Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa

We just wrapped up our work retreat here on the property, and it was a great experience. To keep it short and sweet: -We liked our meeting room for 45 people. -The room temp, AV, and F&B were perfect for our group. -The team really liked that you could see the water and step out onto the balcony. - The hotel's event managers were great! Fantastic service the whole way through. -Having the group attend the on-property luau as an evening activity was a logistical dream. The show was decent, but the team simply loved the chance of having cocktails, wearing Hawaiian shirts, and having the entertainment just a few steps from the hotel. I will recommend this location to other groups.

Overall I would not recommend staying here based on our last experience (July, 2025). We have stayed in the past and really enjoyed the location (still great), property itself (ok but clearly slipping) and staff (previously great, really poor last visit). The biggest issue was that we booked one of the two story buildings with a garden view as we liked that room type in the past. As we check in the woman at the desk told us they had an upgraded room for us in the tower. I expressed some concern as I didn't really want to be on the tower but she assured me the room was 'much nicer with a great garden view' OK sure let's try it. We arrive at the 'upgraded room' and it is smaller, dingy, right next to the elevator and with a view of the top of a parking garage (see pic). I immediately went downstairs to tell them we wanted the original room booked. Dante was actually helpful and a lone bright spot but told us they were now booked and we had to spend one night at least in the tower. He gave us a small credit and did get us into the desired room type for the remainder of stay but still it's not fun to have to unpack repack and move in the middle of a vacation with two small kids. To top it off one of the tower elevators broke soon after making for huge waits or lots of stairs. This really soured our experience and is one reason we will look to stay elsewhere, but the other glaring issue was the general unfriendliness of the staff (front desk, restaurant staff was especially poor, restaurant hostess the worst). The valet and landscaping staff were quite nice however. We also had our room cleaned only one time over a 5 night stay despite requesting additional service. Main takeaway is that for this price point you can do much, much better in SD

We booked a resort king room and check in went great. We were impressed with the grounds and thought we would really enjoy our stay. The location is great and the views are amazing from the top floor. Employee said we have a bay view so that’s really great! We got to our room and it smelled like the room had been closed up for a long time. We kept the patio door cracked the whole time we were there in order to tolerate the smell. Also noted upon reserving our room, there was supposed to be a microwave and there was not one. The faucet on the tub was broken and the tub clogged up during the shower. If you book a king room, just know to expect this old musty room. It is for sure not worth the money and I would never recommend it! Checkout is at 11am. We had the cleaners try to come in the door a couple times around 9am. I am recovering from surgery and I was sleeping. Good thing the deadbolt latch was on otherwise they would have walked right in! I booked through a third party who said there would be no additional charges for resort fee. When checking in, they took a card for incidentals and parking fee. Now, there were additional charges per night for resort fees. This is under dispute now with my credit card. I didn’t get a receipt for my charges until I contacted the hotel to ask for them. Because I didn’t know what the additional charges were. For my troubles, they offer me a preferred rate on my next stay. I don’t recommend this hotel (at least the room I was in) and dont think I will be staying here again.

The grounds of the resort are beautiful and there is a lot to like about this place. Location is great - very close to airport, restaurants, cute coffee shops, beach, etc. However, the living areas (rooms, hallways, elevators, common areas) are so outdated and need to be renovated badly. I would assume that is the most common complaint from guests here. Everyone else we talked to who was staying here also said the same thing. We loved the birds and bay/beach area, and the lobby is very charming and gorgeous. However, another downside was the service. While not terrible, I don’t think this resort really has it all together. When we checked in, they couldn’t tell us how to get to our room. We asked multiple people and no one knew where our room was. We had to go back to the front desk (which is a bit of trek, this place is big) and have someone bring us to our room. I would also recommend you to stay in the tower. We were originally in a Poolside Queen room and the rooms were only accessible from the parking lot … not quite the luxury resort experience you’re expecting. So we asked to be moved to the tower because we were staying for 5 nights and our original room was hard to get to and from. Overall, I don’t believe this resort was worth what we paid. I think it has really great potential and would consider giving this place another chance in a few years if they undergo renovations.

The rooms were dope and great. Fresh linens and towels. Once you walk in you see this beautiful fountain and it felt like we were in a tropical destination. The bar was great. Great service great pours. We were helped by Sylvie, she was amazing! All the employees were nice and attentive. I definitely recommend this place. 10/10

This is a great place to stay! By the beach, but not on the beach, which is key for noise. The beach is great but always active. The rooms are a nice size, and have kitchens so you don’t always have to eat out. The have great decks to sit & relax. The bay is a great area with easy access. A lot of great local spots to eat within walking distance. City Tacos, Breakfast Republic, Irv’s Burgers, Handel’s Ice Cream & Square Pizza to name a few. We never left the area last visit. No need, everything is right there. We love the Catamaran.

