Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel & Marina

I want to start by saying that I was amazed at the customer service here! My husband and I got married here at the end of last year, and originally I was going to cancel our tour because we'd had such bad experiences looking for a microwedding venue - we were about to give up looking. I'm so glad we kept the appointment because Lillian made us feel so welcome, and we knew right away we wanted to get married here. All the planning steps were great and the hotel staff treated us very well. They even gave us a wedding tasting dinner that was set up like an intimate date. Our family all said it was the best food they've ever had at a wedding! Service the whole wedding evening was excellent, and everyone went home happy. We stayed in one of the king suites, which had a private patio overlooking the water. The room was clean and comfortable, and the apartment-style setup made it great for getting ready, hosting family for happy hours, and having time together. The onsite restaurant is also pretty good. They had given us coupons to use and some drink vouchers, which was really nice, but even without those I think we'd have come back a couple times! The venue spaces are beautiful, giving that classic San Diego feeling. There are also some amazing photo spots nearby. Would definitely recommend both as a venue and as a place to stay if you're looking for a quieter spot in the city. We felt like we were on a nice vacation even though we live here. And thanks so much to Island Palms, all the staff, and especially Lillian for making our wedding weekend so special. We had an amazing time and look forward to being back for a staycation!

We have been going here for over 20 years. We love the location and price/amenities. The suites are perfect for families or just those that want a bit more room. We prefer the Marina view. The restaurant has always been solid and the grounds are always clean. Easy to get to anywhere in San Diego. It's been our "go to" when visiting family at least once a year for over 2 decades.

This was our third stay at Best Western Island Palms since 2017. It was the third hotel that we stayed at in San Diego on our trip and, although the other hotels we stayed at farther north were great, I kind of wish we had more time at this one.||I had requested an early check-in, and I received a phone call at 12:30 p.m. letting me know our room was ready! I don't think that has ever happened to us. :) ||We stayed in a 3rd floor marina view room in the Casa Marina building that had a balcony with a beautiful view. The room was clean, spacious and well-appointed. The television was HUGE! I absolutely love the toiletries offered at Best Western Hotels. They smell divine!||Shelter Island is a beautiful area to walk around and it's also nice and quiet. It was so nice to get up in the morning and walk across the street to the bay to watch the sunrise.||I would highly recommend this hotel and hope to stay there again in the future!

I've stayed at A LOT of Best Westerns , This one exceeded my expectations. The location was spectacular, everything was absolutely beautiful. Please note this hotel does not have a breakfast buffet. Breakfast is on you.. I got the pancakes and they were very bland, They didn't have real maple syrup. Other than that everything was great.

Stayed here for 3 nights — overall pleased with the experience. Note not all of the rooms have a view of the marina, we were hoping for one but got one of the lower-level side-facing rooms instead so not much of a view at all. Walls are also quite thin. No coffee/tea/kettle in the rooms but there was a coffee/tea station (with espresso coffee) in the lobby that we could use in the mornings. Location is lovely, there is a path that winds behind the hotel all the way to the end of the island with gorgeous views of the marina and I loved taking morning walks on it. Super peaceful! Had a good time here but I did think the price was a little steep for what our room was.

The room (224) was missing a fire alarm in the kitchen, everything was dusty from the tv, to the mirrors, corners of room, kitchen counter, rolling bar. The carpet was coming off and ripping near the bathroom, the air conditioning in the room was falling off the wall. There was wires exposed and an off smell of dirty pipes throughout. The furniture needs a steam clean, coffee table was unstable. Could not comfortably eat in the room because it was so unclean. I addressed all the issues with the manager at the time and although she said the room would be cleaned it was not. I had to call to get it cleaned. She said cleaning staff had called out as a reason. She said there were no rooms to give us until after 4pm; I reported problems at 8:30am. The problems I reported were not addressed. I just want to establish that I do travel often. This is the most unclean room I have stayed ever! I do not think the standards that every other hotel has, applies to this hotel. Not sure if they do not know what clean is, but it was definitely not best practices. I was given attitude when we checked out from the manager stating she had offered a room, even though there was none available, and other things that I did not say. I don't appreciate being treated as such, since I spoke to every staff member with the respect I would want. The things I pointed out should have been taken care of, not met with attitude. The view is nice, but that's about it!

