Island Palms Hotel & Marina

The latch lock on our door was completely broken off and there was a large gap at the bottom of the door. The couch and chairs were very run down, as were the carpets. That being said it was clean and the patio was nice to have. The airport and base are very close, so there is a lot of air traffic in the area. It is however a great location to watch helicopters and boats.

I really wanted to love this place. However there is no peaceful and quietness especially on the first floor. You can hear everything your neighbors are doing. There is zero sound barrier between the walls and floors. The place was barely cleaned and trash and dirt was present in the room after we checked in. There is also a faint mildew smell.

We recently stayed here for 4 nights and it was lovely. It's a very quiet area with gorgeous views of ocean on each side. The two outdoor pools and hot tubs overlook a marina area and there are lots of amenities around the area. It's not the fanciest hotel and some areas are a tiny bit dated, but the location and charm made it quite enjoyable. The hotel is clean, there is a decent fitness room and restaurant, and the staff are just so friendly and helpful. It was nice to start and end the day with a walk along the beautiful waterfront and seeing the naval and cruise ships go by. Since Shelter Island is a man made spit and is tucked away from the main part of San Diego, I think if you are touristing from another area, it would be beneficial to have a rental vehicle so that you can easily access other areas if you are planning to go out and explore. That being said, there are also many fun restaurants, pubs, and coffee shops within walking distance on the island if you planned on staying in the local area.

I recently had a regrettable stay at a this hotel, and I feel compelled to share my experience to save others from a similar ordeal. My time at this hotel was nothing short of dismal, with numerous issues that left me thoroughly dissatisfied. Upon entering the room, an overpowering odor greeted me immediately. It was a nauseating smell that permeated the entire space, making it almost unbearable to spend any significant amount of time. The lack of cleanliness was evident, and the stale air only added to the discomfort. It's crucial for a hotel to prioritize cleanliness, as it directly affects the guest's experience and overall satisfaction. The plumbing situation was another major disappointment. The hotel's plumbing system, or lack thereof, was in dire need of maintenance. The water pressure was unacceptably low, making it difficult to take a proper shower or even wash my hands. Additionally, the drains seemed clogged as the water would take forever to drain properly, resulting in standing water in the sink and tub. This kind of inconvenience is the last thing any guest would want to encounter during their stay. All in all, at this hotel failed to meet even the most basic expectations. The unpleasant odor, inadequate plumbing, and lackluster service made it one of the worst hotels I have ever encountered. I strongly advise anyone considering a stay at this hotel to explore alternative options in order to ensure an enjoyable and satisfactory experience. It is my sincere hope that the management of this hotel takes these concerns seriously and works towards rectifying these issues. Every guest deserves a comfortable, clean, and hospitable stay, and unfortunately, my time at this hotel fell far short of those basic expectations.

The hotel is beautiful, large rooms, peaceful setting, great water pressure, beautiful walking paths, everything is clean, pools and hot tubs were amazing, very friendly staff all the way around, but the beds are absolutely awful and will be the reason we don’t return. Our first room bed was harder than the floor and neither of us slept. We requested a room change because sleep is my most important factor at a hotel, well second only to cleanliness. The second room they asked us to go check was the same hard bed. We removed all of our items and left our luggage at the front desk while we did our planned activities and a new room was prepared. We left the hotel at 7am and were finally called a bit after 2pm for our room available. This 3rd room bed was somewhat better than our first 2, so we took it because we were exhausted. This bed is not great either, very firm with random poking spots once you settle in for the night. I was able to make do with extra pillows to cushion the stabbing springs. Our newest room is also adjacent to the exit door for this building which I don’t recommend if you are a light sleeper. Every person entering and exiting the door rattles your room door and every conversation sounds like they are in your room day or night. We travel hard and use our hotel to sleep, rest, and recover to go again the next day. This hotel failed in its most basic function, a good night’s sleep and rest. Lodging that fails its basic function is not useful for our travel needs. The great: friendly staff, clean facilities, great pool and hot tub, great views, beautiful walking areas, gorgeous balconies to enjoy coffee in the morning or evening, huge rooms. Free parking is available across the street versus $29/night on site. Walk down to Paragon Cafe for breakfast or lunch. The food was amazing, the coffee perfect, and it is a good walk at about a mile each way. The hotel’s onsite restaurant was adequate but pricey for food that was reheated Sysco goods. Take the walk or drive down to Paragon for much better choices. Why we won’t stay here on our next trip to San Diego: the beds are so uncomfortable we never felt rested, coffee is only available in the lobby from 7-10am, the property is very large so a walk to the front desk is a journey, the only vending machines are also by the lobby, rooms have zero quiet measures including A 1” gap under our room door into the hallway by the exit door woke us up every time that door opened 24/7. The hotel is beautiful and peaceful. If bed comfort isn’t important to your travel, it is a great base. Sleep is too important for my function to go without voluntarily.