My milestone birthday celebration with family was made unforgettable by our stay at the Catamaran! The lush, tropical grounds created a perfect ambiance, complemented by well-cared-for plants and animals. Love the birds!! The bay room offered beautiful bay views, and both the spa and restaurant were outstanding. The customer service was exceptional — from Dante, Joanne, and Mariana who checked us in swiftly and answered all our questions, to the attentive poolside and room service teams. Every staff member we encountered was professional, friendly, and polite, ensuring a memorable experience for us. Thank you Catamaran!!

My partner and I stayed at Catamaran in the Bay Tower for 3 nights and would not consider this a “4-star hotel” or “resort.” It’s overpriced, and the rooms are more like Best Western-grade; they’re outdated and not the most clean (although the sheets and towels were). The pillows were too flat and made it hard to sleep. I’d consider this more like a 2- or 3-star hotel. If luxury is important to you I would not recommend. However, if you have kids and aren’t concerned about having a nice room then this would probably be a decent option, albeit a pricey one. That being said, the view of Mission Bay was nice, and it was just a short walk (~3-5 minutes) from Pacific Beach. The grounds are pretty, with lots of trees and tropical birds, which made for nice walking. Self-parking was also easy and convenient. We decided to cut our stay a day early as we wanted to change hotels, and Catamaran was nice about it and refunded us for it (we did provide advance notice of >24 hours). We did not see the gym or visit the restaurant (Oceania). Also, when we checked in the host gave us incorrect directions for entering the Tower. We were able to figure out the entrance on our own, but considering it was late at night that was a bit annoying. And there were renovations going on in the Tower in the entry way; hopefully they will continue renovations throughout the rest of the Tower soon.

Rooms are still very dated but it's about on par with what you can get for Mission Bay Area. The amenities though are awesome. Always a fun stay with lots to do. Plus the pool is awesome. So recommended depending on what your priorities are.

Barely a 2-star experience that I'm typing this from my room. customer service is nonexistent. Every staff member we encountered couldn't care less about our stay. Hard to believe we paid over $600 per night for this mess. Despite multiple in-person requests for basic housekeeping, our room was never cleaned. We informed the front desk staff (at least five of them), who assured us multiple times that someone would take care of it, but nothing happened. When we returned to our unmade room with no towels for the third time and called the front desk again, we were met with attitude and told there was no one available to help. And well, our "king suite" is just an average hotel room. Will never come back here.

Fantastic stay! Before visiting customer service was super helpful over the phone and took down our requests. We booked a pool side room. Although it didn't come with a microwave. I made a request before hand and luckily we were able to get one in our room without an additional charge. Upon arrival the person at the desk Randy was super helpful. Gave us a rundown of everything, told us where to park etc . Room was clean and they brought in our crib and microwave before we got into the room. Our stay was amazing , scenery was so beautiful. Kids loved the hotel cat, ponds, and birds . The pool was so fun. We had a blast at the arcade as well ! Loved that this hotel including clean pool towels for convenience. Next to the pool was daily kid crafts . We made cute keepsakes while we were there ! The kids also were able to do the movie on the bay and ice cream social on Wednesday! We had a scavenger hunt given to us by the front desk and afterwards the kids turned it in to the Java cafe for a baked treat. Gift shop was REASONABLY PRICED ! Which is something I never thought I'd say! My kids were able to pick out some goodies under $10! ( bracelets , necklaces , notebooks) We ordered room service a few nights and the food was INCREDIBLE! The portions were HUGE. The kids meals could easily feed an adult and came with a scoop of ice cream ! Win win Restaurants are within walking distance. We tried world famous. The food was incredible, great portions and had a view. Beach was fun and clean . We did yoga on the beach in the am (8:30) and it was just so beautiful and the ladies we had instructing us were amazing ! Also kid friendly. Afterwards checking out was an absolute breeze and zero hidden fees were found once checking out ! 1)One thing I will say is poolside can be loud, however didn't bother any my kids including a baby sleeping . The curfew at 10pm was always enforced which made things perfect. 2) no top latch on the hotel doors. Also wasn't a huge problem for us . 3) make sure to ask for utensils and condiments when ordering room service . One night they were slammed and I ran down for some. Again totally understandable

The worst hotel I have ever been to. It does not deserve a one star either. Everything is old, dirty, and outdated. Explains why they didn't pass this year's annual inspection. The few employees I dealt with had nothing positive to say about this place. Evan's Hotels has terrible history. They are firing employees because of the lump-sum of money they had to pay for having multiple health violations, but that starts with management! This place needs to be shut down immediately.

I attended the summer sunset luau and Ricardo was incredible. He got us great seats and a few complimentary drinks because my fiancé and I are locals. The views were amazing and the service is unbeatable. I'd highly recommend this if you want to take your date to something tropical and magical.