This place is absolutely fantastic. There is a little park across the way with fire pits and is enjoyable. My son who just started walking had a blast. Great workers & sevice. House keeping came everyday and never took a single thing (plus cleaned all my sons messes) Close to all the must see things here in SD. close to airport & boar cruises. What I will say is their website says free parking so when I got there and the man offered me a parking pass upon checking on, I thought it was indeed correct. nobody had said anything about $30 a night plus tax for parking, which I guess I should’ve asked to make sure, anyways when I called today after checking my bank, the gentleman totally understood the miscommunication as he had checked me in, he refunded me the parking charge. so kind and generous of him since I was also at fault. Overall, this is a great place for families and a beautiful view. AND there is two pools/hot tubs & games and floaters at both. Five stars and we’ll be back if in SD again.

This place is my new favorite place to staycation. It’s huge, beautiful and right next to a marina. Their coffee at the restaurant on-site makes me happy. The cream/half & half is the chef’s kiss. I also love that there is a pool and a hot tub in two different locations there. One seems to be for the quiet adults. There are also lawn areas where you can watch the sun go down over the floating boats. It’s kid friendly and the suite was exactly what I needed.

What a pleasant surprise BW Island Palms was! We weren't sure what to expect from a Best Western property. Island Palms absolutely delivered. We wanted a staycation for Becky's birthday, but we wanted to keep it budget friendly. Island Palms was perfect. We checked in on a Friday and out on Saturday for under $200. The property is quite large with several buildings spread around. Our room was in the Casa Del Mar building. Room 530. We had a balcony with a beautiful view of the marina. The pool and hot tub were just downstairs, a one-minute walk away. The room was well appointed. In-room coffee, mini fridge, safe and a microwave. It was a large room as well. The bed was very comfortable. Minor complaints, It was a chilly January night so we ran the heater. It was a bit noisy when it kicked on. Also, signage could be better when trying to locate the rooms. Initially we had some trouble finding our room. Once we were in and situated, we were able to find all the hotel amenities with ease. Parking is $25 per night. The very nice young lady at the front desk knew it was Becky's birthday and comped our parking. She even wrote "Happy Birthday" on the parking pass that hung from the rear view mirror. The pool and hot tub area was great. The pool was heated, but still a bit cold for a 50-degree night. The hot tub was awesome. The pool hours are excellent from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM. We hit the hot tub at 8:00 AM and it wasn't quite heated to max temp. It was still a lot warmer than the 40 something-degree air temp. Great stay at the Best Western Plus Island Palms Hotel and Marina. We would totally stay again.

Great coffee machine in the morning and nice views of bay and marina. Friendly staff and good restaurant on site. Not much to walk to, but in close Uber food range.

We had a lovely stay at the Best Western Plus Island Palms. As other reviews had mentioned, this isn't your typical "Best Western" in look or feel. We were blown away by how beautiful the grounds were and enjoyed our spacious and clean room. $25/night to park, which isn't bad for the area. Cheap rates made even cheaper if you're a Best Western rewards member. Will absolutely stay here again!

Dark, dingy, dated. For what it costs, this is a terrible value. It is out of the 1980s. And Shelter Island is basically an industrial site with nothing to recommend it. Off a commercial highway. This hotel over billed us (2 nights instead of one, which was my mistake but I thought I'd successfully cancelled the second night because, yuck). They were very nice at the time but they charged us $300. When we got the credit card statement, I called to explain and the manager refused any accommodation whatsoever.

Great place to stay for a staycation or vacation for out of towners. It is a bit confusing because if you don't notice, The Island Palms and BestWestern sign is together but you will mostly only see "Island Palms" and therefore if you are like me, you might pass right by it. They charge $25 per day for vehicles unless you are a rewards member and get special benefits for free parking. The office offers complimentary coffee inside between specific hours (says until 10 am but went a little later and still available), which could be a bit of a wait, depending on the time you go there. Sooo delicious though! Latte, cappuccino, or regular coffee. They have flavored fresh fruit water available as well. I believe I saw 2 restaurants and 2 different pool areas. The big one is mostly for kids! The smaller one seemed more like a chill relaxing nonchild pool. An unspoken feeling. Some rooms offer marina side outdoor patio/grass area. The couch folds out to a bed, and it is an older style very thing mattress bed. The suite had a full kitchen with all dishes provided. Your own coffee maker and a dorm size fridge. Was a nice staycation with family. I enjoyed the time with family, I didn't even get a chance to take pictures. Sometimes, those are the best memories.

