Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar
A practical Del Mar base with roomy accommodations, free all-day coffee, and easy access to Interstate 5.
The verdict
Pick a traveller type to re-weight the scores and re-rank the rooms around what you actually care about.
Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar offers a straightforward stay off Interstate 5 with large rooms, comfortable beds, and attentive front desk service. Guests appreciate practical touches such as empty mini fridges, large bathroom vanities, and free coffee available throughout the day. However, reviewers complain about recurring elevator breakdowns, lack of daily housekeeping, and smoking hair dryers. 254
Every line below traces back to something a traveler actually wrote — open a line to read the original sentence and follow it to the source.
What travelers noticed
- Staff members receive consistent praise for being friendly and attentive, offering check-in cookies and prompt responses over chat and text. 4
- Bathrooms are spacious, featuring roomy wood vanities with tan granite tops, large sinks, and shower and tub combinations. 64
- Rooms provide practical amenities for guests, including comfortable beds and an empty mini fridge for personal use. 4
The catch
Who it's for
- — Travelers needing quick highway access off Interstate 5
- — Families taking advantage of children staying free of charge
- — Guests who appreciate free all-day coffee and an in-room mini fridge
Skip it if
- — Anyone expecting reliable elevator service
- — Guests who require daily room cleaning without requesting supplies
- — Travelers wanting walkable dining beyond a Denny's
Seen on camera
13 moments · 3 videos · Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar
Each moment is pulled at the second a cited reviewer said the words. Play it here, or open the original video at that timestamp.
“room was very clean though I didn't see a microwave or refrigerator nor did I think to check when booking”
youtube.com1:30“the person at the front desk is always nice Deborah was very kind to me offering me a cookie at check-in”
youtube.com1:53“rooms were very clean and breakfast was varied with good selection”
youtube.com1:02“the location really isn't close to anything within walking distance but the price was reasonable”
youtube.com1:09“down here where the ice machine is there's like m m's and pieces of candy which are still there because they haven't cle…”
youtube.com8:19“all in all location wise this hotel can't be beat for downtown san diego”
youtube.com11:08“it has a pretty good location it's pretty close to Mission Hills Park 1 km Pioneer Park 1 km Heritage Park 1.1 km and al…”
youtube.com0:37“we booked this hotel as it was centrally located to Oldtown VI Arena and SeaWorld”
youtube.com1:25“wonderful Hotel friendly staff clean and nicely kept yummy coffee available all day”
youtube.com1:33“clean and nicely kept yummy coffee available all day I especially liked it in the evening with a snack to relax”
youtube.com1:35“and then let me show you what our view looked like we're on the third floor so not much of a view basically just the res…”
youtube.com6:50“lovely stay over Christmas all staff encountered were professional and light”
youtube.com1:25“the room had a hair dryer in it but in room 323 the hairdryer smoked really bad and it started smoking smelled like it w…”
youtube.com5:44Frames are citations: each one links to its second in the source video, attributed to the creator who filmed it. Nothing here is supplied by the hotel. Creators who want a moment removed can ask and we take it down.
How to book
Score breakdown
How the 82/100 is built, category by category — each one with the strongest thing travelers actually said, and the source it came from.
Bathroom
89- “There was a large sink with plenty of counter space. Here we had Crabtree and Evelyn moisturizing body lotion in a refillable bottle. A gentle cleansing makeup remover was also provided and there was a separate door leading to the water closet. A perfectly large bathroom to share with friends and/or family.” 4
- “Bathrooms have roomy, wood vanities with tan granite tops and shower/tub combos framed by white tile.” 6
Food
88Location
87- “all in all location wise this hotel can't be beat for downtown san diego” 511:08
- “Hilton San Diego Del Mar was in the middle of the "circle" of our activities in the area - and within 12-20 miles away from all points on our itinerary: the beaches (Del Mar beach is a mile away and La Jolla is 12 miles away), Legoland California (13 miles away) and San Diego city center (20 miles away). It is conveniently located right off highway 1-5 S.” 2
Room
85Service
86Bed & Sleep
85Nothing quotable yet on this one — the score leans on the rest of the coverage.