Beautiful hotel. It's on the older side, but they have renovated most of the rooms. The tower rooms aren't renovated yet. We stayed at the garden view 2 queens room. Although I wish we had a bay view room, our room did not disappoint. We had a view of the Koi ponds and you can see them swimming from our balcony. The grounds are decorated with lots of tropical plants and trees. They have parrots who talk that entertained my kids. The beach is walking distance from our room. Very cool! Over all I'd stay again and try to take advantage of the amenities! Why the 4 stars and not five? Spider webs all over the place!! Dead bugs on spider webs just hanging around the hall ways and the balcony. The free coffee in the rooms sucks! The wanna be kuerig did the job but it still sucked! lol for the price you pay, I'd wish it was decent coffee.

I always put my client's here when they come into town to visit. The price's are reasonable for the location. It is on the Bay side so it is a lot calmer than the Ocean Side of things. Great place for kids to swim and or just to spend some relaxing time on the beach. 15 Minutes from Downtown Maybe 20 to the Airport. Staff is welcoming and helpful. Workout room and Spa as well. Nice on site restaurant, has pretty much everything you need. Walking distance to Pacific Beach bars.

My husband and I were in San Diego for our baby moon and a spa day was definitely a MUST for us (more so for me but hey, he reaps the benefits). We both got a massage (prenatal massage for me) and a facial - both were about 50 mins long for each service. We hung out in their lounge in between services and that provided great ambiance for relaxation. The locker rooms were great and had all the essentials that you'll need after your spa day, including access to their sauna! At the end of our facial service, our esthetician even provided a 'skin prescription' for us based on our skincare needs so that was really cool. Only reason why I'm giving 4 stars and not 5 stars is due to the booking system because it was super confusing. While I did get an email and phone call confirmation, I didn't realize that I had booked the facials for the both of us at a later time during the day and not right after our massages (we received our massages first and then facials) for it to be back to back. The receptionist was very nice and explained to us that there was only one esthetician on site at that time so that was the only way for them to accommodate us. We were going to cancel the facials but then ended up not doing so because they were going to charge for the service regardless if we received it or not so we decided to stay at the resort until our facial services, which were about 3 hours apart after the conclusion of our massage services. Otherwise, we had a very relaxing day at this spa location!

Sarah Mccaskill was the best person you would ever describe as someone who could take care of you, warm your heart, and more. Josh was a gem, too; I would recommend getting massages, nails, facials, and more. I mean, I was born and raised here in San Diego. The Catamaran Resort Hotel is outstanding. No B.S.!

My husband and I just got married here in early July and it was the most amazing experience. They had the best service from waiters and waitresses, to the hostess at the front desk. Everyone was so polite and refreshing to talk to. Our wedding coordinator, Debbie, was awesome and made sure we had what we want for our event. The room my husband and his groomsmen got ready is was absolutely stunning and huge. Our bridal suite had the most beautiful view of mission bay and the ocean side as well.

Recently went to San Diego for my Anniversary weekend with my wife and decided to stay at the Catamaran Resort. When we got to our room we found that the cabinet door to the minifridge area was partially disassembled and sitting out in the walkway. We then went to the restroom and found the toilet seat completely disconnected from the toilet. We contacted the front desk who said they would take care of it. We waited 45 minutes before calling the front desk again and being told they were sorry and would send someone promptly. After another 45 minutes (and us really having to use the restroom after our long drive) I physically went to the front desk to let them know that I had spent a lot of money for this reservation. They apologized and offered us $100 credit at the Hotel restaurant or room service (which we had no intention of using). Instead they offered half off one of our nights. The toilet was still not fixed when we left for dinner 20 minutes later. Later in the weekend their room service knocked at the door to do room service at 10am while we were still getting ready to go out. This felt early but ultimately it was understandable. However, after we left a few minutes later they never came back to bring new towels or anything until 5pm that evening when my wife were back in the room discussing dinner plans when they did not even knock but just let themselves in. It was an awkward exchange wherein we were reprimanded that we didn't have our "Do not disturb" door sign up. We expressed that we would just leave so they could turn over the room. When we got back to the room a few hours later after dinner we saw that nothing had been done. No new towels etc... The beds were also really hard and left me kind of sore in the mornings. Honestly, we paid WAY TOO MUCH money for the quality we recieved. Additionally, I get it's an industry standard but the "resort fees" are a scam to make the rooms appear cheaper at first glance online. They also charge an additional nightly parking fee on top of rooms, resort fees, and taxes. Even after they cut the cost of one of the nights in half it still felt overpriced. Honestly, I would probably recommend considering one of the other resorts in the area.