This Best Western is in a great location on Shelter Island Marina with views of the boats, and great Bay Tours within a steps distance. The proximity to the airport is another terrific selling point! Beyond the ambiance, the service is wonderful. The staff are friendly and helpful. There is a bar/restaurant on-site, too. Overall a great spot to recommend to family visiting from out of town.

Rounding up from 3.5 stars. Overall, we enjoyed our stay! The location is great- right on the waterfront, walking paths, views of the marina and boats. The staff was all very friendly, and the restaurant was great (we had breakfast there our last day). On the downside, they sent an email form to pre-register and put any room requests. As our flight landed at 930a, I requested a check in before 12p. When we arrived at about 10:15, the room wasn't ready and the check in staff said it would be about an hour. We went to breakfast and did some sightseeing and arrived back at the hotel at 1:30 and the room still wasn't ready- and they said it would be another hour. We were pretty beat and disgruntled at this point. We walked around for another 45 min- still no room. Luckily, the check in staff found us a room because at this point I was pretty frustrated- what was the point of the pre registration? Overall, the room was fine, just had a musty smell. The shower temperature and water pressure was great, it was clean, so no issues there. We'd stay there again, just bring air freshener and know that you won't likely be able to check in early.

Always love staying here! Bike rentals, on site restaurant, easy walking trail and just off the main San Diego hub that you get a resort feel. Justine at the restaurant is great, she really makes the customer experience great. Check in/out is easy. Rooms are clean and spacious. Close to Balboa and A.D zoo. Only a 35ish min drive to the Safari park Only personal con is I do wish the restaurant had more coffee choices in the morning.

I can't believe I haven't updated my review in 5 years; we stay here 2-4x/year for Pete's sake!! Anyway, 5-star for sure. We ALWAYS have a great experience with Danny Cozart at the front desk; he's super friendly, provides the best customer service we could ever ask for in ANY place we visit in SD. We get the room we request, and special treats for our our birthday celebrations. We are almost always able to check in early and are greeted by the Blue Wave staff with friendly smiles and waves. Of course the best part of the hotel; views of the harbor and proximity to the Bay! We walk it 2-3x/day and enjoy the beautiful grounds of Island Palms, too. Meticulously maintained and sooo inviting! Can't wait to go back in June! Yes, some of it needs an update but overall it's a gorgeous place. Never experienced trash left behind from the guests or cleaning crew, surprised to read others had. We highly recommend!

I booked a day pass to explore this hotel in between my cruise and my flight. Check-in was relatively easy. The resort itself is huge. I chose to hang out at the smaller pool. The water was a decent temperature. The hot tub was nice. Also got to get a workout in.

Our bed sheets were dirty room carpet was humid as if they tried to clean it and the whole room was humid all night because of this , I didn't even sleep all night Worst place I've slept in

The hotel was huge, more of a resort style place. Two pools, spas, marina side. The Restaurant was great. There was a gym and tennis courts we played tennis. The room was large and very clean. I would recommend getting a marina side room if you want it quieter. We walked to the end and back. There was a small restaurant Bayside right in front of the hotel on the pier named Fathom Bistro. The food was awesome, seating was limited as the place was very popular. We found a table facing the bay which had an awesome sea breeze and view. I'll post a separate review soon.

This property is located on 'hotel row' of Shelter Island in San Diego, Point Loma area. Best Western Properties PLUS are elevated from standard -- the most important consideration, after location, is the people that work there. The people at this location are outstanding and deserve recognition. When checking in, those folks do their best to accommodate requests for specific rooms, or locations. They provide efficient, professional and friendly service. We have been guests here in excess of ten years and have had the pleasure of being those assisted with Danny. We have now learned that Danny has been promoted, and, we believe, perfectly positioned in charge of Guest Services. Danny has consistently provided the absolute definition of customer service. Others at the desk whose name we have learned include Clinton, Alex and Annette. Separate review for the on-site restaurant, Blue Wave.