Value
83Where it is, how to reach it
Details checked 2026-09-10
Where it sits
Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar and the 39 other hotels we cover in San Diego. Hover a marker for the hotel; click to open it.
Stay value
How this property reads against the hotels we cover alongside it. Measured on review evidence, not on a nightly rate.
On par with what $ usually buys
Scores level with the modest median of 82, across 404 hotels in the same bracket. In San Diego it sits 2 points below the local median of 84.
- This hotel
- 82
- Bracket median
- 82
- Index median
- 86
Based on 404 comparable hotels.
Which room to ask for
What reviewers say about where to sleep inside this building — by room number where one is named, and otherwise by floor, wing, aspect and position. Every line opens onto the quotes behind it.
- 1 mention
- 1 mention
- 1 mention
Where travelers agree — and don’t
The topics reviewers split on most. A wide bar means your experience depends on which room you get — or whose opinion you trust.
View the 30 things travelers said behind this verdict▾
Quotes run exactly as travelers wrote them — spelling and all. We trim for length, never for tidiness.
- “the person at the front desk is always nice Deborah was very kind to me offering me a cookie at check-in” On camera101:53
- “Service was pretty attentive and the staff was very responsive over chat/text for questions that came along during my stay. Our room was on the 3rd floor (top). The hallways were nice and updated.” 4
- “wonderful Hotel friendly staff clean and nicely kept yummy coffee available all day” On camera111:33
- “lovely stay over Christmas all staff encountered were professional and light” On camera101:25
- “Service was pretty attentive and the staff was very responsive over chat/text for questions that came along during my stay.” 4
- “room was very clean though I didn't see a microwave or refrigerator nor did I think to check when booking” On camera101:30
- “Quality, reddish brown furniture includes desks, headboards, dressers, and nightstands.” 6
- “To the left of one of the beds is a closet, which makes it a little difficult to access because it's so close to the bed.” 4
- “down here where the ice machine is there's like m m's and pieces of candy which are still there because they haven't cleaned the room at all while we've been here so definitely we felt like the room wasn't clean the way it should have been especially in these times” On camera58:19
- “A mini fridge was offered in the room and it was empty so you could use it for personal use which was much appreciated.” 4
- “Room 418 was magnificent, completely remodeled with new furniture. King room had a walk-in shower, couch, and table for sitting area.” 13
- “all in all location wise this hotel can't be beat for downtown san diego” On camera511:08
- “it has a pretty good location it's pretty close to Mission Hills Park 1 km Pioneer Park 1 km Heritage Park 1.1 km and also close to attractions like Silver Terrace Park 1.2 km precidio Park 1.2 km White Deer Park 1.2 km” On camera110:37
- “The hotel's location off I-5 makes drives to many of San Diego's notable attractions relatively quick and simple.” 6
- “Hilton San Diego Del Mar was in the middle of the "circle" of our activities in the area - and within 12-20 miles away from all points on our itinerary: the beaches (Del Mar beach is a mile away and La Jolla is 12 miles away), Legoland California (13 miles away) and San Diego city center (20 miles away). It is conveniently located right off highway 1-5 S.” 2
- “the location really isn't close to anything within walking distance but the price was reasonable” On camera111:09
- “we booked this hotel as it was centrally located to Oldtown VI Arena and SeaWorld” On camera111:25
- “rooms were very clean and breakfast was varied with good selection” On camera111:02
- “clean and nicely kept yummy coffee available all day I especially liked it in the evening with a snack to relax” On camera111:35
- “-only walkable food/ restaurant is Denny's and Shell gasoline station mart” 9
- “-no free breakfast for values Hilton Diamond member” 9
