The Monsaraz San Diego Suite Review [2024]

The Monsaraz is a new boutique hotel in San Diego’s charming Point Loma neighborhood. It opened in 2021 and is part of Hilton’s Tapestry Collection. The hotel has about 90 rooms. I stayed there for a week in April 2024.

Spoiler: This was one of my favorite hotel stays to date, but there were a few quirks. Let’s dive in!

Booking My Stay at The Monsaraz San Diego

My family usually stays at Hilton Hotels since we are Diamond members, thanks to our American Express Hilton Aspire Cards. While we prefer to pay for our stays with points, we paid cash this time because we wanted to ensure we were in a suite rather than gambling with an upgrade (the hotel only has one suite).

We book all of our Hilton stays directly at Hilton.com. To find the suite, we had to expand our search to include accessible rooms—the suite has a roll-in shower. We paid about $350 per night for our stay, which I thought was a great deal considering pricing for standard rooms.

Standard rooms can be booked for as low as 45,000 Hilton Honors points per night.

The Monsaraz San Diego Location & Parking

The Monsaraz is in an ideal location in Point Loma, across the street from Fisherman’s Landing. There is a lot to do around the hotel, from walking the boardwalk to restaurants and coffee shops. I’ve spent quite a bit of time in San Diego and really enjoyed the laid-back vibe compared to areas like downtown (yet it is close to many popular sports — downtown is a short drive away).

While the location is nice, parking can be challenging. The Monsaraz only offers valet parking, which starts at $37 per night. If you don’t want to pay, there is limited free street parking nearby. Lower-priced public parking is also available at Fisherman’s Landing (unfortunately, that lot was closed for an event while we were there).

To save money, we opted for street parking during our week-long stay. It was tough to find parking, but we managed every time.

Lobby & Check-In at The Monsaraz San Diego

We were in town for our wedding and booked the hotel’s sole suite. This made check-in a breeze. We were able to check in on the Hilton app and were notified early that our room was ready. The hotel’s staff reached out before our arrival to welcome us, which was a nice preview of how welcoming the hotel’s staff would be for the rest of our stay.

You immediately notice the hotel’s unique charm as you enter the lobby. The Monsaraz incorporates modern San Diego with historic Portuguese culture (Portuguese navigator Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo discovered Point Loma in 1542).

Suite at The Monsaraz San Diego

We splurged and booked the hotel’s only suite since we were in San Diego for our wedding. I’m so glad we did! It was a fun place to relax, with floor-to-ceiling windows and an iconic balcony overlooking Point Loma.

After you take in the gorgeous window view, you notice the inviting living area upon entering the suite. There is ample room to host friends and family in the room, and the shelving and mounted flat-screen TV make it easy to make sure folks are entertained as well.

The suite also has a large bathroom, but I wish the vanity were larger.

While I absolutely loved our suite, there were a few minor issues that I figured I’d mention, especially if you’re considering booking the suite for a special event like we did… The first: our bedroom’s air conditioning system wasn’t functioning throughout our stay. This wasn’t a huge deal as the suite has two individual HVAC systems and the hotel delivered an oscillating fan. The bedroom was fine if we kept the door open, and the hotel said they were working with maintenance for an actual fix. Second, the fridge is small (it is inside a drawer in the living room cabinetry) and won’t fit more than a few bottles of water. Third, while the balcony is impressive, it was disappointing that there wasn’t furniture outside. It would have been nice to relax and watch the sunset! None of these were dealbreakers, though. I would definitely book the suite again!

Dining at The Monsaraz San Diego

Westerly Public House is the hotel’s restaurant, open for breakfast and dinner. It has a full bar and offers indoor and outdoor seating in the hotel’s courtyard. I haven’t raved about hotel food since before COVID-19, but I absolutely loved Westerly Public House, and we spent a good chunk of time there. The food and drinks were excellent, and so were the staff!

Since The Monsaraz is part of Hilton Honors, Gold and Diamond members are eligible for a $15 per person food and beverage credit each day for up to two people. This works for any charge at Westerly Public House, but purchases at the hotel’s lobby pantry do not qualify.

I had the breakfast burrito, and my husband had the breakfast sandwich. We both enjoyed our initial choice and kept ordering the same thing each morning. Our daily food and beverage credit didn’t quite cover the cost of each after coffee and juice, but we thoroughly enjoyed our meal, so we didn’t mind.

In the evening, Westerly Public House opens for light snacks and drinks, and they feature a handful of specialty cocktails that are fun to try.  The Passion of the Fruit was my favorite; it had tequila, agave, lemon, and passion fruit. We didn’t end up having a full meal at Westerly but ordered the edamame twice, and it was nicely prepared with a bit of spice.

Amenities at The Monsaraz San Diego

The Monsaraz San Diego is a boutique hotel, so on-site amenities are limited, but there is ample room throughout the hotel to unwind. Notably, though, The Monsaraz doesn’t have a pool or jacuzzi, which wasn’t super clear to us while we were researching the hotel.

On the first floor, there is a functional gym with a variety of equipment, including a Peloton bike. Free weights and yoga mats are also available.

The hotel also has two fun spots to hang out. The first is the courtyard on the first floor, in the middle of the hotel. You can enter through Westerly Public House. There is plenty of seating, and the hotel has patio heaters available to keep the vibe cozy at night.

A large third-floor terrace also overlooks Fisherman’s Landing across the street. The views are neat!

Closing Thoughts

We absolutely loved our stay at The Monsaraz San Diego, and I can’t recommend it enough if you are looking for an affordable yet modern hotel in San Diego. Point Loma is a relaxed neighborhood with cute shops and restaurants, yet it is close to the airport and downtown. While parking can be challenging, I did appreciate that the hotel doesn’t charge a resort or destination fee like other hotels in San Diego. The hotel’s suite is perfect if you’re visiting for a special occasion – I loved the balcony! The hotel’s restaurant, Westerly Public House, is also great for breakfast and light snacks. Lastly, the hotel’s staff are fantastic and made our stay special!

Have you stayed at The Monsaraz? Add your experience below!