Location is great. Half the Electrical plugs in the room don't work. The person at the desk helping with the reservation was so singsongy, it was very difficult to understand her. If you go to the trouble to put coffee in the room, please make the yellow and blue sweeteners available. Pink sweetener has not used by ANYBODY since the 1950's. I'm sure it's cheaper...but, REALLY? You need to cheap out on sweetener in a $250 dollar a night room? That little thing sends a big message about what you think of your customers. There was a 15% off coupon in the room for the restaurant. The Denver omelette was gross. When we received the bill, it had an unidentified charge for 6 or 7 additional dollars. I asked the waiter about it and he said it was a junk fee added by the hotel. I didn't see any mention of extra fees on the menu.

Only reason on the two stars in the view we came to spend one night only we paid a little over $200 for the night not even worth it roaches in the room and stained sheets I even went to go buy some to lay over if they didn't change these what makes you think me asking for some will be any better for $200 I could of paid less and maybe have a better clean experience would I come here again NO NOT EVER THIS WAS DIAGUSTING AMD GROSS what a disappointing stay place is nice but this si just gross

We've stayed here regularly over the past 6 years. Location, location, location. This trip there was an exceptional housekeeper named Emma. She was kind & personable and lit up when I spoke to her in Spanish.

The only thing I can count on from a Best Western is a comfortable bed. For short stays, we usually book with Best Western. Especially if we spend a few hours at the hotel. This property was a pleasant surprise. Our room had a fantastic view of the marina. The bed was comfortable, as usual, and the checkin process was relatively easy. The shower head made a screaming noise when the water was turned on, but we didn't complain. We were literally there for a number of hours. However, I would definitely stay here again. I didn't check out any other property amenities, but we plan to on a return visit.

Great updates to the room's bathrooms and showers, great house keeping services and parking, and as always, a great location on Shelter Island (an oasis in busy San Diego). Unfortunately, the newest trend in the hotel industry (day passes...you know them by their wristbands) have undermined this resort's charm and relaxing vibe. At least we can understanding what happened to the pool towel service that is no longer offered (it's either bring your own clean white bath towels from the room, or be prepared to make a long schlep to the office for...per a call to the front desk...huh?). This past holiday weekend, hordes of locals descended upon the small intimate pool areas near the back, co-opting every available chaise, lounge chair and table with food coolers and drinks. These families set up by 10:00 am and didn't leave until the pool's closing at 11:00 pm. Talk about huge turnoff to overnight guests, who pay a premium to be unable to use the resort's amenities, or relax in their own rooms (during the day) without the windows closed and AC turned on to drown out the noise/commotion. While the day pass trend may be a thing within the hotel industry, too often these type of guests overwhelm and drive overnight guests away. For loyal premium Best Western members (who make it an effort to fly across the country specifically to enjoy the Island Palms oasis-like setting), having to deal with raucous pool crowds and then walk past teens sprawled out and asleep in wet suits on the inside furniture in the small lobby, was a huge fail. Do better BW/Bartels for your loyal overnight guests who will go anywhere else (and spend hundreds elsewhere) to avoid these type of situations in the future (and be sure to inform others of same). Best Western Island Palms used to be a favorite resort, no longer can that be said (updated bathrooms or not).

I'm just dreaming of when I can go back! I absolutely loved the location. Our room was amazing. There were 2 pools so we basically had a pool to ourselves with a view of the Marina. My son enjoyed the playground across the street. I've never been to Hawaii but I imagine it's the same vibe. Love love love! Employees were all wonderful and we felt safe and cared for.

Great location! Our upstairs room was a suite and was on the harbor side with a wonderful view of the grass along the walkway where all the boats are anchored and Point Loma on the hill. Our room was spacious with privacy doors and we had a roomy little kitchen with a bar eating area. We had a very comfortable king bed and a very spacious bathroom with lovely walk in shower and a double sink. Across the front parking lot is a terrace strand walkway up and down the shore. The only downside is that there are no elevators but walking up and down stairs is good exercise! We stayed a week and had a wonderful time!!

