Mike L.
Yelp
Since most of the guests for my buddy's wedding were staying at The Seabird hotel, my friends and I first planned to stay there for the weekend as well...until we saw the $400/night rate. So, we quickly pivoted to the next best thing - the Springhill Suites, whose location right across the street meant still being close by to all of the wedding festivities and whose rate was about half the cost! Can't go wrong with that and that's before even considering anything that the hotel has to offer!
While I can't say how this particular Springhill Suites compares to others in the chain, I thought this one was fairly nice. The hotel itself is relatively new and it feels pretty large. In addition to the usual amenities you might expect, like a fitness center, a business center, and pantry/market for snacks, they also have a decent sized swimming pool and whirlpool on the roof, a board house for beach rentals, a banquet hall area, an open terrace/event space, and a daily complimentary breakfast buffet by the lobby (go early if you want a table, otherwise you can bring the food back to your room). Plus, the popular Hello Betty restaurant is attached to the hotel as well (more on that later), which is super convenient.
As far as the rooms go, it was far more spacious than I had expected and covered all of the basics - iron, ironing board, TV, mini-fridge, coffee machine, in-room Wi-Fi, and a modest balcony with a couple of patio chairs. However, in contrast to the more contemporary look of the lobby and hallways, the room felt somewhat worn (and a little cheap). The iron and ironing board, for example, felt like they were on their last legs (literally couldn't get the board to collapse) and the closet felt a little dank (for the lack of a better word). Also, it was a little ominous to see a white noise machine and ear plugs on the bedside table, but nice that they have it for the benefit of guests. Either way, I was just thankful they weren't necessary, as it was rather quiet the entire time.
-- DESK/COACH AREA
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/springhill-suites-by-marriott-san-diego-oceanside-downtown-oceanside?select=3Zwl1Kwz2-4K3VZrLPSxgA)
-- TV/CLOSET
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/springhill-suites-by-marriott-san-diego-oceanside-downtown-oceanside?select=76jQHrMngrCG4wELHSMoog)
-- TWO QUEEN BEDS
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/springhill-suites-by-marriott-san-diego-oceanside-downtown-oceanside?select=LxPNiYVjiJ_9GcSZKR4z3A)
-- BATHROOM
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/springhill-suites-by-marriott-san-diego-oceanside-downtown-oceanside?select=2GkeBx5isexIJagZSWWmog)
-- BALCONY
(https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/springhill-suites-by-marriott-san-diego-oceanside-downtown-oceanside?select=ljS9s66x7eImC8PSvXx8sw)
With regards to the $35 per day "destination amenity fee" that so many others have already touched on, it absolutely sucks. However, if there's a silver lining, it's that you at least have the ability to "use" it. In addition to a welcome drink (beer or non-alcoholic) and an equipment rental from the Board House, you also get a $35 food credit at Hello Betty, which can be applied towards food and non-alcoholic beverages (tax and tip are settled separately, though you can charge to your room if you are caught off-guard). So, in that sense, it's nice that the money isn't entirely lost, but, obviously, it would be even better if the amenity fee just wasn't assessed in the first place.
When it comes to hotels, it really doesn't take much to make me happy - give me a decent room rate with no bugs/pests and I don't have anything major to complain about. So, in that regard, our stay at Springhill Suites, albeit short, was perfectly fine, plus they're conveniently located just a couple of blocks from the Oceanside Pier and the staff was really friendly. If I were to stay in the heart of Oceanside again, I don't know for sure that I would be back, but I certainly wouldn't rule it out either.
THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded up.