Buzzing Waterside Pad
Location: Pacific Beach, San Diego, California, USA
Style: Modern beach chic
Budget: £££
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Staying at Tower 23
Tower 23’s name was derived to pay homage to the number 23 lifeguard stand that sits right outside the hotel. The hotel is perched right on the edge of the sand, literally steps away from the beach, adjacent to the famous Pacific Beach Pier stretching out into the water.
A boutique hotel at heart, with only 44 “beach pads”, Tower 23 offers several different room options to choose from, most with a full or partial ocean view to wake up to. The rooms and communal areas embody waterside living, with a chic turquoise and white colour scheme throughout.
The entry level Spirit Pads are centred around the hotel terrace, with two queen beds, a walk in shower and private patio overlooking the water fountain feature. The mid level Surf Pads offer a private terrace with full fronting ocean views across the beach and to the sunset beyond, whilst the premium Sweet Suites also have a separate living room and a jacuzzi tub to soak in for the most relaxing stay.
In the centre of the Tower 23 is a communal terrace, with sleek fountains, padded deck chairs looking out to the ocean and comfy outdoor sofas to relax upon. This tranquil spot is a great place to kick back, order a cocktail and watch life on the beach below tick by.
In the evening, a gas open fireplace is lit, that you can cosy up beside under stars listening to the gentle waves lapping the sand.
Tower 23 also has a restaurant and bar on site, JRDN. With a sushi bar inside the restaurant, guests can enjoy freshly prepared sashimi and nigiri, as well as other modern, tasty dishes including lobster tagliatelle. This is also where breakfast is served if you want to tuck into some healthy options such as an acai bowl or something naughtier like a short rib hash before heading out for the day.
Exploring around Tower 23
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Being in a great location smack bang in the middle of La Jolla and downtown San Diego, you’re spoilt for choice of where to explore. Start off in the former, wandering along the waters edge to the Children’s Pool and La Jolla Cove spotting seals and sealions frolicking in the water and basking on the rocks. Then head down to the main beach, where you can hire a kayak or a snorkel and explore some of the surrounding waters. If you’re super lucky you might even spot a leopard shark or sealion swimming about in the shallows!
A touch further south you can find the famous Gaslamp district, with an array of fantastic restaurants and bars, and also take a stroll along the Marina to the iconic USS Midway, a decommissioned aircraft carrier-turned-museum. Drive across the bridge to Coronado Island, where you can find a great view of the skyline of San Diego and stop for lunch at the historic Hotel del Coronado.
Of course, there are many other spots in the city well worth a trip. The famous Balboa Park and San Diego Zoo feature highly on most visitors lists, and for good reason. Home to many of the city’s best museums, such as the Natural History Museum and the Museum of Art, Balboa Park has some beautiful architecture and gardens that you can completely lose yourself in. San Diego Zoo, regularly listed as the best zoo in the world, is home to an incredible conservation programme and a collection of animals so large that it’ll take you a full day to explore.
Key Information about Tower 23
What are the Tower 23 rates?
Entry level partial ocean view rooms start at around US $230 per night, whilst the full ocean view rooms are US $300 per night and the luxury “Sweet Suite” is US $575 per night. Rates include full access to the hotel deck to relax and enjoy, but exclude applicable taxes, a resort fee, parking and gratuity.
Resort fees include valet parking for one vehicle and a free welcome drink each to be enjoyed at your leisure up on the terrace. Guests are also welcome to hire beach towels, surfboards and bicycles for the duration of their stay free of charge from concierge.
What is the best way to get to Tower 23?
Tower 23 is located in the beachside suburb of Pacific Beach in San Diego. The San Diego airport, located in the heart of the city, is around a 20 minute drive away and you can easily grab an Uber or Lyft to Tower 23. San Diego airport has many international and domestic connections including London, Tokyo, New York and Las Vegas.
If you’re driving, it is easy to connect from Los Angeles, around a 2-2.5 hour drive on Highway 5, and Palm Springs (home of the annual Coachella festival) is also around a 2.5 hour drive.
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Where's good for dinner at Tower 23?
JRDN, the in-house restaurant and bar, offers modern, fusion dishes for a chilled night at the hotel. If you fancy venturing further afield, both La Jolla and downtown San Diego have some great restaurants to choose from. Located in the Grand Colonial hotel in La Jolla, Nine-Ten restaurant is one of the city’s best, with yummy fine dining options.
Alternatively, head towards Balboa Park where, hidden at the top of an office block, is Mister A’s, offering delicious dishes, great cocktails and a stunning view across the city. After dinner, stop off at The Baked Bear just outside the hotel for an epic ice cream cookie sandwich!
Our final thoughts on... Tower 23
Steps from the beach, and equidistant from San Diego’s main tourist attractions in La Jolla, Balboa Park and the Gaslamp District, you really can’t pick a better location than Tower 23 to explore San Diego. The central terrace is a great place to people watch and enjoy stunning views of the sunset, before heading back to your room to let the sounds of the waves lull you to sleep after a busy day.
Find Out More…
Tower 23 – https://www.t23hotel.com
Explore more from San Diego and California.
Many thanks to Tower 23 for hosting us during our time in San Diego. As always, all thoughts and opinions expressed here are entirely our own, we wouldn’t recommend something if we didn’t love it!
