For our long weekend in San Diego we stayed at the Hotel Republic San Diego, Autograph Collection.
We wanted to stay downtown and close to the action without breaking the bank. With ATX Jr. in tow, we didn’t need anything too over the top as there’s only so many hotel amenities you can use with a three month old. Since I’m closing in on Lifetime Platinum status with Marriott, my focus was finding a Marriott property that met our needs, which this one did.
Booking
As I mentioned above, we focused on Marriott properties pretty early in our search. Mrs. ATX wanted to stay at the Hotel del Coronado but, after one look at the room rates, we decided against that. We narrowed it down between the Hotel Republic and The Guild Hotel for our stay and ultimately chose Hotel Republic.
We booked our standard single king guest room for $258 per night via Marriott.com. This rate does not include parking which was $30 per day during our stay. I booked using my corporate leisure code which must have prompted the hotel’s Director of Business Travel to reach out to me. She asked if we need anything prior to our stay and we were able to request a crib for ATX Jr. You can also do this on the Marriott site or by calling the hotel.
Hotel Republic San Diego Location
Hotel Republic San Diego is located on the southwest corner of the intersection at State Street and West B Street, across from the San Diego Central Courthouse. It is a short walk from the Santa Fe Depot, which serves as the southern terminus for Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner and the Coaster commuter rail service, and the Courthouse Station light-rail stop.
Given the proximity of the San Diego International Airport (SAN) to downtown, the hotel is a short drive or Uber/taxi ride from the airport.
Hotel Republic San Diego Lobby & Check-In
We arrived at the hotel on a Friday morning so we didn’t expect that our room would be ready. We left our rental car with the valet and headed inside to check-in and drop our bags. At first glance, the hotel had a fun, two-story lobby adorned in blue and gold with natural wood throughout.
The lobby features a mix of lounge chairs, couches, and dining tables. Breakfast service is offered daily in the lobby, for a fee.
As suspected, our room wasn’t ready when we arrived but we were able to check-in and drop off our luggage. The receptionist working the front desk offered to send us a text when our room was ready. The concierge desk is located next to the check-in desk and he offered some suggestions of places to go while we waited.
As promised, we received a text message later in the day and our room keys were waiting for us when we returned to the hotel.
Hotel Republic San Diego Guest Room
We were assigned a Classic King Room located on the 14th floor towards the end of the hall away from the elevators. Upon entering the room, the bathroom is to the left, closet to the right, and the bedroom directly ahead.
The room was on the small side, the crib for ATX Jr. compounded this feeling, but it felt inviting. The decor was a mixed bag and some of the room surfaces were showing signs of wear. Nightstands with built in power outlets and wall mounted lamps flanked the king size bed. While the mattress ended up being quite comfortable, it certainly looked lumpy at first glance. Underneath one of the nightstands was an ice bucket, bottled water, and a couple of glasses.
The crib for ATX Jr. was placed next to the bed, against the bathroom wall. The crib, like other surfaces in the room, had seen its fair share of wear and tear.
Across from the bed was a desk and dresser with a flat screen TV on top. A floor lamp was located next to the desk.
In an open compartment of the dresser was a Keurig coffee maker along with a selection of coffee, sweeteners, tea, and creamer.
In the window, there was a padded bench with a view of the surrounding buildings. While this space would be a nice area to read a book, we only used it as a luggage rack.
Back at the entrance of the room was the closet which had an iron, ironing board, luggage rack, hangars and bathrobes. A yoga mat was also hanging on the wall nearby.
The bathroom was located off to the left upon entering the room and had a shower, toilet, and a single sink with a large vanity and mirror.
The shower was one of those terrible, half wall showers with part of it open to the rest of the bathroom. At least this one had a lip which attempted to keep the water in, unlike some other hotels. I really hate the fact that most hotels seem to be moving towards this design but, I did appreciate the cutout in the glass that allowed us to turn on the shower without getting wet.
