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Throwing together a quick city break can be a tough thing to rationalize, especially if you’re hoping to visit one of the country’s pricier cities. With travel costs rising, dropping hundreds, if not thousands of dollars for a few days of fun might seem like overkill.
But if, like us, you’re a savvy points and miles maestro, you’ll know there are plenty of ways to keep costs down, even in a city like the ever-sunny San Diego.
Hotel loyalty programs, like their airline counterparts, allow us to earn points for our stays and other spending, and then redeem them for free stays. One of the best programs out there is Hilton Honors, and its impressive collection of properties includes some of the best hotels in San Diego.
To show you how easy it is to stay for free, we’ve compiled a list of the best hotels in San Diego for Hilton Honors members.
The best hotels in San Diego for keeping point spending low
DoubleTree by Hilton – Hotel Circle
Location: Hotel Circle, San Diego
Price: $124/33,000 points+
Vibe: Basic, budget, but brilliant location
The rundown: We’ll start our list with the best hotels in San Diego for flat-out redemptions. Remember, these are the cheapest points offers in the city, so you’re not going to find ultra-luxury here. But combined with Hilton’s amazing fifth-night free, it’s possible to grab nearly a week of the Californian sun for free.
The DoubleTree in Hotel Circle places guests in the heart of the action, close to the waterfront and Little Italy, and provides the basic necessities done to a high standard. This isn’t a hotel to write home about, but if you’re there to maximize your time in San Diego, you’ll barely be in there anyway. While rates fluctuate, it’s possible to string together a few dates at 33,000 points a night.
Plus, it’s a DoubleTree, so you’ll get your hands on those damn cookies. There’s something illegal in those.
Hilton Garden Old Town
Location: San Diego, CA
Price: $161/43,000
Vibe: Classy take on an old favorite
The rundown: As someone who’s stayed in upwards of 40 different Garden Inns, this one in Old Town San Diego is a classy affair in comparison. Garden Inns are trusty basic brand hotels, but the management and developers here have lent a finer style and touch of flair to the decor.
With average rates at around 43,000 points a night, you could trigger a fifth night free with Hilton’s premium co-branded card and enjoy an extended stay in San Diego for nothing. It’s walking distance to Old Town and some of the city’s top attractions, and there’s even a shuttle nearby to get you to the airport and back.
- Best for: Free Hilton Stays
- Annual Fee: $150
- APR: 19.99%-28.99% Variable
- Reward Rate: 3X - 12X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
165,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points
Offer Details:
Earn 165,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Offer ends 1/8/2025.
Why we like it
The Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card is an excellent hotel card, with a strong intro bonus of 165,000 Hilton Honors bonus points after you spend $3,000 in purchases on the card in your first six months of card membership. It’s worth having this card even for a couple of stays a year, as the $150 annual fee is already validated by the free breakfast and strong points earnings. If free Hilton nights is the goal, its earning potential is stellar, with 4X points for each dollar on U.S. online retail purchases, and 3X points for all other eligible purchases on your card.
Reward details
12X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for each dollar of eligible purchases charged on your card directly with a hotel or resort within the Hilton portfolio.
6X Points for each dollar of purchases on your Card at U.S. restaurants, at U.S. supermarkets, and at U.S. gas stations.
4X Points for each dollar on U.S. Online Retail Purchases.
3X Points for all other eligible purchases on your Card.
Pros & Cons
Pros
Strong 165,000-point intro bonus, which could translate to multiple free nights or one night in a luxury property in some places
Up to $200 back each year on eligible Hilton purchases after you use your Hilton Honors American Express Surpass® Card
Get complimentary Hilton Honors Gold status. This entitles the cardholder to room upgrades if available, free breakfast, 80% bonus points on Hilton spends, and fifth night free on an award stay. It’s more than worth the annual fee.
Strong spending categories on popular purchases like U.S. supermarkets, U.S. gas stations, and U.S. restaurants
Free Night Reward from Hilton Honors after you spend $15,000 on eligible purchases on your card in a calendar year
Enjoy complimentary Hilton Honors(TM) Gold Status
Cons
No automatic free anniversary nights
You’ll need a lot of Hilton points to redeem for a free night at a luxury property
$150 annual fee
The best hotels in San Diego for good value and location
The Monsaraz San Diego, Tapestry Collection by Hilton
Location: Point Loma, San Diego
Price: $170/45,000+
Vibe: Indie throwback with a modern twist
The rundown: The Monsaraz is one of Hilton’s exciting Tapestry properties, a group of independent hotels now operating under the Hilton banner. They’re a way for Hilton to inject some personality into its name in a way its mass-market products can’t, and the Monsaraz succeeds.