I'll be generous and rate our 3 night stay at Best Western Island Palms as acceptable, even though a more picky traveller would probably be inclined to leave a 1 star review. First off, the views of the marina are amazing, but we didn't really get to enjoy much of it since our room was right in the middle, with the only window facing the staircase. Shutter blinds are either on or off with no curtains which means the choice is of either no privacy or no sunlight at all. The room we were put in was ultra small and dated, clearly made to fit one bed, not two. The bathroom was almost as large as the room itself, with a modern frameless shower cabin which was about the only Plus amenity in the room. However, the wallpaper is coming off and the door looks old. The air conditioner was also too small to keep the room comfortable at night. The staff we interacted with was nice, but we were told right at check-in that there won't be any housekeeping and to ask for anything extra. The restaurant on site which we were given coupons for, is average and overpriced. Even with $20 off, the breakfast for 2 adults and 1 child was about $45. Another low point is the charge of $25/night for parking, which we were not even told about at check-in. On a Saturday night there was nowhere to park, so the hotel employees said to park across the street (free harbor parking), and ask the front desk for refund. Giving $25 back is really not worth the inconvenience of parking next to homeless people living in their vehicles. Even refunding the whole 3 night parking might not be enough, but at least it would show some effort. Considering the hotel size and multiple buildings, I'm sure many folks had a better experience here, as I noticed some other rooms were larger, much nicer and had a balcony with a view. Guess this hotel saves those rooms for guest who pay more, while the travelers like myself who book the Government Rate get the smallest, crappiest rooms. I guess $200 a night does not get you a whole lot here. As this is the second Best Western in Point Loma that did not deliver, I'm officially done with the brand, at least in San Diego. There should be some quality control to ensure that all the guests are treated the same and not just the ones who pay the full rate for one of the nicer rooms. Needless to say, I won't be coming back, though I loved the location.

Is This Best Customer Service Story of My Life? We damaged the front bumper of our car (at a different location). Returning to our hotel room, I called the hotel front desk and asked if we could get some duct tape to temporarily repair the bumper. We didn't want to drive home, 8 hours, with half of the bumper whipping in the wind, and maybe ripping off. The front desk gal said, "Of course. I think I can get a repairman to stop by right now." Five minutes later, I met up with SIMON, and he did have duct tape. But upon looking at the partially torn off fender, he got out some screws and his electric drill, and put in 3 or four 4 self-tapping screws, hidden in the wheel well, re-attaching, permanently, the fender to the car. A perfect fix as opposed to $500 body shop fix. I want you to appreciate what he did. I've spent countless hours on the phone getting computer software support. But it's their software. That's their job. Simon is a hotel repairman, with no responsibility whatsoever for guests' cars. Yet, he spent 20 minutes, using his repairman problem-solving skills to repair my fender, making it fully roadworthy. He was not worried or concerned that this was outside of his area of responsibility, or his professional skill set. He wasn't worried about a lawsuit if things went wrong. And he wasn't worried about his boss chewing him out for doing something outside of the hotel's role. A stay at a hotel can be deeply harmed by one small bad customer service experience. The opposite is true also. This experience with Simon was deeply appreciated by both me and my wife. An unexpected, awkward problem on our vacation solved in 20 minutes. This made our stay at this hotel special. I could also tell similar, though less dramatic stories, about waitresses at the hotel restaurant, Justine and Stacey, who were sensitive to my wife's many food allergies. And Maria, the restaurant, hostess, who sort of has became friends with my wife. Or I could mention Eugene, who returned my $35 cap. Which any waiter, anywhere should do, but it needs to be acknowledged. So, a deep thank you to Simon, and the other employees. Thank you to the ownership and management that has empowered and given permission to workers like Simon to provide really great customer service. And yes, this was the best customer service experience of my life. Thank you, guys.

Stayed here for 2 nights last week and ended up staying in the casa del Mar building. The room was much large, luxurious and had a shared patio facing the water. Everything was amazing during our stay, check in was easy, parking was convenient, wifi worked well. I was bummed we missed the Christmas boat parade we would have had a great view from this hotel. We will definitely stay here again.

I am not sure why, but this place smells bad. The hallways and hotel rooms smell like the staff sprayed air freshener all over the place to cover up a dirty body odor smell. This hotel is in great need of a make-over. If that happens they would be able to charge big bucks because of the location. Unfortunately, in its current state, it's a low end place. The staff were nice.

