Best Hotel in San Diego's Upscale La Jolla Village Attracts Beach-Goers, Golfers, and Vacationers

La Jolla - the jewel of California - sits atop jagged cliffs and soft sand beaches. Her streets are lined with hip boutique shops, fine dining restaurants, and upscale art and gift shops. This well-to-do bedroom community of San Diego, California, is the perfect place for a weekend getaway for nature lovers, golf enthusiasts, avid shoppers, and people who simply want to relax on a weekend getaway.

As to a place to stay in La Jolla, you might as well stay at the#1 hotel in the area - the Empress Hotel. Trip Advisor rates the Empress Hotel the #1 hotel in La Jolla - yet is reasonably priced. The Empress Hotel sits in an ideal location right in the heart of the charming village of La Jolla. The navy blue and cream décor of the lobby are an indication of the elegance guests will find in their rooms. Amenities at the European-style boutique Empress Hotel are first-rate as well.

Amenities

The Empress Hotel pampers its guests with a free breakfast in the morning on a refreshing outdoor patio that makes you want to relax and stay for seconds. Breathe in the fresh sea air as you sample pastries, cereal, yogurt, toast, coffee, juice, and much more to start off your day.

For R&R right there in the hotel, you can call for an in-room Spa Experience, go work out in the fitness room, play video games, or surf the Internet on the free Wi-Fi. For dinner, try the award-winning Manhattan restaurant next door. Although not owned by the Empress Hotel, the Manhattan still serves up cuisine worthy of the Empress Hotel name.

The Manhattan restaurant is an Italian steakhouse whose menu will entice you with dishes such as jumbo shrimp sautéed in lemon, garlic, and wine... New York steak char-broiled with chopped tomatoes, black olives, sweet peppers, and fresh oregano... homemade cannelloni stuffed with ground veal, spinach, and spices... or for dessert, homemade white chocolate ice cream topped with fresh berries and Chambord Liqueur. One look at the menu, and you may start packing for La Jolla!

Rooms & Rates

With just 69 rooms and 4 luxurious suites with jacuzzis, the Empress Hotel ensures that guests get attentive service. This boutique hotel is just a few blocks from the ocean cliffs and five blocks from La Jolla Cove - easy walking distance from your room.

Rooms are decorated in brown, cream, burgundy, and gold and range from 290 square feet to 350 square feet - much larger than standard hotel rooms. Each room includes video games, free High-Speed Wireless Internet, refrigerator, and gourmet in-room coffee. The beds are comfortable and made up with fine linens. Bathrobes are provided for guest use.

Room rates range from about $150 - $300 depending on the type of room and time of year. Of course, the Empress Hotel often runs specials, so check their website for details.

Things to Do in La Jolla and San Diego

There is certainly no lack of things to do in either La Jolla or nearby San Diego. La Jolla offers world-class golf courses, museums, and art galleries that often have wine and cheese receptions. An open-air London double decker bus offers tours of the coast, scenic canyons, or the downtown area.

For nature lovers, the caves and jagged cliffs along the coast offer photo-perfect views. Sunny Jim's sea cave is accessible by land for visitors who don't want to kayak or snorkel out to the caves. Whale watching in the La Jolla/San Diego area is spectacular and available at various times of the year. Don't miss La Jolla's exciting Birch Aquarium for exciting sea exhibits and activities.

Of course, nearby San Diego has a plethora of activities for visitors. From the award-winning San Diego Zoo, Sea World, Old Town San Diego, Coronado Island, and much more, your problem will not be finding something to do - it will be deciding what to do.

What Other People Say

Trip Advisor rates the Empress Hotel as the #1 hotel in La Jolla. Frommer's online says the Empress Hotel "is quieter than at the premium cliff-top properties" and it "exudes a class many comparably priced chains lack, with warm service to boot".¹

From Yahoo! Travel a guest comments on the Empress Hotel: "We were in La Jolla for a seminar and stayed here. We found it quite lovely! The room was large and very clean. The beds were very comfy and the shower was probably one of the best I've experienced in a hotel."

From Trip Advisor a guest comments: "I was very pleased with this hotel for several reasons. 1) great staff! They were very personable, friendly, helpful and funny 2) clean room with everything we needed and comfortable bed, 3) very fast service getting our car, 4) great location, safe, and just a very short walk to beach, shops, and restaurants."

To Sum It Up

The Empress Hotel in La Jolla, California is a clean, comfortable, first-class boutique hotel. It is near world-class golf courses, fine dining, beaches, and endless activities in La Jolla and nearby San Diego. From what travel reviews and guests are saying, the Empress Hotel is the hotel to stay at in La Jolla.

For more information contact the Empress Hotel at 1-888-369-9900.

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¹ Frommer's.com

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