The GOOD NEWS: Hard Rock Hotel Room

Note: Hard Rock Hotel San Diego photos are better than mine, so do check them out.

OK, I came down a little hard on the hard rock yesterday when I wrote about its seemingly faux vibe. I have to admit that I grew up in the rock generation and it really wasn't like that at all...so my problem may be that I don't "get it". But the truth of Hard Rock Hotel in Gaslamp Quarter San Diego is it has a wonderful room! I would book the place for that alone.

Bed is awesome..comfortable, yet firm. Linens and duvets clean, white, perfect! Floors well vacuumed! Flat screen- big! You can see the tv from any part of the room. Art work is nice. I like the art which is simple, rock-themed, a bit sexy, completely irresistible. The extra side chairs are ideal for reading and the work table works for me. The bathroom is modern, clean, and a special touch is the black satin cover with a little tassle for the spare toilet paper roll.

The view: My room looked out to Petco Park. Since no game was going on, I mostly looked at the other hotels that have sprung up. And being up pretty high (can't remember how many floors), I looked at the little people below walking, catching taxis, etc. At night this view of city lights was relaxing. And most of all, the room was totally quiet.

Since my search in hotels is for a good night's sleep and the creature comforts of home, I rate this hotel tops. What the heck, it gets a 5 diamond or 5 star California Beaches rating as a beach hotel where the beach is within blocks, and you don't have to sacrifice a thing. You can live like a rock king.

For conventioneers, the convention center is right across the street which is perfect for easy strolls. And for those wanting to take the red trolley to Tijuana, it's just outside the hotel.

San Diego Hotel Blog - Hotels in San Diego

Greetings! I am a big fan of San Diego hotels. I have stayed on hundreds of vacations and business trips to this excellent place and I never get tired of it. My latest hotel stay was at the Hard Rock Hotel. It looked really cool on the web site so I decided to go when I found their cheapest price I could possibly get (paid around $200, plus extras). Was it worth it? I personally liked it, though my older travel companion wasn't as excited about her room.

Here's the scoop:

When you check into the Hard Rock Hotel lobby at the entry way to Gaslamp Quarter, you are greeted by a night-time, dark version of the Jetsons cartoon in which cute girls (usually in cool clothes and short skirts) welcome you with the space age video and changing lights behind them...kind of like a Las Vegas or Pechanga night club display. It's just as if you were going into a bar, and by the way, the bar is located to the right of the check in. There's no traditional desk for check in, but kind of individualized podiums or lecture stands, only space age style, again.

What's really funny about this faux modern check-in lobby is seeing all the men in their oxford shirts who are staying at the hotel for a conference. Wearing the little plastic name tags around their necks, you get the feeling the kids are in school and have their names so they don't get lost. Then you put them in a night club and the whole thing kind of creeps you out like this is trying to be one thing, but it turns out to be a joke.

So you get past the cute girls and the dark lobby, heading for your room. Get ready for a surprise, they promised me. Nothing! What's the surprise? I sure didn't find a surprise, and also, my room didn't include an IPOD like I've had in Crescent Hotel in Beverly Hills. For a place focused on rock, wouldn't you assume each room would be wired to the latest sounds? It turns out my surprise was supposed to be a song playing when I entered the door of my room. I guess they forget to turn it on.

The room itself: Are you ready for installment 2? If not, you can just go to sleep now. Sleep tight. Don't let the bedbugs bite. (No, there are no bedbugs at Hard Rock.)