Kona Kai San Diego

The restaurant's food was amazingly good, though it was pricey, and there's no room service. We didn't like paying for parking, which should be included, and honestly don't think we'll stay again. Bring snacks and your own drinks if you stay here. Everything on Shelter Island closes by 9pm, the sodas and water are very expensive, and it may be easier to bring an ice chest with bottled water, soda, or alcohol. The room's trash bins were tiny, too. There was only one ice machine, and nobody seemed to know where it was. We eventually found it on the first floor, after going through two buildings.

The room was disappointing. Its patio faced a walkway and the window looked toward the parking lot, so we couldn't comfortably leave the blinds open because there wasn't much privacy. When we left for the wedding, the parking gate wouldn't open. We kept using the help button and calling the front desk, but couldn't reach anyone. We picked Kona Kai Resort & Spa because it's between the airport and our wedding venue, and we've always liked the Shelter Island area. We booked through Costco Travel and were looking forward to the stay. We arrived about 45 minutes before check-in and were told someone would call when our room was ready, but nobody did. The front desk was often busy with just one person helping, which made it hard to get assistance. For the price, the service wasn't what we expected.

The staff who worked directly with us, including housekeeping, wait staff, and support personnel, were consistently friendly, professional, and hardworking. They were the bright spot. The property, though, felt focused on fees instead of hospitality, and travelers using premium programs should know the experience didn't match what those programs suggest. The hotel was dated, room upkeep and functionality were inconsistent, common areas and accessibility details were lacking, and departure was unnecessarily complicated. Communication was poor, and I never received a final bill. At the restaurant, arrival and seating were mishandled, basic items ran out, and the food was unremarkable. A 20 percent service charge plus another 5 percent surcharge for a buffet felt unreasonable. The expensive resort and parking fees also seemed out of line with the property and service level. From check-in to checkout, the experience felt transactional and defensive, with policies, disclaimers, and charges taking priority over hospitality. That fell well short of what I'd expect from a hotel in the American Express Fine Hotels and Resorts program. After the hotel's response: A general manager using ChatGPT to answer reviews says a lot about why the hotel has the negative reviews it does. I assume that's also why there are check-in kiosks in the lobby. Another cheap, impersonal touch. Training starts at the top, and it seems they like to phone it in. I'd read the negative reviews and note the recurring complaints. Also check your bills, if you actually get one. You'll have to ask multiple times.

The room was clean and the pool was fine, with towels always available. But the AC was extremely outdated, loud, and inefficient, and the music sounded about 60% AI-generated, which was bizarre. We came in the first week of May because of an AMEX deal, only to find that the hotel still considered it "winter season." All the pool bars and restaurants were closed, so there was nowhere to use the AMEX credit except for lobby snacks. Paying the full daily resort fee just to use the pool and get towels felt annoying. The AMEX breakfast was another frustration. Their idea of "complimentary" included a 20% gratuity for a self-serve buffet, plus a 5% service charge, and drinks, even coffee, cost extra. On the first morning, we weren't given a menu when seated, so the bill at the end caught us by surprise. The server was really nice but couldn't change the charges. We were told to take it up with the front desk, which was an unnecessary hassle. The hotel felt like an AMEX/Chase credit farm.