Toiletries were mounted on the wall in reusable bottles and were Gilchrist & Soames branded, which provides toiletries to a variety of hotel chains.
The vanity area was large, but only had a single sink. Additional toiletries from BATHE were on the counter and a makeup mirror with an LED ring was mounted on the wall.
In a perfect world, the room would have had slightly more space. Having the crib in there really made things feel tight so, if you’re staying without a baby, you may have a different opinion of the space.
Hotel Republic San Diego Food and Beverage
Hotel Republic has two food and beverage outlets on property, Trade Restaurant & Lounge and Topside Terrace Kitchen & Bar. Trade is located on the ground floor and is essentially the lobby bar while Topside is located on the third floor rooftop.
Trade Restaurant & Lounge
Trade Restaurant & Lounge is located in the lobby and is open from 6:00a-12:00a Monday-Friday and 4:00p-12:00a Saturday-Sunday. Since we stayed over the weekend, I never had the chance to try out the breakfast service at Trade but you can find the full menu here.
The all-day menu, which was being used during our stay, is below.
Topside Terrace Kitchen & Bar
Topside Terrace Kitchen & Bar has more restrictive hours than Trade Restaurant & Lounge. It is closed on Mondays and hours fluctuate depending on the day for the remainder of the week. The full menu and hours of operation can be found here. The entrance to Topside is located on the second floor and can be accessed through a clearly marked doorway.
The restaurant is located one floor up and can only be accessed via stairs. This was a pain carrying ATX Jr.’s stroller up and down the stairs but I’m assuming we aren’t their target clientele.
We ended up going to Topside both nights during our stay for pre-dinner drinks. We were greeted by the host both nights and shown to a table. Upon entering, the bar is located immediately to the right.
Past the bar you’ll find seating with umbrellas to help shade you from the sun.
At the back of the terrace you’ll find three cabanas available for rent.
Hotel Republic San Diego Club Lounge
Marriott Bonvoy Platinum guests and higher, along with those who purchase Club Lounge rooms, have access to the Veranda Club Lounge. Eligible guests can enter using their keycard anytime during their stay.
The lounge is equally split between an indoor area and outdoor space. The indoor portion of the lounge has a mix of dining tables and a lounge area along with a buffet area.
Out on the terrace, you’ll find a variety of seating areas including one with an outdoor fireplace. Given San Diego’s temperate climate, both the indoor and outdoor spaces were very pleasant to relax in.
For guests with access, breakfast is served in the lounge each morning. We only ate here twice, but the full menu was overhauled each day with multiple hot dishes including eggs, potatoes, bacon and sausage.
If the hot items aren’t your thing, there was a selection of fruit, cereal, and assorted pastries available.
A beverage station was stocked with coffee, tea, juices and milk with a variety of sweeteners and flavored syrups. These items were only out during breakfast.
The lounge does have a beverage cooler with waters and soft drinks available throughout the day along with a basket of chips. Great if you need a quick snack.
Hotel Republic San Diego Fitness Center
On the second floor, around the corner from the Veranda Club Lounge, you’ll find the fitness center. While small, it had a good variety of machines and free weights.
A range of free weights were available with a couple of workout benches.
Two elliptical machines, three treadmills, and a rowing machine were in the back corner of the space. A large workout machine was located in the opposite corner.
An exercise bike and a Peloton bike are also available in the lounge. As someone with a Peloton at home, I find myself more inclined to hop on one at a hotel even though I rarely use mine at home.
Summary
Overall, we really enjoyed this hotel. While it wasn’t next to any of the major attractions downtown, it was walking distance to all of them. This allowed us to easily explore the city. The property also featured enough onsite amenities that we didn’t feel the need to go out constantly.
The room wasn’t anything over the top but it worked well for our needs, even if it was a little on the tight side. San Diego is a major convention and tourist location so I would likely try and stay at a different property just go get a better feel for the city but, I would happily stay at this property again.
