It doesn't seem fair to contain San Diego hotels within the label of a simple hotel, as many have begun to offer more than just a place to rest one's head for the night.
Take the emerging, skyscraping luxury hotels and boutique hotels that grace San Diego's Gaslamp, for example; each possessing its own nightlife scene and/or day time scene. Without a trendy lounge and atmosphere fit for entertainment, a hotel is well, just that: a hotel. Yet, sometimes, all we want is the sumptuousness without the massive scene, the original reason for the hotel; the vacation aspect, the escape.
Whether you're running from the solstice during the day, or you're in need of a nighttime sanctuary, Solamar (aka "hotel" Solamar) has it. For the nocturnal affair, cruise on over to J Six and enjoy a cocktail at their spacious bar, or grab a dirty martini and saunter into Solamar's lobby lounge. Play a tipsy game of chess or fall into one of the lobby's plush chairs and do a bit of tourist-watching. With its soft, low lights, dark wood and earthy décor, the lounge is a seductive spot to steal a private moment away from the hectic happenings of the Gaslamp.
In the day, or even at night, relax poolside at the J Six Bar on the fourth floor. Surrounded by the skyscrapers that grace downtown, J Six Bar makes for an unusual urban experience. Sip from a lemon drop martini and sprawl out in a cabana, or cozy up to a crackling fire pit in the evening. With $3 off cocktails during happy hour from 5-8pm Monday through Friday, J Six Bar is a top outdoor pool lounge day drinking well into the evening.
Insider Tip: For a more metro, but ambient, experience, head up to the fourth floor on Sundays for a little live electro music set.
More San Diego hotel pool lounges we love: Moonstone Lounge, Eden, Beach Bar, SWIM & Arterra. Educate your San Diego nightlife here.
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