Alma San Diego Downtown: An Urban Hotel With a Rooftop Wellness Sanctuary
Alma San Diego Downtown is a vibrant hotel in the middle of a bustling urban landscape. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
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In downtown San Diego on Fifth Avenue, between Broadway and C Street, Alma San Diego Downtown is a vibrant hotel sitting in the middle of a bustling, urban cityscape.
Part of the design-focused Tribute Portfolio of the Marriott family, the luxury hotel is an under-the-radar gem. Conveniently located in the Gaslamp Quarter, it’s an easy walk to the San Diego Convention Center, Balboa Theatre, New Children’s Museum, Rady Shell at Jacobs Park, USS Midway Museum, Museum of Illusions, and and nightclubs and bars are packed side by side.
While the street life is alive and people-watching is entertaining, the Alma San Diego Downtown also provides a serene oasis if you’re looking for a break from city life.
The hotel’s 211 suites and guest rooms feature floor-to-ceiling windows with private balconies and city views. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
From our corner one-bedroom suite, we had a view of Petco Park and were treated to fireworks from our two balconies. We could see the San Diego Convention Center and the San Diego Bay.
Tucked in a tiled corner of the large, ivory bathroom was a soothing waterfall shower. With the dark tiles surrounding the shower, I felt like I was transported to a Jamaican waterfall, surrounded by jungle and foliage, though I was nesting in an urban oasis.
We also had a living room area with floor-to-ceiling views of the city from the large patio sliding door that led to a balcony.
The luxurious bathrooms include either rainforest showers or soaking tubs set against stunning views. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
On the fourth floor, there’s attention to the wellness space with a rooftop pool adjacent to cocktail bar that serves the pool area, and a casual outdoor restaurant called Leave of Absence. Ask the front desk for access to Leave of Absence and a staff member will escort people to the rooftop open-air restaurant with firepits and comfortable lounge seating.
There, the menu showcases coastal California cuisine including dishes like wood-fired pizza with dough double-fermented for a light crust. They also offer light favorites like salads, bay scallop ceviche, and house-made guacamole and chips that are gluten and dairy free.
Pair with cocktails like the Victory Lap, made with strawberry-infused Aperol and sparkling brut.
Leave of Absence is the hotel’s rooftop dining venue that is open seasonally from mid-May to early October. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
Right next to the lounge pool is an expansive yoga studio with a wall of windows facing the San Diego sunshine, pool, and shrubbery in tropical planters dotted around the terrace.
Yoga classes are run by professional instructors from Sound Craft Wellness Studio. Kim led the morning class I did with my daughter, leading both of us with stretches and gentle yoga, bringing us to a place of relaxation.
Every week, the hotel also hosts a restorative yoga class called Zin with Zen; it’s a yoga session followed by a glass of wine or non-alcoholic drink from the Lobby Bar on the first floor.
The rooftop lounge pool is located next to an expansive yoga studio that offers weekly restorative yoga classes. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
On the ground floor is the Café and Lobby Bar, serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Highlights include house cured lox, sweet potato hash, shakshuka, and brioche French toast.
The bar is a fun place to hang out for a coffee or glass of wine, well-earned from the on-site yoga class.
The Cafe & Lobby Bar offers a relaxed atmosphere with a menu that serves a variety of delicious options. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
Insider’s Tip: To access the fourth-floor wellness space with the rooftop pool, yoga studio, and Leave of Absence restaurant, it’s easier to check in as a hotel guest. If not, just check with the front desk about accessing the yoga studio, pool, and Leave of Absence restaurant.
The hotel also has a fitness center, wellness space and yoga studio. [Photo credit: Courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
For more information and to book a stay at Alma San Diego Downtown, call (619) 515-3000 or visit their website.
1047 Fifth Ave., San Diego CA 92101
More luxury destinations:
A LEGOLAND and Family Beach Adventure at The Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa
Town & Country Resort: A Hidden Gem in a San Diego Neighborhood
[Photos courtesy of Alma San Diego Downtown]
Helen I. Hwang is an award-winning journalist, author, and mechanical engineer. Her works have appeared in The New York Times for Kids, Eater San Diego, People Magazine, Parents.com, Trip Advisor, Huffington Post, Arthur Frommer's Budget Travel Magazine,TravelSavvy.com, and other publications. She has also written a book, titled All Grown Up: Please Touch Museum and Its Move to Memorial Hall, for the Please Touch Museum, a children's museum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. In addition, Helen worked as a researcher for the Peabody Award-winning NPR radio program, Fresh Air with Terry Gross. Over the years, she's lived on three continents and traveled to more than 40 countries. She currently lives in San Diego, CA, the 16th place she's called home. More about her can be found at helenihwang.com.