With many hotels in San Diego, it can be hard to choose where to stay based on pictures off of hotel websites. But one hotel that you may not have considered because of its unknown nature is the Kimpton Alma. Located at 1047 Fifth Ave, San Diego, CA 92101, it is in the heart of Downtown San Diego’s active city-life.

The accommodations at this downtown San Diego hotel

My husband and I were recently invited by Kimpton Alma to stay and experience what they have to offer. And after just one night, we were both extremely impressed by this San Diego hotel.

We stayed in the 1 Bedroom Suite Harbor View Balcony, and even though June Gloom was playing tricks on the morning, when the sun broke out, that view was stunning.

We were able to see great spots like Petco Park, the bay, and Coronado Bridge all from the comfort of one of our private balconies.

This room can sleep 4 people, is 600 sqft, has a living room with vaulted ceilings, and not one, but TWO balconies.

Mouth-watering restaurants at Kimpton Alma

We were also able to try their on-property restaurants, “The Café” and “Leave of Absence“.

The Café is situated in their lobby area, and Leave of Absence is their rooftop, poolside restaurant. We ate at The Café for breakfast and dinner, and Leave of Absence for lunch.

With many bars and restaurants in downtown San Diego, it’s always a plus when your hotel can offer on-property options.

Breakfast at The Café

I had their Breakfast Sandwich and my husband had their Cinnamon French Toast.

The breakfast sandwich came with seasoned potatoes, and I cannot begin to describe how delicious both were. It was probably the best breakfast sandwich I have ever had.

My husband also really liked the French toast, but with the caveat that it was a little rich for his taste.

Lunch at Leave of Absence

We tried three things from the food menu and two cocktails.

We tried the Hanger Steak sandwich, the Chicken Alfredo pizza, and the Pulled Chicken sandwich. For cocktails we had the Jungle Bird and a piña colada.

By far, the Hanger Steak sandwich was a clear winner. The only problem with it was that there wasn’t more of it. The Pulled Chicken sandwich was just eh. But then again at the time of purchase, they were out of the aioli sauce and red cabbage that were supposed to be on the sandwich. And the Chicken Alfredo pizza was good, but nothing special beyond that.

I will say that I was very impressed by the variety available at this San Diego hotel’s rooftop restaurant.

Dinner back at The Café

We decided to sample as many shareables as possible. There were entrees available, but nothing stuck out to us as much as the shareables did.

We decided to get the Birria Empanadas, Bao Buns, Chicken Wings, and Salt Spring Mussels.

My husband and I both agree that the empanadas were absolutely delectable. Again, probably the best we have ever had. And the sauce it comes with was a huge factor in that as well.

I wasn’t a fan of the bao buns, but my husband loved them. They tasted too pickle-y for me.

The chicken wings were good, but then again it’s hard to mess up wings.

And the mussels were spicy and good, but are really only for those that love seafood.

Poolside at this San Diego Hotel

The pool as well as Leave of Absence are located on the 4th floor of the hotel. If you wanted to come to the restaurant without a hotel reservation, you are welcome to do so.

The pool at this San Diego hotel, Kimpton Alma, was smaller than expected, but it did have three day beds available for purchase. If you wanted to just enjoy the dining area, there is plenty of open seating near the bar and wood-fired oven.

Rooftop bars, lounges, or experiences are pretty common in San Diego, with one of my favorites being Rooftop Cinema Club. Although it is not located at Kimpton Alma, it is fairly close and well worth a visit if you are planning to visit this popular destination.

Kimpton Alma was all around a very clean hotel, and the rooftop pool area and restaurant was no exception. The outdoor furniture was clean, well maintained, and accented the hotel aesthetic well. There was plenty of seating and had varied options for smaller or larger groups.

Overall, I really did enjoy myself at this San Diego hotel. The rooms are spectacular with prices that are well below what I believe they could be charging.

Kimpton Alma is central to many popular San Diego known spots like Petco Park, the Gaslamp Quarter, Coronado, the San Diego Convention Center (where they host Comic-Con), and many bars and restaurants. I would recommend this spot to others, and I would definitely book a reservation there for a staycation of my own in the future.

Want to book a stay for yourself? See available room rates on their website here.