We had the most incredible stay at Catamaran. The rooms were nice and the property was beautiful, but most of all the front desk staff is so amazing. Randy, the supervisor, (was on duty most of our trip as he was working a lot!) He was so kind and helpful with all of our questions and gave us great recommendations in the area. The pool was warm and well-kept and the arcade was fun for our kiddos. Such wonderful memories - we will surely be back!

This place is such a dump. The carpets in the rooms are filthy, looks like a cheap remodel. The tables at the restaurant are sticky with flies all around. The stairwells are filthy.Not worth the price. I would never stay there again. And there were ducks in the pool eating garbage.

Great location on Mission Bay, and the bay front rooms are really nice, but the place is completely mismanaged and the service staff sucks! We booked a bay front room, 4 months in advance, only to discover at check in, the room we booked wasn't available, and we had to take another room. They committed to moving us the next day, but despite the inconvenience, they still couldn't put us in the bay front room we booked and paid a premium for, total shit show. They faked an apology but took no action to accommodating is in any way, their attitude was so sad too bad! You pay luxury level pricing for economy level service and experience. We won't return, too many superior options in the surrounding area for these prices.

We had such a great staycation Staff ***** Main restaurant I can see all the staffs were trying to take care of every other customers.. * Pina Colada & Beer * Oyster - very fresh ***** * Ceviche *** * Hamachi Crudo ***** * Ocean roll ***** * Cioppino ***** my Dogs were there w/ us they gave x5 *****

Came only for the sunset luau and it was a great entertainment experience. Nothing spectacular. Rows of buffet food , I didn't try it all , I had a salad , stir fry veggies , and salmon and that alone was great. They gave you free leis upon arrival and free mai tais. Well , technically your ticket paid for it so I can't really say free. The tables are a bit crowded and super loud people who make watching the entertainment difficult at times. The live music and dancers were great ! Lighting needs to be more for the show , speakers should be set up in the back of the show as well for ppl sitting in the back, and needs to be more well -lit in the front parking area should be provided to maintain safety measures for visitors walking around to and from hotel. Exit sign should have a light on it , can be easily missed at night. Hotel looks very dated. I don't think I'd ever choose to stay here , but it's a great place to kill time if you love the beach area , entertainment, and food all in one place. :)

There was a lot of really great stuff about the Catamaran. Let's start there - staff at the restaurant and housekeeping was friendly, concierge was awesome and always willing to help, massages were incredible and location you can't beat. But the negative moments were huge. 1. We ordered strawberries and champagne to be delivered to the room and it never happened. We got passed around over and over talking to people who were dismissive and rude (read comment about front desk staff). This was to celebrate a huge moment and was supposed to be a surprise so was incredibly disappointing to not have. 2. There was a used tampon applicator in the hallway the entire 5 days we were there (and we told the staff it was there and it was left there) 3. Housekeeping while friendly outside of the hotel room spilled a drink and left it in our room all over my stuff (had to throw items out and pillow/desk/lamp were sticky following) 4. Front desk staff was incredibly rude and unfriendly 5. Our room was dirty when we arrived (old socks laying under chairs, pubes all over the bathroom, sand everywhere) We did speak to the manager about our experience and he was incredibly professional and apologized. He also did comp a night of our stay. However the whole experience was quite disappointing and should not have gotten to this point.

UPDATE: This morning I immediately went to the front desk after a terrible nights sleep. I spoke to the front desk and offered to pay to upgrade to a room that was not located in the 'Tower of Terror'. The gal working in the morning was friendly and helpful and extended an offer of $75 a day for the upgrade. I appreciate her assistance and helpful manner. The room was ready by 2pm, Bay Front room in a remodel unit, just like the pictures. The friendly, understating woman that booked this unit is the ONLY reason this is now a 3 star review. At this moment this hotel gets ZERO stars. I prepaid my room in advance online 6 weeks ago. 2 queen beds resort studio GARDEN VIEW. We worked today so we flew in late arriving at the hotel lobby at 10:15 pm. The manager happens to check us in. We walk to our room down a beautiful manicured tropical pathway....perhaps the only accurate imagery to the pictures of this hotel online to arrive at a tall building, we go inside and immediately get hit in the face with the oder of decay with hints and whiffs of grandpas old smoking jacket and mildew. The elevator smudged with finger marks is unmaintained and hardly the first impression I expected. We arrive on the 6th floor, our room just in front of the elevator, we open the door and the room smells terrible, the outdated kitchen and appearance of the room NOTHING like the pictures online. Rusty crusty fridge, pink countertops.....your grandparents home literally threw up all the worst of the 50's and served it to us straight in the face. The Garden view is a parking garage. Pictured below. Immediately I returned to the front desk and informed them of their mistake this is NOT what I reserved. I am told they don't have my room that those room are floors 2-5. I explain this room is on the 6th floor and she tells me that they don't have my room that I prepaid for. To add insult to injury we had asked the manager at check in if the restaurant was open. She told us yes it was till 11. We went there immediately and were dodged by several employees before a young girl tells us they seat the last guest at 10:30. This place does not get customer service at all. Let's see if or how they rectify this. Will update when appropriate action is taken.

