FBF: My Downtown San Diego Staycation and Staypineapple Hotel Z Review

Today’s Flashback Friday brings us to July 2020. Being at home staring at the same white walls had certainly taken its toll. Summer was in full swing, but there was nothing special about it at all. I decided it was due time for a little staycation. We had already tried out one overnight at a Little Italy hotel that went very poorly indeed (I’ll spare you the bad review), but it was time for a do-over. In “the before times” we had a lovely stay at Staypineapple Hotel Rose (Portland) so I went ahead and booked Doug, Mosey and myself a room at Staypineapple Hotel Z, Downtown, for the change of scenery.

As a San Diegan, I know that our city depends heavily on the tourism industry. With all conventions canceled in 2020, including Comic-Con (which brings approximately $150 million to the city), I was concerned with the Downtown San Diego businesses seeing a massive loss of revenue. I wanted to do my part. Like many of us, I picked up takeout from a variety of adapting restaurants, but I wanted to do a little more, and a two day staycation was just the trick.

Did you do any staycations during 2020? Tell me about it in the comments!

2 Day Downtown San Diego Staycation

Remember, this was during the first summer of the pandemic and we did not know much about the safety levels of certain activities. The safest thing to do was to stay holed up and not go out. However, cabin fever had set in so after attending a Staypineapple webinar on their culture of cleanliness, I felt good booking a room. We basically spent a lot of time watching cable (which we don’t have at home) and soaking in the change of scenery. For specifics, favorite hotel cable guilty pleasures include Storage Wars, Diners Drive-ins and Dives, and House Hunters International.

Food: For dinner, we got carryout from Half Door Brewing, which is still a favorite of mine to this day. For breakfast, we had brunch outdoors at J & Tony’s which had just opened the fall prior, and I really didn’t want them to go out of business.

For activities, the first night we walked Mosey to Gallagher Square to meet other dogs. We picked up our dinner on the way back. The second day we skipped the Hotel Z complimentary bikes since we had our dog with us. Instead we took a long walk all the way through Gaslamp Quarter, through East Village, around Petco Park, and over behind the convention center to check out construction on The Shell (which has since been completed). It was a great, free way to experience the various neighborhoods of downtown.

Staypinapple Hotel Z’s Culture of Hospitality

Hotel Z is certainly not the fanciest hotel in Downtown San Diego, nevertheless the second we walked in we felt very valued. We felt like the staff were happy to see us, and they really rolled out the red carpet for our dog, Mosey. They showered him with treats immediately upon check in and brought a dog bowl and plush Staypineapple dog bed to the room.

Room and Amenities

The room was spacious and spotless. If you are questioning the bed making style in the picture above, it is their signature European two duvet method (no fighting over the covers here). This room faced 6th Ave and did have some street noise. The loveseat was a nice touch, very comfortable, and was a better angle to watch TV than the bed.

The room had a mini fridge and a microwave – two things I am seeing disappear from hotels these days. Always a plus to have those small appliances. Amenities were curtailed during the pandemic, so we didn’t get the promised welcome drink or snackies from the lobby, but the bottled water and in-room coffee is unlimited, and they provided cute individually wrapped decorated sugar cookies.

The hotel is large on the culture of hospitality but light on the amenities. There is no pool or gym. They do provide cheerful yellow beach cruisers to explore Downtown. There is so much to do downtown that amenities can be overlooked in favor of great location and reasonable pricing!

More hotel reviews from The Voyageer

Most Dog-Friendly Hotel I’ve Been To

We have traveled with Mosey several times in in the decade-plus he has been part of the family. I’ll take a moment to share some tips for traveling with a dog in an upcoming post, but here’s the main one: You have to be familiar with hotel policies before you book. Call the front desk and get details so you know the hotel’s policy. Are they dog-friendly? Is there an extra fee for bringing your furry family member? There is no question whether Hotel Z is dog friendly; they are featured prominently on a lot of their advertising. (Yes, there is a pet fee.)

I can say confidently that Staypineapple Hotel Z was the most dog-friendly hotel I have ever been to. Mosey was welcomed, not just tolerated. The room was so clean I could not find signs of prior furry friends (I even looked for dog hair on the loveseat). When pets are welcome in any room, not just certain ones, cleanliness is extra obvious. The staff was well trained to handle dogs; for example, asking before petting and breaking treats in half to cater to Mosey’s small size. The photo speaks for itself, Mosey loved his stay.