Ivy Hotel

Not surprising that this place closed. we stayed here for a week and really really didn’t like it. we thought about leaving early.
overpriced. pretentious. poor service. and i hated the décor and glass walls for the bathroom. i really dont need to SEE my husband on the toilet. nor do i really want him to be watching me.
bizarre place.

This hotel is super chic, super modern and an Adult hotel at it’s best! They have bottles of alcohol (not nips) and lil toys *cough* and protection *cough* and it’s 21 plus on the weekends!
Yea that’s right! 21plus! you know what that means… no awkward hangover encounters with kids! woo hoo!
geez, how i hate that anywhere else.
There are so many nooks in this hotel where you can just chill and hang out and be outside.
The bars are huge… The club is descent (so i heard)
and the roofdeck is amazing! Heated pool… fire pit… cabanas with flat screens and a bar!
The front desk girls are kinda stank and rude tho… I’m sorry but if you think a guy is acting like a douche… I don’t want to hear about it… keep that between you and your co-​workers.
However, I will come back… with out a doubt

A really cool hotel with a very eclectic and modern décor and a signature scent known as Ebony… no, you cannot buy it. (as the kind’ve rude concierge let me know) The lobby features Viao laptops for guests and modern– almost too modern recliners (you feel a little like you are a the dentists office, LOL) but they do have some super hot bars, one with over 300 wines by the glass, this feat is achieved using the new wine station technology that is all the rage at wine stores.
YUM! A nightclub that is open from Thur-​Sat. I didnt get to go to that sadly, it looked pretty fun though. very «look at me» kinda place, so if you are in San Diego and want to dress up and show off, ENVY might be a good place to hang out…
If you are more like me these days though, you want to have a cocktail and chill on sofas with friends while taking in a view, so that is what we did at the IVY ROOF Top Bar! It has a modern firepit. lots of comfortable seating, couches, divans, and of course heat lamps over large outdoor beds. my friends and I bogarted a bed with a great view and hung out with some wine and talked under the stars, it was a nice relaxing time and I recommend it to those of you who dont like to have to scream over pounding techno to be heard by your friends (well, not all the time anyway) —
During the day the rooftop has a great dipping pool (3 feet all around) with cabanas and lots of posh-​ness. (i made up that word) if you are at leisure, it has a great view of the city and the marina… lay around, get tan in the most perfect weather on the planet and the best thing, they have pool side bar service by a great staff. say hi to Nick! This location is really is worth a look even if you are not staying at The Ivy.
As someone else said, the IVY is not for everyone. it is rather voyeuristic, as many of the rooms have windows that open toward each other and in a lot of the suites the shower is open view to the bedroom, so not the kinda place you want to stay with a conference buddy — but perhaps a intimate occasion.
I was not on a romantic trip however and they were able to give me a room that was still kinda funky without all the voyeurism. lol
As for the room I DID stay in. I am of two opinions. it is really unique and fun… Sexy views, loft style with lots of woods and glass. a unique ambiance, very modern and edgy. At the same time, the room I had was a little oddly laid out. as cute as it was, I kept running into this glass panel that separated the sink area and the bedroom because there was an odd angle to the way the door was in relation to the panel and the bed. it was like you had to make a sharp turn to get in — the shower had a limited sort of shower head (which looked really great, but didnt provide much function) and you had to reach in through a glass cut out to turn it on without getting wet. as adorable as it is, if you are into functionality and convenience versus sexy and design heavy, you wouldn’t like this location for a stay. however, if you are looking for a place to impress a lover. and party then crash. perhaps this is the one: LOL. More photos and info here:

The Ivy isn’t for everyone. I stayed here with the lady back in June and it was a high point of our trip to SD.
The hotel room was compact, should we say, but the amenities were great. The glass enclosed shower in the middle of the room was pretty sexy too, although I think the building contractor missed a few seals in the design to keep water in.
The weather wasn’t nice enough to enjoy the rooftop deck, but it looked really nice the way it was laid out. The night life was okay (you get free VIP bracelets if you stay at the hotel), probably a 3 compared to clubs in SF/​LA, but who goes to SD to club? Kudos to the concierge for a great restaurant recommendation and thanks to the chauffeur of the pimped out Escalade to take us there (complimentary, but if we’re paying over $ 300/​night, it better be).
This place might break the bank but if you can get it on an off-​peak night, it’s worth the splurge. We want to check out some other swanky hotels in the area, but will definitely come back here.