Don't even know how to start, only positive thing about this place, it's the location itself right next to the ocean. The room was dirty, the bathroom wasn't cleaned all the way, the windows and door are horrible, you can hear your next door neighbors and people inside the pool talking. The parking is horrific, if you have a truck good luck. For the price they charge , you'll figure it'll be spotless and a great experience. Rather stay at a motel.

I am updating my review because of the call I received from the resort in response to the survey they had sent about our stay. There are not many businesses these days that would go out of their way to provide this level of service. I'm not going to go into detail, but they more than made things right and we will be happy to visit again....once the renovations are complete!

Just checked into the tower, went to our room, extreme chemical smell as soon as we walked in. Unsure exactly what it is but unhealthy for anyone! Especially to sleep in that room. It does have a beautiful view of the ocean. It also has a king bed. We go back to the reception desk, because the chemical smell is so overwhelming, ask for a different room . They give us a new room. We get to the room. No view. It's on the second level versus the 7 th level prior. Two queens. Went from a romantic room with one bed, that fit us, my boyfriend is 6'3 to a room that has zero views, and not romantic. We got downgraded because your mishap? Disappointed in the room, the customer service and the experience. Also the AC doesn't work in our current room. This is ridiculous, should not have to advocate for a similar experience to what we paid for.

We love the Catamaram, but . . . the music outside the Oceana Restaurant this morning was WAY TOO LOUD! We had to shout to communicate with people at our table for four. It was unpleasant and exhausting! A little background music could be pleasant, but this just made me want to leave. Other than that, the food - if a bit pricey - was tasty and the service - if a bit slow - was gracious.

Stay here every year and never disappoints! Upon check in Angie was absolutely phenomenal, she was so knowledgeable, helpful, nice and went above and beyond to make our trip special. Thank you for another great vacation Angie at the front desk!

The restaurant was horrible. The drink was watered down. I asked for a vodka shot to make it up. I had to remind the waitress 3times (35min later) The chowder came room temperature. I asked for Tabasco sauce. Never came. The fettuccine was dry and bland. My husband said his poke was good. I was very disappointed $183 later. We were visiting my sister who stayed for two nights. On the day they checked in- the room was not ready until 4pm. The suite had an adjoining room and although nice- was very small. We were thinking of staying at the hotel; but, this experience- we will not be staying here.

New updated rooms. Great view from the balcony staff is friendly and helpful. Jacuzzi and pool are great for relaxing.

The resort landscape was impeccable however I would say the rooms can use updating, we stayed in a suite and I joked that it's a good thing my parents were there since the stove and oven looked like they were from before my time. Also, would recommend moving the bed away from the air conditioning unit in the bedroom, and to provide outlets on the balconies. If you've never attended a luau definitely recommend the buffet was delicious And renting a boat to go out on the bay is another must!

The catamaran hotel is a great San Diego getaway. We come here to eat great food. Also there's a beach right here.

In retrospect, I would place the value of a night at this hotel around $120. It's slightly better than a Red Roof Inn, but inferior to newer name-brand hotels. The location is the real selling point, but it sounds like you can get a nicer room nearby for cheaper if you're willing to shop around. Things we liked: - Location. Bay on one side, ocean a block away on the other. - Walkable to a few coffee & food places. Copper Top donuts nearby might have ruined all other donuts for me. - Cute animals to look at in the common areas: parrots, ducks, turtles, and goldfish. I heard there was a kitty, but I didn't see it. - Easy pick-up and drop-off from cabs/rideshare Things we didn't like: - Struggled to get hot water, and turning it up caused water hammer in the plumbing. I thought this was just me at first, but there are reviews going back years complaining about it. - Bathroom had no exhaust fan - Our room was directly across from the parking garage and I had to keep the drapes closed at all times because people sat in their vehicles with their lights on pointed directly into the room - The on-site restaurant and room service offerings were crazy expensive - Room decor was dated. I'm not talking vintage, I'm talking grandma's house... - Just a bare thin duvet insert on the bed - Random hospitality fee type charges that probably should've been baked into the advertised room rate

Just spent a week here. Lots to like. Some issues too. Here's the rundown. Location. Perfect if you want to be close to the beach and bay. Conditions. Dated. Some rooms are more dated than others. The grounds are beautiful. And clean. Staff. Ugh. Really, really frustrating because their systems and processes are archaic. Booked on line. Assigned an old room with no view but very decent rate. Tried to extend our stay and honestly no staff or manager could make a decision regarding rooms or rates! Just about ready to move to another property and thankfully I spoke with Jenny at front desk. The only competent staff there. She was able to find us a great room, at a great price! So, we stayed another 3 nights because of her outstanding service. Thanks so much! Dog friendly place too which I like.

