San Diego's Hard Rock vs. Oxnard's Embassy Suites Mandalay Beach

San Diego hotels will offer a few deals this summer. If you can't afford the newest luxury hotels in San Diego, some of the finer properties will continue to offer special promos. We previously mentioned Hard Rock Hotel, for instance, that now has a Sunday stay and pool part invite (DJ or band) for around $150. Trouble is, when I did the math on it in the blog, that room actually cost $216.64. San Diego is not immune to charging the tourist for rooms. They've added five cents to the booking in a new tax. But Hard Rock itself is over the top in fees...$17 for in service (phone, fitness center, business center), which some hotels offer free of charge. Then there's the $32 parking fee. For those who can't do the math or don't care, the offer is still a good one at $216, but not everybody can afford that kind of money.

The deals are better in some beach cities over others. A suite in Oxnard at Embassy Suites will cost me on my own web site,

$167.41 - room ($150 night) plus parking $15, taxes, = $172 -total

$186.92 - room 0n Embassy Suites web site ($169) plus parking $15, taxes = $201.92

So look at the comparison. San Diego's same $150 room at Hard Rock total price is $216.
Oxnard's hotel suite on the beach at $150 at Embassy Suites total price (on my site) is $172.

San Diego and Hard Rock are charging $44 more for staying there.

How much of it actually goes to Oxnard versus San Diego?
Oxnard Sales Tax = $15.31
San Diego Sales & Hotel Tax = $18.68

While the difference of $3.50 for a one night stay doesn't seem like much, if you add up a week of stays in San Diego, you're paying over $23 more in taxes. Most of us figure it's worth that amount to stay where we want, so it probably won't affect your choice of destination. However, the lesson here is beware of room charges, valet parking and parking fees, and "in fee" charges for free local calls (we all have cell phones, so who needs the in-room phone, gym and business center, etc.) I can live without all that stuff personally, and would prefer it be an option rather than a mandadatory fee.