I keep going back and forth about whether this place is a 4 or a 3… so I’m going to have to round down… but if you can get a great rate and want to be in the heart of the action I would recommend it…
We stayed Halloween weekend and I’m glad we booked here for one big reason; the people watching from our window was AMAZING! We sat and watched the crazies who were dressed up Thurs, Fri, AND Sat night (who knew Halloween was so huge in SD?).
The rooms are nice, but I don’t think they are much nicer than the Solamar and the rate was much better there…
The Good–
Location
nice bath products
comfy bed
nice décor
decent room service for a decent price (relatively…I mean, it is room service so decent price means $ 50 for brunch rather than the $ 80 that I normally pay)
The Lame–
The rooftop «lounge» club thing seems to be trying WAY hard to be the hot spot… I mean, it definitely was packed for Halloween and it’s a nice space, but the freaking Marriott down the way has a WAY better lounge area on the roof… and the pool is super small
Not worth the rate, but definitely a fun spot to visit. I liked the bar at the restaurant and never had a chance to try their wine bar… but I’d get a room at the Solamar over the Ivy.

Extremely swanky and party hotel. Rooms are club funky, and very modern feeling. Glass showers, full mini bars, 42″ flatscreens, sony ipod sound systems, and importantly, a comfy bed. The rooms have hard wood as you walk in, and into the bathroom, which is fancy, but the guys before me must have partied a little to hardy and spilled a bunch of beer everywhere. It was so sticky, it took a couple of maid calls to finally get it cleaned.
They supply a line of Korres products, shampoo, lotions, soaps… which they restock every morning. I was so excited, the soaps come in little plastic cases.
My one complaint, the place smells like a 50 year old bachelor after a love fest with the cologne bottle. They actually spray this place down like how Abercrombie would, but in a vomit-​inducing musk. Yuck. Otherwise, it is a very nice hotel. That or it was too dimly lit for me to find its flaws! ha

Guess it all depends on what you’re looking for in a hotel, but as far as location goes, it’s fabulous. It’s centralized downtown and I like that it’s within walking distance (or a VERY short cab ride) to: the great shops and a 24hr Fitness at Horton Plaza, a variety of restaurants, fun bars, the stadium, etc.
The lady at the front desk who checked us in was not very helpful and talked to us in a somewhat condescending manner. Everyone else seemed OK, and the Valet guys were nice, but when you’re spending that much money, you hope/​expect the entire staff to be stellar.
We came on a Friday afternoon, and even though the place was EMPTY (and remained so because we could see into all the vacant rooms from our window), they weren’t really trying to accommodate us when we asked to check in an hour and a half early (so we could get to a wedding), but, «squeaky wheel gets the greasing.»
The restaurant/​bar had a nice set-​up, but of course, it was pricey. The food was pretty good, though, so you get what you pay for during lunch.
The room was trendy, but small. Mainly, the bed was comfortable, the bathroom was clean (and see-​thru), the plasma had good channels, there was an iPod deck, the desk was big, and the bar set-​up was cool.
One of the main perks is having access to the rooftop club if you’re a guest. We didn’t take advantage of it, but it was packed and looked fun. All the noise could definitely be heard in our room by 11pm, and it was LOUD… SO LOUD.
All in all, it was a cool place; you just have to be smart about the days/​nights you choose to stay. I imagine weekdays won’t have the noise issue, and if you choose a weekend, take advantage of the rooftop so you can party and be a part of the noise instead of falling victim to it.
I think we’ll try Hard Rock next time…
(Hint: Try your luck and use
to book this place for the lowest price available. Makes it worth it… And FYI, this isn’t a defamation attempt, but a friend mentioned that this building used to be a mental institution back in the day???)

