Kimpton Alma San DiegovsRancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Both properties are praised by professional reviewers. On balance, Rancho Valencia is the choice of most writers compared to Kimpton Hotel Palomar San Diego. Rancho Valencia comes in at 83 with endorsements from 9 sources including Travel + Leisure, Fodor's and Condé Nast Traveler.
Kimpton Alma San Diego Show All Reviews
1047 5th Avenue, San Diego, CA 92101
From $96/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
Frommer's
"Push through the massive 9,000-pound pivoting brass door of this sexy property, opened in 2008, and you'll enter a world of sophistication and luxury." Full review
Oyster
Kid-Friendly
"The Hotel Palomar (formerly the Se San Diego) is one of San Diego's most luxurious hotels, and also one of its coolest." Full review
Travel + Leisure
"The Gaslamp District was once a ramshackle area of downtown San Diego, but it has recently been reborn as the city’s hippest neighborhood." Full review
Gayot
"This deluxe property features 183 rooms including seventeen suites, twenty luxury flats and two grand penthouses at the entrance of San Diego's Gaslamp District."
BlackBook
"Frette linens, designer bathroom amenities, hosted nightly wine hour, onsite spa and fitness center, rooftop pool lounge, scrumptious eats at Saltbox restaurant."
Zagat
4.5
"Chilled-out vacationers seeking somewhere "a bit more personal" and "charming" within the "concrete jungle" favor this "pet-friendly", "beautifully designed" Downtown chain boutique."
Lonely Planet
"There’s doting service, a chic restaurant, lovely spa and, should you need it, a music studio." Full review
Afar Magazine
"Like San Diego, Hotel Palomar mixes beach and city influences seamlessly." Full review
Jetsetter
"Fun in the sun is a given in San Diego, and Palomar San Diego, a Kimpton Hotel, adds sophistication, style and superior service to the equation for the complete SoCal experience. A sleek,..." Full review
Star Service
"The place is well-lubricated for trendy twenty- and thirtysomethings, and guests here, like those at peer Andaz, are here to party and play house MTV-style. " Full review
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa Show All Reviews
5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
From $699/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Concierge
"Casitas of various sizes—49 of them—are secreted within 40 acres of citrus groves and flowers in this quiet, relaxed, and luxe resort 25 miles north of downtown."
Fodor's
"Luxurious, two-level, Spanish-style casitas, appointed with corner fireplaces, luxurious carpeting, and shuttered French doors leading to private patios." Full review
Jetsetter
"45 acres of gardens, olive groves, and relaxation at the only Relais & Chateaux property in SoCal." Full review
i
More active types can choose between tennis, yoga, and biking, then select from among seven types of massage in the spa.
DK Eyewitness
"Bougainvillea cascades over the Spanish casitas in this stunning resort. Many rooms feature cathedral ceilings, private terraces, and fireplaces."
BlackBook
"This exclusive Rancho property boasts world-class tennis courts, not to mention an award-winning spa where you can sweat it out during a Pilates sesh or indulge with a his-and-hers treatment."
Forbes Travel Guide
5 Stars
"Located in the canyon of Rancho Santa Fe on 40 manicured acres of rolling hills, this relaxing retreat is just minutes from the charming boutiques and cafés of La Jolla." Full review
Travel + Leisure
"The all-suite Rancho Valencia Resort opened in 1989 in a bougainvillea-and-hibiscus-filled canyon 25 miles north of San Diego and remains southern California’s only Relais & Château property." Full review
Gayot
"This romantic, Mediterranean-Mission-style resort is tucked away in Rancho Santa Fe."
i
Make sure to indulge in some pampering at The Spa, arguably one of the most beautiful in the country with its Spanish tile work, lush gardens and fountains.
Afar Magazine
"Spanish colonial fountains. Roaring outdoor fireplaces. Brightly colored bougainvillea vines and hibiscus flowers. Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa, Southern California’s only Relais &..." Full review
Mr & Mrs Smith
"Tucked up from the Pacific Ocean in San Diego horse country, Rancho Valencia hotel is as impressive as a prize-winning thoroughbred." Full review