Stayed in 401 during august 6-9 Just going to list a few things Crumbs on chair, previous visitors lotion left behind, and literal gnats/bugs under sheet, in bed. The shower smelled anything but clean and there was a thin used bar soap in our shower. The room was worn down, corners of the walls poorly repaired and the handle to the hot water in our bathroom fell off during our stay. The microwave was finicky along with the light switches & though they offer a few streaming services for TV, a couple wouldn't work (just a black screen) and others would freeze throughout the program. An mediocre hotel experience to say the least. Will not come back

No manager on site,no cameras(my shoes, shirt and bag were STOLEN at the pool) I asked them for security footage and for some reason the people. charged with night shift have no access to anything that could help. ON TOP OF THAT WHEN I CHECKED IN M PHONE DIDNT WORK, MY SINK WAS CLOGGED, I had no hand soap or toiletries(that were supposed to be included) and while I'm writing this, they still haven't fixed my phone, two days after I checked in and let them know what the problem was.

I left a review on there survey they had emailed We had an okay stay The rooms are average The checking agents not the friendliest I'm going to let you know that my jewelry had turned colors in there jacuzzi they had sent me a survey I let them know in the survey I guess in the very end you write a review and it goes publicly on whatever site they are attaching their survey to so thr director of guest services got mad decided to email me saying that they were going to reimburse me for my jewelry that was tarnished and then decided not to reimburse me after he saw that the review that they had sent me was public which I think is crazy cuz I never called and never asked for anything but for them to offer it to their customer and then take it away is just the craziest thing in the world to me you saw the review was posted before you sent me an email I'm going to just post the pictures of my jewelry show you guys and you can make your own choice The jacuzzi I did decide to use was in the casa del Mar area it was green I shouldn't have got in the manager is right it was my choice I've also worn my jewelry in every single pool I've ever gone in and never taken it off whether it be sterling silver or not. Also beware there was a charge on my room that I never made so make sure to check your bills as well that there isn't anything you didn't add on there!!!

Wierd odor in our room. Also I booked a marina view from the balcony and did not get it. They did however upgrade me to a spacious jr sweet which I did not request. Had to pay for parking in top of hotel fees which I thought was steep $25 geez won't be staying here again due to the Oder don't know what they use bring a nice candle with you

We have stayed at this hotel several times for 4th of July. We have stayed in the main building and in the Casa De Mar. I highly recommend the Casa De Mar building where you will have more space and it is more updated. Check in is usually very friendly and helpful. I will say last week the front desk staff was not great however the housekeeping staff was amazing. They do not offer free breakfast with most rooms however there is a restaurant on site with good food. The service is hit or miss but you can't beat the scenery if you are sitting at a table outside. There are 2 pools which is nice. Parking is $25 daily which is pricey but I believe most hotels charge for parking in San Diego. We will definitely stay there again! I wish I had room pictures but we were having to good of time enjoying our trip.

Came here to stay with my partner during our stay in san diego. I liked the fact that they had a pool and serviced drinks/food. My stay was ruined at the end because my partner and I were not able to enjoy the pool as intended. I asked a couple times if the waiter could take our order. After 2hrs, it was obvious he was ignoring us. We left after he asked the couple next to us "do you guys need anything? Doing okay?"... and walked away. Horrible experience, not coming again. We would usually come here once every 2yrs.

The restrooms on the pool deck are roomy and amazingly clean. The entire pool area is so charming, especially at night. We watched a young couple silently and deliberately do multiple laps around the edge of the pool, up the ramp, through the hotel, and back to the pool with a stroller, trying to get their baby to sleep. Almost everything about this place's ambiance reminds me of my Aunt Margie's house, which my father designed in the late 1960s. There's so much dark wood, so many big windows, and so much otherwise earnest tiki kitschness.

Justine at the Blue Wave Bar & Grill was the absolute warmest and kindest person I met on my trip. on the pairing of the meatballs and bread with the glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, Justine! Excellent recommendation!!!

I had two cockroaches in the room. The shower smelled bad. They screwed up on billing and the printer in the lobby does not work.

We enjoyed our stay it was a nice weekend retreat. The location is nice. You get a view of the bay out front and marina in back. It was central to lots of good eateries. Although they do have a restaurant on site. We didn't get to try it unfortunately. There is coffee in the lobby. But you have to get there early and make line. It offers a selection of cappuccino, latte, hot chocolate, and regular coffee. The pool is nice and offers plenty of lounge spots. Loved the poolside cocktail service. The lobby is fun with its modern Tiki theme. There is a gym, but it is small and I didn't want to workout that close to others. That's just me. There were plenty of folks there by 9am. We opted to go on a walk along the nice bay walk. There is plenty of parking, tennis courts, and it was a quiet place to stay. There is a funky smell in the hallways. Not sure if the carpet needs to be pulled up and lay tile down. That was my main complaint.