We live in the San Diego area and frequently party/​escape to downtown for a parents night out. We usually stay at the Hard Rock Hotel and we really love it!
BUT, the people at the Ivy are always telling us if we like the Hard Rock we should try out The IVY…“we don’t know what we’re missing.” They insisted the two don’t compare and that they were way better. NOT!
The rooftop bar/​club was awful the Saturday night we were there.
But I have to say the WORST parts were: Blackout curtain liners DID NOT block sunlight from coming in the window… not good after a night partying… or if you just want to sleep in ;)
At 5:30 pm, my husband and I wanted room service. There was 5 or so items on their room service menu (their restaurant didn’t open until 6pm)…it was DIFFICULT finding food to be delivered to the hotel. So much for a nice romantic weekend in a hotel room with your spouse.
This HOTEL was NOT worth the money and completely unacceptable… neither luxurious nor a party hotel. Try somewhere else, we wholeheartedly recommend our favorite spot The Hard Rock Hotel (No, we don’t work there or know anyone who does…)

The hotel is nice, however as mentioned in 50 reviews prior it’s very loud. The rooms are a bit small, but we were able to switch out to the handicapped room which made it a bit larger with a funky bathroom but I didn’t mind it. The ice was sorta cool since it comes bagged for you ready to party, but the downside is that most of it was all clumped up into one large chunk.
This hotel is modern and sexy, but the rooftop clientele was a bit off the day we went, unless it’s just always like this. It was sorta like Hollywood but the 2^nd tier level of Hollywood douche baggery. Also, what’s up with SD and all the trance music? Is everyone dropping E in this town?

Can we say gorgeous? And chic with style!
My friend managed to land a room for a screaming deal here, which I then had my half of the stay given to me complimentary by her for my visiting her and going out that night — so please note that my review is based solely on service and ambiance without having paid to stay here.
Coloring and décor is just the right tone to make you feel as if you’ve just had your pad redone by Design Stars. The bathroom is insanely spacey, with awesome toiletries from Korres and a nifty walk-​in shower. Fair warning, if you leave the nozzle facing outwards, you just might soak the person standing at the sink.
Waterworks aside, the place features live orchids (money, baller) and plenty of different style glasses to profusely smother in a variety of liquors (we brought our own, but the do have impressive amenities, including Voss Sparkling Water) and an insanely fluffly bed of down heaven. I heart this feature.
VIP passes to the rooftop lounge made it easy for us to avoid spending too much money in the Gaslamp Quarter (not to mention bringing our own booze). The staff was insanely friendly and efficient at making sure we made our way through the crowds first. When my friend got a bit more inebriated and our group took her out to get pizza afterwards, at least 3 helped her steady herself and made sure we got to the elevators OK without a wait.
Checkout was a breeze and the valet not only insisted on opening every door and taking our luggage, but also gave us bottles of water and a spot in the shade to start curing our hangovers with.
One downside — the noise level at night for sleeping. Don’t plan on going to bed at 1:15am TRY to not overdrink too early and stay awake until 2am. Let’s just say, if you’re looking for a hotel to party overnight with a classy edge, this is it.

This review is for the Hotel. As a note… I live in hotels about 33% of the year, and travel extensively. First… the customer service is excellent… from the dorrman, valet, checking in, and help with the internet connection. It competes with any four seasons… and this is something that is hard for any hotel to aspire to… anywhere!
second…we knew this was a party hotel, and its the gas lamp. Sleep and noise were to be expected. We also picked a web special and were provided a room that was not in the best location. The room was comfortable, very well furnished and the best and bedding was excellent.
the problem was that our location was on the corner of 6^th and F. Thinking that most the noise would be over as the bars closed; I was not happy to find out that at 5 am or so. big construction trucks use that street, right below our single paned window as a staging ground and wait until they are called into thier construction project. Some drivers would turn the engines off… some would not. some would back up, sending off the back up signals… this lasted for a good couple of hours.
to be sure… the hotel can not do anything about this… but be warned and ask for a interior room to have a better nights sleep!