Worst San Diego stay ever reserved month ago and the only have one option and it's double the cost. Asked for a military discount to try to offset the cost and they told me I'm getting a promotional discount but didn't want to tell or show me the percentage. Asked for a manager and she went to a back room, 10 minutes later she came back out and said manager was busy and that's the best they could do. Don't believe the employees or the website very dated resort. Hotels.com next year ruined my week vacation.

We are currently staying at this hotel. We chose it due to location and to attend a friends party. We checked in yesterday. Immediately when we got in the room we could see it had not been cleaned very well, there were finger or toenail clippings still on the bathroom counter and black hair on the floor around the tub. I called the front desk, they sent someone to clean again while we left. This morning we went to use our hand towel and out fell the nail clippings, meaning they used our current hand towels to clean up and rehang them for us to reuse. Hair is still on the floor. Made us feel completely uneasy about the cleanliness entirely and how they clean. We have one more night here reluctantly because the surrounding hotels are two night minimum and we only need one more night. Would definitely not recommend due to cleanliness. Updating on the 2nd day at the hotel. The fridge they provide will freeze your food & drinks. The small freezer inside is frozen over with ice built up. We had no shower curtain in the room, they brought us one that appeared to be dirty. The tub doesn't drain well so your shower will be full of water by the time your done, things appeared to be coming up in the drain as the water backed up. Overall first glass things appear clean till you get in your room. We ended up packing up early and leaving the place.

Just spent Thursday through the weekend in this over-rated, overpriced, and dated resort in San Diego for my buddy's 40th bday. It's always great to see family and friends during any gathering; great company and crowd makes the party/vacation memorable and the location comes secondary to that; but when the room charges you 500/night and charges my 11 month old son 50 dollars for the Luau!!! Really??? Is very very disappointing. He didn't even eat anything at Luau or could eat anything at the Luau... The videos that you will see on YouTube and any media on their website are very misleading, so beware. One great thing thats working for this resort is their location, and that's about it... It seems that other yelpers had similar experiences at least since 2020, yet no improvents. Im kicking myself for not checking Yelp before booking this place. Think twice about booking this resort; and if u did; get ready to burn a lot of your hard earned money without the equivalent of what u paid for...first and last for me for sure...

Had the greatest lunch at catamaran. I especially liked the restroom doors that open in such a manner to conserve space and make entry and exit so smooth and without obstruction. Smart engineering and appreciate the small details/touches.

My 6 year old granddaughter and I had an amazing time. Our room was in the tower with a spacious balcony and breathtaking view. The beds were comfortable as well as the variety of pillows. There was a kitchenette for convenience. We had VIP tickets to the luau and it was so much fun. We were given a real flower lei and drinks in keepsake glasses. There was so much good food and desserts. The show was exciting and entertaining. The Catamaran is on the bay and just a three minute walk to the boardwalk beach access as well. The grounds are a tropic paradise with flowers, fish, ducks and parrots. We also enjoyed the large pool and spa. We can't wait to come back again someday!

We love this place it is our happy place and our go to place they also allow dogs There is a great pool and a beach side restaurant! Love it so much fun and kid friendly. I also love their spa and free arcade!! Some of the rooms are bayside!

What was a 4 star resort (previous 3 star review 3 years ago) pre-Covid has now turned into a 1. And the pandemic isn't to blame. It's management who doesn't even act like they want to work there. We had reservations months ahead for a birthday weekend. Checked in to someone else's room! Yes - a family who was in the room! Talk about a shock! When we went back to the front desk I was told there was only one room left on property (although rooms were still showing available on multiple online reservation systems). This one room was their worst. Extremely filthy. Had not been cleaned. And in worst shape than any thing I've seen in a while. Definitely not worth the a $400 per night we were being charged. I went back to the front desk with pictures and the manager was externally rude and could care less about the status of the room. We got our money back and rebooked at another resort in Mission Bay for hundreds less!! Our room at the other hotel was immaculate. Please see pictures I have posted. Can you blame us for not wanting to stay there and pay $400 a night? As for the family we walked in on - the gentleman went back up to the front desk as well but I'm not sure the outcome of the hell he raised. I only hope they were given money back or they relocated to another hotel as well. ** Note, the valet and porters were very friendly and apologetic. The only bad employee we encountered was the front desk manager the night of August 26th, 2022.

