Going Up: San Diego Rooftop Lounges

We locals frequent San Diego boutique hotels for a host of reasons aside from relaxing pillow talk.

Boutique hotels in San Diego provide much more than posh accommodations; including spa indulgence, fine dining and, most importantly, rooftop nightlife. For a visually enhanced party experience, embrace our flawless weather and follow us as we ride the elevator up to luxury open-air rooftop lounges.

From Ivy Rooftop at the Andaz Hotel to Float atop Hard Rock Hotel, Siren at the Se Hotel, ALTITUDE at Marriott Gaslamp Quarter and LOUNGEsix at Hotel Solamar, just to name a few, it’s undeniable that San Diego hotels are home to some of the hottest rooftop lounges on the West Coast. And although Stingaree is a nightclub and not a hotel, we can’t help but include its fierce rooftop in our guide. Whether you rise up to our rooftops to lounge by the pool or party under the stars, you’re bound to have a blast when you explore these San Diego hotels in high style.

Discover a few of our favorite San Diego rooftop lounges.

Siren Pool Deck at Se San Diego Hotel
Siren is the fourth-floor pool bar and lounge at the Se Hotel that offers a relaxing atmosphere by day and a sexy vibe that energizes after dark. Enjoy a selection of cocktails and light cuisine in open-air luxury alongside the infinity-edged pool. Or reserve a poolside cabana with bottle service for a more intimate gathering. This summer, the Se Hotel is hosting a new Saturday pool party concept along with DJhere Productions and SpyOnVegas.com, dubbed the Hot 100 Series. (pictured above)

Ivy Rooftop at Andaz San Diego Hotel
The Ivy Rooftop allures locals with cabana-style poolside amenities, posh lounge atmosphere, VIP bottle service, breathtaking wrap-around views of the downtown San Diego skyline, and live DJ sets situated under the stars. The Andaz Hotel promotes Ivy Entertainment’s inhibition-free mantra that extends throughout the upscale outdoor oasis. During the summer, Ivy Rooftop hosts weekly pool parties that offer hotel guests and locals a sophisticated take on Sunday Funday with craft cocktails, relaxing music and cushioned day beds.

Float at Hard Rock Hotel San Diego
Through the polished hotel lobby, guests head up the elevator to the mid-level outdoor deck. As the harbor breeze hits your skin, you awaken to greet lantern lit trees shading a grand oasis filled with fire pit lounges and a poolside lounge surrounded by chic cabanas. A wrap-around bar is shielded by a lit overhang and graffiti-style street art tackles select bar walls, proposing questions of youth, love and the risks of rock ‘n roll. Guests lounge in stark black VIP booths, accented by white and zebra skin pillow plush. Each booth is connected by its own blazing fire bit, enabling upper-crust guests to remain warm while enjoying the uninhibited view of the San Diego skyline. During spring and summer, Hard Rock Hotel hosts the signature Intervention Sunday pool party. (pictured below)

ALTITUDE Sky Lounge at San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter
Located twenty-two stories atop the Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, ALTITUDE Sky Lounge offers a hip and modern setting to take in the rich downtown splendor. From up here, enjoy a bird's eye view of Petco Park on game night. There isn’t a cover at this rooftop, and the happy hour is always popular, featuring $5 premium cocktails, $4 domestic draft beers and 1/2 off Artisan Flatbreads. There is a DJ, but no dance floor, so finish your drink and create your own space. Be sure to bundle up on a winter night because it gets chilly at this... altitude.

LOUNGEsix at Hotel Solamar

One of the most spacious and comfortable rooftop lounges in San Diego belongs to Hotel Solamar. Donning exquisite views of downtown San Diego, LOUNGEsix invites guests to lounge on poolside teak cabanas while sipping on signature fruit cocktails. This 4th floor rooftop deck, which shines above the hotel’s J Six restaurant, radiates with captivating hues of purple, blue and red and is surrounded by luscious lit-up palm trees. 

Beach Bar at W Hotel San Diego
Beach Bar may be located in the heart of downtown San Diego, but it does everything it can to make its customers feel as if they're looking out over the Pacific. The rooftop lounge, bedecked with marine hues, cabana booths, and subtle lighting, is perhaps best known for its heated, real sand floors. And if sand between your toes is not enough, the Beach features a number of ocean-inspired cocktails and plenty of pillowy couches for guests looking to kick back and sip up. With its latest redesign, the W Hotel introduced the revamped WET pool – an oasis with mirror walls, a graphic wooden deck, whimsical botanicals, and a striking oversize photo of a wave appearing to crest.

Stingaree Rooftop in San Diego
The Davis Krumins-designed rooftop greets guests with two16-ft, antique Buddha statues. The elevated VIP cabanas sit on a raised six-inch wood platform and are seen through shades of blue, green and cream, with hand-painted images adding a playful juxtaposition to the cabana’s earthy hues. Rooftop VIP vision is granted by stratus shaped Thai woven bamboo lighting pendants and hand strung Capiz shell chandeliers. The main bar’s blue tiling is visually enhanced with staggered wood stick chandeliers.

See for Yourself: View new San Diego party photos on rooftop lounges and more.

Discover more rooftop destinations and hotspots in our San Diego nightlife directory.

Discover more of the best chain and boutique hotels in our San Diego hotel directory.

Want to Party? View new events and RSVP for guest lists on our San Diego events calendar.