Anyone who gave this hotel less than 4 stars is literally RETARDED. No, seriously, they should get their head checked because there is absolutely NOTHING to complain about here. Pure ecstasy. The minute I walked through the doors I knew this place would change my life.
I came to the Ivy on business and wished I could play hooky all day… lounging on the rooftop, sipping champagne cocktails in the sun, and calling up my personal bulter when I was ready for my «bath service». All the fancy extras are included in your room rate, so you don’t have to feel like a cheapskate for skipping all the little luxuries they offer… for free! Yes to champagne upon arrival. Yes to an aromatherapy bath tonight. Yes to private chauffeur service around town. Yes yes yes!
They treat you like someone special, even if you did get that rock-​bottom deal on Travelzoo (lucky girl!) Perhaps I’ve stayed at too many mediocre chain hotels that start with an «H», but the Ivy blew my mind. I asked my butler if I could live there… like, pay rent and never leave. Unfortunately it’s not an option, but I can dream.
They’ve got a nice restaurant downstairs, where the bartenders will keep you company if you’re there alone on business. And you certainly will want to drown your sorrows if you’re staying at the Ivy solo… without a friend, lover, or someone to show off your high-​falutin’ style to. That’s my sob story. Next time I’m bringing the boyfriend and we’re not even going to step foot outside the Ivy. Everything your heart desires is at your fingertips… or at your butler’s fingertips. Just give them a call… they’ll be right up!

As a hotel, the service was top notch, and the mini bar selection was the best I’ve ever seen. Hella expensive minibar, but man, you cannot fault the options. The rooftop bar is a great space but the crowd is, unsurprisingly, pretty awful.
I’d stay there again, though. Especially compared to the Keating, who still hasn’t seem to have gotten that whole ‘service’ thing right.
Also ask for a high floor, though. That neighborhood is loud and the walls are thin.

Note, this is a review of the HOTEL and not just the rooftop lounge.
I had one of the rooms with the shower/​bathtub enclosed in glass in the middle of the room — pretty sweet. Service was very good, including an excellent concierge that arranged my dinner plans for the weekend and ensured that the stretch Escalade was downstairs to pick me up when I wanted to leave. (it’s complimentary for guests)
The butler drawn baths (²⁴⁄₇) are also a nice feature when staying at the Ivy. They come to your room with champagne (again, complimentary) and an array of fun items that they toss in the tub.
Oddly enough, aside from your typical nuts and beer in the wet bar, they also have condoms, lubricant and vibrators for purchase… just break the seal and it’s on your bill.
The location is great — minutes from Balboa Park and right in the heart of the gas lamp district.
I plan on heading back to check out the other rooms soon.

I would go back in a minute! Ok, maybe not to the club– envy? or to the rooftop bar, but the hotel is fabulous!
Draw a bath for you at 1 am? Sure! Be there in 5!
Add bubbles? Why not!
Side of champagne? Absolutely
Aromatherapy added to your bath this evening Ma’am? Perfect!
The furnishings are great, the bed just soft enough and the layout of the rooms are very cool! The shower separates the bedroom from the sink/​toilet area and is enclosed in a glass chamber area. Very sweet!
The service was GREAT! The first night there we asked them to get us a cab to a good restaurant and they did! Not just any cab tho, Escalade service to and from the restaurant where we were brought free dishes and greeted each time with a new platter to try. The entire restaurant was wondering who we were!
The driver was very nice and told us about the areas we should see.
Not only would I go back, I’m planning on it!
Butler? My bath please.