August 2021 update: I was very happy with our second stay here. We really enjoyed our room in the Casa Del Mar building in room 532 on the 2nd floor with a marina view. The room was very spacious and the bed was comfortable. There is nice balcony for sitting to enjoy a cup of coffee in the morning and a glass of wine in the evening, watching the boats in the harbor while the ducks and birds swim by. The grounds are as lovely as I remember with lush greenery and a relaxing feel. BW booking, check in and check out was very easy too. I received an email for early registration with an option to check in early. I was in and out in minutes at check in for a swiping of our credit card. The front registration staff was excellent! There is a QR scan in the room for hotel information, a contactless safeguard. There is no daily room cleaning. Call the front desk if you need anything. The only weird thing in our room was the bathtub, which had a a bit squishy bottom that made for an unstable surface. Otherwise, we just loved our stay and we I'll be back!

We just stayed and while the stay itself was great. Seamless check in and our room was great. The hotel is starting to show a good amount of wear and tear. I've been staying here off and on since 2012. Cracks in ceiling. Peeling paint etc. The kicker was I paid extra for breakfast and then I was informed it didn't cover breakfast but a light breakfast. Okay no biggie well we go to eat and there are no light breakfast menus it's just $16 off whatever item you purchase. So I spent an extra $60 for $28 off breakfast. I asked to be comped the amount because we weren't going to eat there. I was frustrated we would be spending more and she informed me she couldn't because it was a "package." But I could have booked the same room for the better price and not having to spend an exorbitant rate for breakfast that we would have to spend extra for.

Location: Awesome, I mean really just awesome. Right across the street from the beach. Which makes it easy not to stay in the room but at some point you have to go to sleep. Stay: Not so much. The rooms are dingy, dirty and apparently housekeeping feels the same way by the leave behinds in our room (see pics below); astounding! Bed: Uncomfortable. It's so old it sagged in the center of the bed. You know it's time for a new bed when you wake up every day with a lower back pain... Neighbors: We were there for 3 nights. On our last night, it was a Monday night no less, our neighbors next to us decide to party at 9:30pm. Which I know it seems early to be making a complaint call however it's: MONDAY!!!! We call the front desk, they say they will send security, and wouldn't you know they actually did! The reason we know this is our neighbors got louder, I mean they turned it up to pure Studidness, which included their kids! Profanity, was had by all around, it was on. We called Front Desk again and they told my Groom that when Security confronted these lovely people they said and I quote: "Well, we're filing a complaint with Management for not allowing us to make noise." I don't know why the Front Desk felt it necessary to tell us that, perhaps they were feeling upset and needed an allie? Either way, they indicated if these folks didn't stop by 10pm then they would ask them to pack up and leave. Cool, however we had to be up at 4am to get on a plane to travel home to Quebec. Really a Bummer stay.

Location is great if you want to be close to the airport and gaslamp, downtown. Enjoy a nice walk around the marina with views of downtown and a nice sunset. The hotel grounds are pretty well kept, their lobby is really nice and offers free coffee and tea. Staff is friendly. The room was dated. The walls were dirty, carpet thin and worn, baseboards were falling off or non existent and the bathroom door to my room didn't lock. Had to keep the air on the entire stay otherwise the room felt like a sauna. Beds were okay, shower was nice and all the channels of the tv worked. This was the cheapest room for the week I was in SD, lots of events happening that weekend so there was a price spike but I wouldn't choose this hotel if I had to come back. They need to do some major remodeling to their rooms, to match the aesthetic of their lobby and location.

This review is regarding weddings at this venue, a true hidden gem! I spent countless hours searching for a wedding venue that had gorgeous views and fit my budget. Best Western Plus Island Palms is the perfect venue for a San Diego wedding! The ceremony space is tucked away in a private area, with a tropical garden and view of the waterfront. The reception space is intimate and beautiful with vaulted ceilings and a private patio. Special shoutout to Maddie (Weddings and Catering Sales Manager) as she was extremely thorough outlining all the perks that come with booking this venue. If you are looking for a great venue, I highly recommend this one.