- “The elegant wood and marble lobby is impressive, and its acclaimed restaurant and sushi bar are popular with visitors and locals alike.” 6
- “The selections were pretty solid, with hot items like french toast, bacon, sausage, potatoes, scrambled, eggs, and oatmeal. Fruit, pastries, and some cold cuts were also available. A nice touch was that if you didn't want scrambled eggs, they offered eggs made to order.” 4
- “There was a large sink with plenty of counter space. Here we had Crabtree and Evelyn moisturizing body lotion in a refillable bottle. A gentle cleansing makeup remover was also provided and there was a separate door leading to the water closet. A perfectly large bathroom to share with friends and/or family.” 4
- “Bathrooms have roomy, wood vanities with tan granite tops and shower/tub combos framed by white tile.” 6
- “The bathroom was very large and offered a shower tub combination with Crabtree and Evelyn conditioner, but Zero % Branded Naturally Kind, formulation shampoo, and shower gel. I thought having two different brands was a bit odd.” 4
- “the room had a hair dryer in it but in room 323 the hairdryer smoked really bad and it started smoking smelled like it was going to catch on fire so we weren't able to use that except for a minute or two” On camera55:44
- “Cons: -hallway smells/stinky” 9
What we still don't know
What we can’t tell you yet, said plainly. These close as we read more coverage of this hotel.
- Nothing reliable said about room types.
- Nothing reliable said about building or wing.
- Nothing reliable said about which side it faces.
- Nothing reliable said about view.
- Nothing reliable said about position on the floor.
- Noise rests on 1 source — too thin to rely on.
- 8 sources carry no publication date, so we cannot tell how current they are.
Ask about Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar
Answered only from the coverage cited on this page. If nobody has written about your question, it will say so rather than guess.
How much we read
Deep coverage · 57/100We read 13 sources for this property, and pulled 40 traveler insights worth knowing. Last checked 2026-09-11.
Watch this hotel
We keep reading Hampton Inn San Diego/Del Mar. Tell us when you're staying and we'll follow it until then — you'll hear from us only when the verdict is rewritten, the score moves, or new reviews land. No daily mail, and the watch closes itself after your stay.
Sources
Everything quoted on this page, grouped by traveler insights, outlets, and video & podcast. Counts beside each group show everything we’ve read of that kind; no one kind can carry the score on its own.
5 of 5 summary lines above are traced to specific quotes. The rest summarise the read as a whole rather than any single document.
View all 13 cited sources▾
Everything quoted on this page.
- 9Hilton San Diego Del Marreddit.comForum thread2025-06-22Recent3 quotes used
“-only walkable food/ restaurant is Denny's and Shell gasoline station mart”
Read originalreddit.com - 3Del Mar San Diego Travelers : r/marriottreddit.comForum thread2025-05-27RecentRead originalreddit.com
- 4Hotel Review: Hilton San Diego Del Martravelupdate.comReview site2024-12-06Ageing7 quotes used
“Service was pretty attentive and the staff was very responsive over chat/text for questions that came along during my stay. Our room was on the 3rd floor (top). The hallways were nice and updated.”
Read originaltravelupdate.com - 6San Diego Marriott Del Mar Reviewoyster.comReview site2024-08-07Ageing6 quotes used
“Rooms at the San Diego Marriott Del Mar are clean and spacious, decorated in a modern and tasteful way with a color palette of white, brown, and beige shades.”
Read originaloyster.com - 2Review of Hilton San Diego Del Marcelebratetheweekend.comReview site2016-10-26Ageing3 quotes used
“Hilton San Diego Del Mar is a slightly older low-rise Hilton property offering everything you would expect from a Hilton: large rooms, comfortable beds, spacious lobby with modern décor, and a full service restaurant.”
Read originalcelebratetheweekend.com - 111 Best Hotels in Del Mar, San Diego for 2026 - Travel US Newstravel.usnews.comReview siteDate not statedRead originaltravel.usnews.com
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