – donned in Mexican motifs and cheery-colored rugs, walls, and furniture – under grand scale windows with sunset marina views. Signature cocktails abound with agave spirits like La Bahia infused with Xicaru Mezcal, coconut water, lime, and a lemongrass ube reduction. An amazing Mexican wine list showcases varietals from around the Baja region – like the Santo Tomas 2014 Cab from Valle de Guadalupe, with a rich complexity that could easily rival a Paso or Napa vintage. Choose one to complement hearty dishes such as Braised Beef Short Rib with buttered hominy mash with pickled red onions and a decadent pozole jus, or lighter fare like the Veracruz-style Pacific Seabass with citrus butter plated atop cilantro rice, capers, tomatoes, and Spanish olives. 

Share some bites – like the Mexican Street Corn with spiced aioli and cotija, or a huge portion of Citrus Poached Rock Shrimp Ceviche donned like art with avocado mousse, perky radishes and Persian cucumbers floating in a citrus soy sauce. Complete the Mexican-inspired meal with a Caesar salad – as it was invented in Mexico – featuring a plateful of romaine spears doused in parmesan snow and garlic croutons. Yuuummm!

Poolside dining is available at the cheery Sunglow Cabana Bar,offering frozen drinks for all tastes and ages, SoCal-inspired shareables, and a family-friendly cabana bar experience. A Grab and Go Market and Café are in the hotel lobby, and a gold Airstream opens on weekends, offering coffee and drinks on the hotel’s spacious green lawn with firepits, comfy seating, and lawn games allowing guests to soak up the ocean air and views of the harbor.

Rooms

The newly-refreshed Marina Tower offers over 700 newly renovated guest rooms and suites, complementing the classic Lanai Tower apartment-style accommodations on the other side. The color palette is soothing and inspired by the natural colors of the marina and coast, seamlessly blending in understated nautical elements, intricate woven textures, nature-inspired motifs, and artwork that takes cues from the local surroundings. Both family and pet-friendly, everything is designed to offer a peaceful retreat, with breathtaking views and a private balcony to enjoy them from. Expect a good night sleep with the Sheraton Sleep Experience platform bed, LEED lighting, sleep masks, and signature pillow spray left bedside. 

Adventures 

Lounge poolside or take a relaxing swim. Get active and enjoy a wealth of on-site experiences, like lawn games, yoga on the Lanai Lawn, Aqua Fitness, Sound Bath sessions, and courts for tennis, pickleball, and basketball. Rent a beach cruiser or e-bike for a ride on the Harbor Island bike path.

Paddle around the harbor on a stand-up paddleboard or tandem transparent clear-bottom kayak to admire the birds diving around and the boats nestled in the marina. Hop on a jet ski to cruise around the San Diego Bay and Coronado Island. Hotel partner SD Adventures offers many watersports options steps away in the marina and offsite excursions like dolphin and whale watching or an afternoon cruise on a solar powered boat. 

Work

Stay productive at The Community Table, an inviting, purpose-built workspace that encourages guests to work, eat and drink while soaking up the energy of the hotel lobby. Several gorgeous Work Studio spaces offer the privacy of soundproof booths enclosed by glass walls. They are available to reserve for taking calls or meetings in private. For larger gatherings, over 130,000 square feet of newly renovated meeting space in the Marina Tower provides state-of-the-art technology and an inspiring atmosphere for productive collaborations.

Explore

For more shopping and cultural options nearby, venture to The Gaslamp or Little Italy, just a quick Uber ride from the hotel. Waltz around these festive neighborhoods and make your own happy hour tour – trying pasta bites, Aperol Spritz sips, beer flights, and wine selections at several locations. 

While exploring Italian eateries on our anniversary weekend, we stumbled across the orange and white striped awnings of Vincenzo Cucina and Lounge, where rows of cheese wheels line the back of the chic restaurant and pasta bar. We soaked up the lively atmosphere at a streetside patio table, watching Padres fans, elderly locals, and wide-eyed tourists, while devouring the best pasta we’ve had in years. They toss your pasta of choice with six different cheese wheel options. The Happy Hour $20 Pappardelle Porcini pasta with creamy porcini mushroom and truffle sauce cannot be beat, unless enhanced with a signature Espresso Martini. 

Discover new local favorite spots and take note where to come back on your next visit. Make your own adventure in San Diego – with the comfortable and convenient Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina as your home base!