Hm, the hotel bar was filled with untucked striped shirts.
Although I generally liked the layout of the bar and the lounges, we didn’t stay very long.
The bartenders weren’t very busy even though every seat at the bar was claimed. The three of them milled around trying to catch our eye. Yes, thank you but I must skedaddle as I don’t actually want to brush up against any striped shirts. They might contaminate me, you see.
The music was low and not overly obnoxious. Lighting was definitely a happy medium between «dark» and «I can still see you though it’s dim in here.»
Perhaps it gets busier upstairs on the rooftop?

The Ivy is a beautiful hotel with top quality furnishings and service. Most of the negative reviews are based on people visiting the hotel for the nightlife, but not for the actual hotel itself.
The rooms are very well sized as we’ve been upgraded to a suite each time. The pool is on the small side, but is fairly relaxed on a Saturday afternoon with great service and tasty drinks. Yes, everything is on the overpriced side, but you’re at an expensive hotel. At least the food and drinks are delicious with great ingredients (like St Germain and champange cocktails), so you get what you pay for, not some nasty chicken fingers or hotdogs.
When staying at The Ivy, i’ve been to the restaurant and to the rooftop and basement bars. All were what you would expect. The food at the restaurant was well prepared, but nothing out of this world. The extensive wine list was a fun read. Both bars were of the usual San Diego nightclub scene. I’m not sure i need to elaborate.
The products in the room were from Korres, the all-​natural Greek bath and beauty brand. The suite was complete with an amazing mini bar with top shelf alcohol, mixers and gourmet snacks. Espresso/​coffee maker is also included. The sound system is a mini i-​pod hook up, but with mini sub woofer for extra «oomph». The sound is wired throughout the entire room, front room, bedroom and bathroom.
I would have to say this is one of my favorite hotels of all time and it is what you make it, relaxing, day-​time luxury or crazy night time club scene.

I wouldn’t actually KNOW what this place is like, because I got thrown out before I even got in!
Doormen with egos who want to charge you $ 20 with 20 minutes left before closing time??? Are you kidding me? My friends and I were discussing our options (with no one behind us in line) and the guy got in our faces about hurrying up. Ummm… it’s 12:48 am, we are not exactly backing up the line.
I don’t care if Richard Greico himself was inside waiting with a bottle of Cristal and an invitation to sit on his lap… this place is pretentious and only appealing to people I obviously don’t want to hang out with. Thanks, but no thanks.

I did not have an exciting time. I didn’t try to go up top despite having friends that could «get us in’ since it was roped off and I had already decided that Ivy is a scene. To see and be seen. That’s my story.
I was in the basement. The DJ was on ADD. His music selection was okay, but right when the music started to pick it up, he’d mix unsmoothly hidden with bad scratching into the next song.
Part of the problem is I’m not too keen on desktop DJ’s and their MACs.
Mixing didn’t seem natural to him as he seemed really concentrated on matching the beats, blending the song, then scratching his mistakes. He missed the phrases. It was awkward. When you see capable dancers miss a beat, something is awry on the floor.
Top it off, DJ’s were playing merry-​go-​round. Blah.
By the time that DJ and his bros had left, the dance floor picked up again when the music was more consistent. Funny how that happens.

Definitely a sex hotel, as evidenced by the see-​through shower located smack-​dab in the middle of the room and a lipstick vibrator among the amenities.
The staff could not have been friendlier. We were taken on a lengthy tour of the hotel and rooftop by one of the ladies clad in the typical Ivy uniform of tan colored dress suit and push-​up bra cleavage on prominent display. They give you those genetically-​modified midget sized apples and pears in your room, as well as sparkling champagne which I really wasn’t feelin’ as it was noon and I had a massive hangover.
Staying there gives you VIP access to both the club downstairs and the rooftop lounge, so we kept taking the elevators back and forth between the two which was fun in itself… weee. Texas Hold-em’s Antonio Esfandiari was there boozin’ it up, which was funny because reading his blog entry from January 2008 he vowed to abstain from partying for all of 2008. You made it a whole month Antonio. Props.