Homewood Suites by Hilton San Marcos

The app check-in was convenient: we went straight to our room and unlocked the door with the app, without stopping at the front desk. The hotel is easy to reach from the southbound access road just south of Wonderworld Dr, and there’s lots of parking. My only issue was breakfast temperature. The buffet food was warm, but not hot enough to meet commercial food service standards.

After a four-hour drive, we got there at 4:30 even though check-in was supposed to be at 3:00, and still had to wait a long time for our room. I said we’d driven four hours and shouldn’t have to wait for something I’d paid for. The person at the front desk replied, “do you expect us to have 90 rooms ready in 8 hours”. Given how much I’d paid, I did expect not to be left waiting in the lobby when we arrived.

The room was spacious, with everything I needed to prepare meals, including dishes. The heat and air conditioning worked flawlessly, and there was even a constant fan setting. Housekeeping did a fine job, and breakfast had plenty of food, with a different selection each day. When I made it down in time to eat, it was good, and the breakfast staff were pleasant. I was here for 19 days on the 2nd floor, with a direct line of sight to 35. I only heard emergency vehicles twice and was pleasantly surprised by how little outside noise came through. The front desk staff greeted me each night and quickly helped when I needed anything. There’s plenty of parking, and the hotel is near food and shopping with easy access to 35. I was very happy with the stay and would come back when needed.

The staff were really helpful, and the lobby and breakfast areas were great. But the carpets were awful. The elevator floor had lots of dark stains and looked like it hadn't been mopped in a week or more; the 2nd floor hallway was even worse, with horrible stains all the way down. Our room was relatively clean, except for stains on the sofa, and the coffee pot didn't work. Do hotels not have carpet cleaners? Those stains were atrocious.