The US Grant

I recently attended a conference in San Diego and initially stayed at the U.S. Grant Hotel because of its convenient location and my positive experience there several years ago. Unfortunately, this visit fell short of expectations. Despite checking in through the Bonvoy mobile app the day before and arriving near the scheduled check-in time, no room was available, and I did not receive a notification when one was ready. The room I was assigned was small, dark, and overlooked a rooftop and brick wall. After requesting a different room and learning none were available, I looked for another option nearby and found the Guild Hotel, where Jose at the front desk provided excellent service. Although the hotel was fully booked that evening, he secured a corner suite at a great rate for the remainder of my stay. I moved to the Guild Hotel the next morning and had a much better experience. Given the level of service and accommodations expected from a luxury hotel, the U.S. Grant did not meet the standard, and I do not plan to stay there again. I will also share this experience with my company’s travel department for its consideration.

Used some Marriott points to stay here, my first time not staying on the Marina in San Diego. Rooms are fine, but what struck me was the historical significance of the hotel, which is actually the second oldest in San Diego, and involves the 18th president. There is a tour offered on Saturdays (today is a Tuesday) so it is a self-guided tour I will settle for, followed by a nightcap at the bar. I love hotel bars! Location, like the adjective I used for the room, is fine, but big ups to the Concierge, who has directed me to no less than three local taco shops. Ulysses, himself, may or may not have appreciated that.

I was extremely disappointed with my stay at the US Grant Hotel. This property advertises itself as a five-star hotel, but based on my experience, it falls far short of that standard. Our room was supposed to be ready at the guaranteed 4:00 PM check-in time, but it wasn’t available until 5:45 PM. We had a concert that evening and specifically planned our day around being able to check in, shower, change, and get ready beforehand. Instead, we were left waiting in the lobby for nearly two hours with no room and very little communication about when it would actually be ready. For a hotel that claims five-star service, this level of disorganization is unacceptable. Timely check-in is a basic expectation, especially at this price point. The delay completely disrupted our plans and caused unnecessary stress before what was supposed to be an enjoyable evening. A true five-star hotel is defined by exceptional service, attention to detail, and respect for its guests’ time. Unfortunately, the US Grant failed on all of those fronts during our stay. I expected a luxury experience and received anything but. I would not recommend this hotel to anyone expecting genuine five-star service.

Unfortunately, our room was not ready until 4:55 pm despite being told by hotel staff there was a “guaranteed check in time of 4:00 pm”. This caused a domino effect in the rest of our plans for the evening which was rather disappointing. The staff didn’t make an effort to make up for the delay and overall was not very hospitable. The building is gorgeous and the food and drinks were delicious, but due to the poor service, we do not plan to return. The hotel did reach out after giving them this feedback, stating there isn’t actually a guaranteed check in time and sometimes there are delays. I also did not get a final bill until 3 days after we checked out despite my credit card being charged the day after. When I did receive the bill, I found our hotel credits available through booking with AMEX Fine Hotels and Resorts was not applied. I now have to reach out to them to remove the extra $100 charged to my credit card. If you’re looking for a stay to enjoy specifically through AMEX FHR, we enjoyed our stay at the Pendry far more.

"Overall, I had a great experience. The hotel was clean, comfortable, and the staff were friendly. I would definitely recommend this hotel to others."