We've been coming to the catamaran for years and are so happy to see they are finally undergoing MUCH NEEDED renovations! We like to stay in the tower for the view, but chose a garden view renovated room this time and really enjoyed it. The grounds and location are perfect for us! Unfortunately, San Diego has really gone downhill over the last few years, and the prices have gotten out of control (not to mention the surcharges at restaurants) - our other vacations are typically spent at all all-inclusives in Mexico, October break might be headed in that direction as well.

Great Resort,Fantastic Staff,Excellent Customer Service! Nice Local Spot to just Relax.Tropical Hawaiian Style Property right on the Water.Great Views & Boat Rentals by the Bay.The Food is Good & the Location is in the heart of Town-close to everything that San Diego has to offer.

I read a lot about this "tower of terror," the noise and the not so renovated feeling. I like to see things for myself when I read not so good reviews, so here is mine after my stay. Catamaran is great for a "stay-cation" with good eats. The restaurant was actually really good, just a bit pricey, but what isn't nowadays. The tower itself did feel a bit dated, but my floor was "recently freshly" renovated. Saying that, I could smell the fresh coat of paint in the room. 2 other issues, the lock to the balcony sliding door was faulty and did not properly lock; it was quickly resolved during house keep and room service & the fan to the restroom for some reason did not work which made for a foggy mirror. The pool area was fun for the little ones even into the evening hours (with partial rain). Again, prices at the pool bar are a bit pricey. Overall, I would recommend Catamaran for a quick getaway. The staff were responsive to my requests. Hope this helps the next reader.

We booked 3 nights in this hotel. Their lobby is so beautiful specially with water fountains and Christmas tree. Backyard is pretty too, to me looks like Hawaii island . I love the parrots, and the atmosphere of the restaurant is so cool. We are in 11 stories, room isn't that bad.

Sebastian! The best bartender at the luau! Sebastian was friendly, very knowledgeable and just had a great personality. He made our experience that much better!

Just got back from an amazing vacation at the Catamaran. I wasn't so certain when I booked because of other mixed reviews but I couldn't have been happier with our stay. Every staff member was so helpful and accommodating. It was very family friendly - which was our top priority. housekeeping checked in on us, made sure we were always stocked with coffee and water and towels. the grounds were gorgeous and perfect for running my 3 year old around. We watched the fireworks across the bay as we had dessert at the restaurant. We loved our poolside room. so convenient for a quick dip in the pool, trip to the (free) arcade, or a bite to eat at the grill. The games in the arcade were all set to freeplay so no need to bring quarters. perfect for the kids. it was a busy holiday week but every interaction with staff made us feel like we were VIPs.

Last night was our Company Christmas event. Food and service was mediocre. My wife and I reserved a room and stayed the night. What can I say about the room? The room felt like an ice box, felt like we were camping outside we never even turned on the AC. Anytime someone opened a patio sliding door it sounded like a distant thunder noise. So unfortunately we didn't sleep well. This is our first time having our Christmas party here and staying at this location. "$300.00 a night I fell it was a disappointment." The Catamaran has their work cutout and is in need of renovations.

I love it here. It's amazing. So much fun and ease. The grounds are gorgeous. The staff is warm and welcoming. Awesome location. My newest annual tradition.