The new hotel owns a ‘70s-esque vibe but avoids the gaudiness we so often associate with the era. It’s perfectly placed a block from the marina in the Point Loma neighborhood, gifting a pleasant place to chill out and explore at the end of the day. With rates starting at 45,000 and averaging around 50,000, you’re getting some solid value for your points. A weekend is comfortably possible even with the lower-end Hilton card.
Hilton San Diego Gaslamp Quarter
Location: San Diego, CA
Price: $210/ 65,000+
Vibe: Style and substance
The rundown: Hilton’s flagship brand gets a lot of stick these days for being a little outdated. That’s not the case with its San Diego Gaslamp Quarter property. Its entire interior drips with class, and its sense of comfort and timelessness hasn’t been lost in recent updates to the hotel.
It’s another top-class location, right amongst the Gaslight Quarter with easy access to some unbelievable restaurants and all the must-do attractions. If you’re a business traveler, you’re within striking distance of the convention center. Rates are naturally going up here, but depending on the weekend, 65,000 points could be a welcomed alternative to some tough cash prices.
The best hotels in San Diego for using a reward night
Hotel de Coronado
Location: Coronado, San Diego
Price: $400/95,000 points+
Vibe: Historic in high demand
The rundown: Rates at the Hotel de Coronado can be eye-watering, which is not surprising because it’s one of the best hotels in San Diego and the country. The iconic Victorian-styled resort is highly sought-after in every respect and is a destination in itself.
Off-season prices start at around $400 but regularly break the $1,000 mark in high season. Hilton’s fluctuating points system can also see rates soar into the 400,000s, although 95,000 is definitely possible. For a night here, we’d recommend using the free reward night you’ll earn with Hilton’s top-tier co-branded card. It’s a good place to squeeze maximum value from it.
- Best for: Premium Hotel Perks
- Annual Fee: $550
- Regular APR: 20.24% to 29.24% (Variable)
- Reward Rate: 3X - 14X
- Recommended Credit: 670-850
Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card
150,000 Bonus Points
Offer Details:
150,000 Bonus points after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 6 months from account opening.
*Information about the Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card has been collected independently by The Daily Navigator and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of the card prior to publication.
Why we like it
The Hilton Honors American Express Aspire Card is big ticket hotel card with a hefty $550 annual fee to match. But with complimentary Hilton Diamond elite status, a whopping 150,000-point intro bonus worth around $900, an annual free night certificate, free Priority Pass membership, $250 in resort credits, and a further $250 in airline fee credits, the Aspire has a lot to offer, even if you only stay in Hilton properties a few times a year.
Reward details
14X Hilton Honors Bonus Points per $1 of eligible purchases on your Card made directly with hotels and resorts within the Hilton portfolio.
7X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for eligible purchases: on flights booked directly with airlines or amextravel.com; on car rentals booked directly from select car rental companies; & at U.S. restaurants.
3X Hilton Honors Bonus Points for all other purchases
Pros & Cons
Pros
The 150,000 point intro bonus is worth around $900 and can score you several nights in some excellent hotels. It’s earned by spending $4,000 within the first three months of opening the card.
Complimentary Diamond elite status with Hilton Honors is a huge perk as its the hotel’s top-tier status. It offers free breakfast, executive lounge access, room upgrades, and strong bonus points earning opportunities.
Cardholders get a free night on their anniversary each year which can be used at any Hilton hotel around the world, and big spending customers will get another free night if they spend $60,000 in a year on the card. This is on the top of the points you already earn for spending on the card.
The $250 resort credit can be used to cover room rates or on-site expenses at almost 250 resorts worldwide, further validating the annual fee.
The $250 yearly airline fee can be used to offset checked bag fees, among other costs, with your selected airline. This perk makes the card more flexible, as you don’t need an airline card to enjoy free checked bags if you only travel a few times a year.
The Priority Pass Select membership allows for unlimited visits to 1400+ airport lounges around the world, a major benefit for anyone traveling regularly. You can even bring two guests for free.
Cons
The $550 yearly fee is high, and while it’s easy to gain the value back, infrequent travelers may want to look at a less expensive Hilton credit card
The airline and resort credits have rules that make them a little more complicated to use, so gaining maximum value isn’t always easy
Hilton Honors awards nights can have very high rates
The Shore House
Location: The Del, San Diego
Price: $800/ 240,000 points
Vibe: All-out luxury
The rundown: The Shore House is another incredible option for a slightly more modern take. Located near the Coronado, The Shore House isn’t quite as famous, but may actually be better. There’s no question it’s one of the best hotels in San Diego, and its sky-high $800 per night rates testify to that.
It’s another hotel that we’d recommend using a free stay for, as it maximizes the value of the perk. Typical award rates hover in the 240,000 range, an astronomical figure that even a credit card intro bonus couldn’t earn you. With a free reward night and the Diamond status that comes with the Aspire card, you could find yourself upgraded, too, making the stay extra special.
by your friends at The Daily Navigator