Great hotel in the Shelter Island area, with balcony views out to the marina and views of the park, fishing pier and great people watching from the room. We loved staying here and had so much fun exploring the area. The room was very comfortable and we felt at home here. The restaurant was closed at the time, but there are lots of dining options nearby and also we were able to get Doordash delivery. Although we have stayed at many hotels in the area since, this hotel always brings back good memories of a fun weekend.

It was a beautiful day so I decided to take one of there rental bikes for a two hour ride. It's a self- service set up and you need to download the app to get started. Of course it wasn't easy as we found out later the plug wasn't put in correctly. Sofia,the front desk clerk come out immediately and stayed with me till we figured the whole thing out. She was very polite, friendly and calm. Had a nice ride around San Diego.

Have been coming here 2-4 times a year for 25 years. Always a wonderful experience. The staff is ready to help with a smile on their face. That's what makes this place special. For a quick getaway-its paradise

My first time ever going to stay at Shelter Island and at the Island Palms! I have to say it was so nice to be out all day in the hustle bustle of San Diego and then come back to this hotel. Nice room with view of ships, very nice clean fresh smell to the hallways, comfortable room, and the housekeeping was accommodating when we asked for more towels . Not to mention, the hotel restaurant was good! Had dinner one night and a late dessert the other night. The pool area with fireplace is beautiful especially at sunset. Great walkway leading to other hotels and views of the boats. The best thing is that it was so quiet in the hotel room. Didn't hear any other guests ever! I'd return to this hotel.

I discovered this hidden gem when looking for a "reasonably" priced hotel in San Diego for a weekend visit and finding none. I could not even use my larger chain points to secure a room as they were all unavailable and even 3 star hotels were asking $500 a night. So The Island Palms was the choice and what a great choice it was! First and foremost, you can't find a better location that exudes the San Diego vibe. In terms of the marina and bay views, grounds and overall benefit of being on Shelter Island, this place would be priced 3X-10X higher with others. It may not be "too fancy" but the rooms are still nice, clean, comfortable and functional. The equivalent of many a Hilton or Sheraton. And every staff member I encountered was professional as well as super friendly and helpful. And here's the BIG BONUS and KICKER! They do not charge a resort fee! If this were any of the chains you can bet a bogus $50 or so "resort fee" would be tacked on! I tend to stick with my loyalty points with the major chains and I had never considered the Best Western program before but, I am in it now and I will absolutely save money and enjoy San Diego by returning to the Island Palms in the future.

I am speechless with disappointment with our stay at Island Palms. The part of the hotel we were guests in was ran down and, in lack of a better word, disgusting. I have not stayed in a place where I had concerns that there may be bed bugs (there were not). The hotel is away from all attractions, restaurants, shopping, etc, so you must Uber or drive , as there is nothing within walking distance. We would not recommend spending your money here for a stay.

Terrible service and Terrible service and an old dirty building. Check in lied and said their computer was down, so they gave my room away and put me in a worse room. They also lied and said I was a no show, thus eliminating my best western reward points for the stay. The room they gave us was dirty and walls are thin. All in all a terrible hotel staffed by horrible people. 0/10

I really liked this hotel. The staff in Reception were all friendly, and the room was clean and had a great view of the marina. My only complaint is the walls are a little thin, and someone in a nearby room was watching TV fairly loudly until at least 3am every night. But I'm sure those same guests won't be there next time, so I'm looking forward to my next visit.

This BW is a hidden gem. On a marina so it's in a superb location. The restaurant is named "Blue Wave" It is really outstanding. Surprising for a BW but the food is just awesome...... all cooked in house, the staff is kind and accommodating. Last night I had the homemade meatballs (better than many Italian restaurants) and a in house made ricotta gnocchi with Tilapia. (drool worthy). Simply delicious supper Even if you are not staying at the hotel, I truly recommend eating here.

We recently stayed at this property for a short Summer family getaway. We normally stay in Downtown San Diego and discovered this property on Shelter Island and decided to give it a try. Best decision! Shelter Island is a beautifully tucked away location and this property sits right in the marina with beautiful views throughout. Although the property seems a bit older than newer properties in downtown, its well kept and you can't beat the location and views for the price. The staff was extremely friendly and accommodating which was nice. Upon checking in, they surprised us with an upgraded room which was super spacious and had 2 bedrooms, a full kitchen and living room...the kids loved it. It was also convienently located right outside tbe pool which was nice too. We look forward to our next visit very soon.