I've never met a Marriott Hotel that I haven't loved. And I'm so glad I live in San Diego where two of them are particular favorites: The Marriott Courtyard in Old Town and the Marriott Hotel & Marina next to the SD Convention Center in downtown. There's a third one I haven't visited yet...it's just been created: the Marriott Gaslamp in downtown's Gaslamp District.
Once upon a time the Marriott Gaslamp was the Clarion Hotel. When it was the Clarion, we'd run down to stay the weekend and step out on the balcony of the 19th floor and watch the Padre's ballpark being built. Now the ballpark is known as Petco Park. Naming rights purchased, you understand. No matter. Petco Park sounds okay.
The reason I like Marriott Hotels is three-fold: they have wonderful dining patios, great food, and marvelous staffs. All very important to me, since I eat breakfast out every single day, holidays and all, also enjoy going out to dinner or lunch, and I'm a smoker.
I took great offense when smokers were banned from every interior space in California, including bars. I've refused, on principle, to step foot inside a restaurant or bar ever since. The thing is, when the first anti-smoking law was proposed, lawmakers said restaurants could have smoking/non-smoking areas inside. I thought that was fair. Then they included bars and said the same. Then they said the smoking areas would still be allowed if they were in a separate area, walled off, and with air conditioning that met a standard. I thought that was fair. Then they refused to set the standard. Then they forbade smokers inside at all. And that pissed me off. I don't react well to force.
It's as my dad always said: "Give 'em an inch and they'll take a mile".
It's not that I couldn't stand going inside, dining, and enjoying it. I could. I don't smoke when I go to movies, for instance, or other similar events.
But I don't have to go inside because I live in San Diego. And the Marriott Hotels make sure there are comfortable patios for dining...smoking allowed...outside. More, they don't do discriminatory things against smokers. The Marie Callendar's Restaurant I go to on weekends also has a patio...with a sign next to the entry saying "Smokers are welcome on our patio".
The IHOP just a couple blocks down the street has a wonderful big patio, but about three years ago, the manager there quit smoking, and within the month there was a no-smoking allowed sign on the patio. Haven't been back since, and that's where I used to breakfast every day of the week.
Downtown in the Gaslamp District, 5th Avenue is wall-to-wall restaurants...really good ones, most of them, and every restaurant has an outside sidewalk cafe...and they're always busy. A particular favorite is Trattoria Mare & Monte. Great Italian food! Mostly the Gaslamp restaurants open for lunch and dinner only. Pity. So many of the conventioneers ask the doorman at the Conv Ctr where they can go for breakfast. Not many choices, sadly enough.
The Marriott at the Marina, right next door, has breakfast inside only, since the Yacht Club there, which is outside and overlooks the Marina, doesn't open until lunch. Pity. So it's across Harbor Drive to the Hilton Hotel's New Leaf restaurant which does have a patio and is open for breakfast, or further up the street to Cafe 222, also with patio and open for breakfast.
The Hilton Hotel on Mission Bay, when IHOP closed its patio, was where I first went for breakfast. They had the most wonderful 2-sides and roof, enclosed terrace over-looking their swimming pool, just outside the coffee shop. Marvelous staff, great chef. Just loved that terrace. And then management decided to fully enclose the terrace, close the coffee shop, and turn the whole into a banquet room. Down to the Marriott Courtyard in Old Town I went, and never returned.
This all came to mind when, a few minutes ago, I Googled to see how many outside dining places San Diego has. Lots. :))
Wrap...
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