Reasonably priced hotel for the area, near many top attractions
Rooms have mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and microwaves
Fitness center with cardio and weight-training machines
Free hot breakfast with eggs and meats
Coin-operated laundry with vending machines
Valet laundry services available
Free parking and Wi-Fi
Computer station with internet access
Not in a walker-friendly area -- few nearby restaurants
Rooms are small, and maintenance and housekeeping falls short
Inadequate soundproofing means ambient noise from neighbors
Cramped breakfast room with not enough seating at peak times
The budget Super 8 San Diego Hotel Circle is right off the Mission Valley Freeway -- a short drive to most of San Diego’s top sights. Its 144 rooms are outfitted with modish decor, mini-fridges, microwaves, and coffeemakers, but they're on the small side, and maintenance and housekeeping can fall short. The free hot breakfast buffet includes meats and eggs, but finding a seat at one of the tables can be a challenge at peak times. Unlike many other hotels in the Hotel Circle, the hotel offers free parking, but its small lot can fill up quickly. Travelers might want to also check out Days Hotel - Hotel Circle by SeaWorld, which has a restaurant and free parking, but rates are slightly higher.
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Scene
A motel-style budget property off the freeway
With large arched windows, green-tile floors, black-leather sofas, and natural light flooding through the arched windows, this Super 8's lobby is attractive, but it’s not a place where guests tend to linger after they check in and grab a cup of free coffee. Even at breakfast, many guests take their meals back to their rooms, as the breakfast room is too small to accommodate peak-hour crowds. Still, the vibe is friendly and casual, and the hotel draws a wide range of guests -- tourists (including groups on bus tours), business travelers, construction workers, and others passing through from the adjacent freeway or airport.
Location
Near shopping and attractions in Mission Valley’s Hotel Circle
This Super 8 is located off the Mission Valley Freeway in Mission Valley’s Hotel Circle. One burger restaurant is adjacent to the hotel, but that’s about it for restaurants within walking distance -- it's not a pedestrian-friendly area -- though several eating spots are within a five-minute drive. It’s a three-minute drive to the Riverwalk Golf Club and a five-minute drive to Fashion Valley Mall, home to several restaurants, a cinema complex, shops, and Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus department stores. Old Town is about an eight-minute drive, and Balboa Park, Mission Beach, and SeaWorld are about a 12-minute drive away. San Diego International Airport, San Diego Convention Center, Petco Park, and the Gaslamp District downtown are approximately a 15-minute drive or taxi ride.
Rooms
Small rooms with microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi, but housekeeping and maintenance fall short
The Super 8's 144 rooms are on the small side, and come in Queen or Double Queen options. Decor is a step above what’s typically found in budget hotels -- the playful bedspreads, with large circles of green, gold, and red, provide a chic, '60s vibe. Massive black-and-white photos of San Diego scenes act as headboards, giving another splashy decorative touch. Olive-green drapes coordinate with the bedding, and the striped carpets give another graphic punch. Matching dark-brown wood furniture has black granite tops, and stainless-steel desk chairs provide the only seating. The average-size bathrooms are far less stylish and include white acrylic shower/tub inserts and beige tile floors, with roomy tan granite vanities. Amenities include microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, flat-screen TVs, and free Wi-Fi. Views are mostly of surrounding hotels, the freeway, and the grounds and parking lot. While the style and amenities are solid, maintenance and housekeeping are where the rooms come up short. When Oyster visited, the grout around the bathtubs and tile floors needed a thorough scrubbing, and past guests have complained about musty and smoky odors, worn or dirty carpeting, dirty tubs, and malfunctioning toilets, TVs, and mini-fridges. Rooms also suffer from inadequate soundproofing and pick up outside noise.
Features
Free hot breakfast, free parking, fitness center, computer station, laundry room, and free Wi-Fi
This Super 8 packs a nice array of amenities for a budget property, such as a free hot breakfast buffet with eggs and meats, free coffee in the lobby, and free on-site parking. Be aware that parking spaces are limited, and might not be available, especially for late-arriving guests, and that it might be tough to find a seat at breakfast (many guests take it up to their rooms). The hotel has a small fitness center with cardio and weight-training machines, a computer station with internet access for guests' use, a meeting room, and a coin-operated laundry; valet laundry service is also available. Wi-Fi is free throughout the property.