Our family has selected the Catamaran as a quick getaway destination for decades. It was a little taste of Maui an hour from our home. For many years the Catamaran was run flawlessly, no hiccups or disappointments. But the place did become run down and no longer "felt" worthy of the price and we stopped going for a number of years. Then we heard they had remodeled so we booked multiple beachfront rooms to celebrate some birthdays in the family and added all kinds of extras to our visit. VIP seating at a Laua, bonfires, boat rentals, spa treatments in addition to the usual dining and other activities found here. Well, we knew things had changed right off the bat...and not for the better. Roberto completely screwed up our room reservations (all rooms were to be next to each other in a row) and the catering we had scheduled in advance became problematic because they did not have a table for us. Fortunately, my wife anticipated this and had me stick a folding table in our truck. But the attention to detail that we had always received here was gone. Nobody seemed to really care anymore...the standard that used to exist was gone. Now it was just another place to stay...a room and not the "experience" it once was. Apparently "VIP seating" at the Catamaran luau means "Coach"...canned sardines have more room. The food quality was dismal and not at all like a genuine luau cuisine that it used to be years ago. For the $1600.+. we spent on it, we expected better food and a little room to enjoy the show. I was served nearly raw pork loaded with fat and gristle. No thank you. Everyone around us was complaining too...including a family from Hawaii that could not believe they called this thing a luau. It was like they took a Hawaiian tradition and covered it with Miracle Whip. At checkout Roberto authorized a one-day comp for each of our three rooms as a make-good for the problems we experienced and this was noted on our invoice by Jenny...a lovely young woman who did seem to care but was clearly dealing with the understaffing and mismanagement of the Catamaran...particularly during Sunday checkout. The valet, bellmen, front desk...everything was overwhelmed. My wife spent two hours trying to check us out and was handed a doc detailing the $2891.67 credit that Jenny wrote down after Roberto had authorized it. This credit was never issued; we were charged the full amount and when we tried to reach Roberto thereafter...he refused to accept our phone calls or return them. The man is clearly wrong for this job. Needless to say, our planned birthday celebration morphed into a series of broken promises and disappointments that has GREATLY ALTERED our perspective of the Catamaran Resort. We heard comments from employees talking to each other that confirmed the place had management problems and if you spent any time near the front desk...you heard guests expressing concerns about every amenity they offered...right down to lounge chairs by the tiny pool area. Their "ARCADE" is where old games go to die. It was an embarrassment to game rooms. I cannot excuse the many failings of the Catamaran resort during this event and am so upset that Roberto lied to us and then ignored us that I was moved to draft this review. If you've never been to the Catamaran before then you will be fine here...it's like everywhere else. But if you ever stayed at the Catamaran when it set the standard in the area then you will be woefully saddened by what it has become. The quality of their guest services has fallen like a plutonium balloon and only Jenny seems to be aware of it. How hard is it to schedule adequate valet staff and bellmen for a predictable peak period on Sunday? Or buy enough bell carts to service the rooms adequately? Common sense is not common enough among Catamaran management. What was once an icon is now a trainwreck and the finger of blame is clearly on those in positions of power here. The employees clearly recognize this, they see and hear the same complaints over & over from guests. I actually felt bad for the bellmen and valet. They were outnumbered 100 to one. Nobody was smiling during the Sunday morning chaos. Not the employees or the guests. Roberto was hiding in his office. The Better Business Bureau scores the Catamaran Resort a D-. Oh and the rooms they claim do not exist (in their reply below) are called Bayfront Suites on their site.

The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa has a beautiful, nature-like feel almost everywhere in the resort. We had a very pleasant experience here. The pool and jacuzzi were both nicely heated. Also, there is a mini arcade by the pool. Majority of the arcade games were free, and we kept coming back to the arcade each day of our stay. Also, the food of Oceana Coastal Grill (the restaurant inside the resort) was pretty good. There is also a bar called Moray's and a cafe called Lava Java inside the resort. Our room was pretty good too. The Resort was a bit understaffed, but we came in January, and people usually come to these types of resorts at warmer times. Overall, we had a very pleasant stay here.

I give it a 4 stars. The minute you step into the lobby, you feel transferred to a tropical land. The waterfall, complimentary fruit punch, tropical birds, koi and free roaming geese all welcoming you for a vacation here. The resort ground has a beachfront and it is beautiful. Their summer Luau dinner is a must do! The foods were delicious and the fire dance is awesome, very amusive. Even have a small section with kiddos friendly foods. Their onsite watercraft and bike rental is convenient but you should reserve it ahead of time. They have good quality rentals but do not have jet ski. I like everything but their housekeeping policy. I have requested them to change the bedsheets after my first night (I normally do not) because a my kiddo had a spill but both the front desk and housekeeper refused. They said they can only do so after 4th night. While I agree this is good for environmental conservation but they should be flexible when requested, specially I explained that I had a spill.

If i could rate my stay a Zero star i would by far the most horrible staycation ever defiantly would not recommend this place. At the time of checkin i was giving a paper with a phone number to call if we needed anything such as water or towels Not only was my text messages ignored i had to go to the lobby for water and towels. They should not give you a number to text if they are not going to respond to guests. I recommend staying at the Bahia much better guest service.

If you value sleep, I would avoid this place. The fundamentals have been ignored probably because of the amenities (location, spa, arcade, etc). But the rooms were incredibly uncomfortable and outdated. We stayed in the tower and asked if the room was updated, they said yes. We walked in and felt like we were in a time capsule, popcorn ceiling and all. We were in the "penthouse" and the old elevator took us to the top floor which had a strong unsettling odor. The updated part was probably the new TV on the wall, but it doesn't even have Netflix. The bed is hard and uncomfortable, and we kept tossing and turning through the night as our arms would fall asleep. There was a very loud, constant sound coming from the ceiling, not even earplugs could drown it out. Woke up grumpy and with back pain (I'm in my 30s). We were supposed to stay 4 nights but we couldn't accept being sleep deprived our entire vacation. They said we could change rooms the last night, but we couldn't wait that long. We went across the street to the Wayfarer and the rooms are nicely updated and we slept beautifully. I would take a cozy, well-kept, updated room over the bells and whistles any day! The level of neglect at the catamaran does not warrant the money they are asking.

Great ambiance throughout hotel. Kid friendly. On site pool is nice! Close proximity to Pacific Beach, most everything is walking distance. Oceana Restaurant on site is a little pricey but everything is is great!