You don’t need to be a tourist to enjoy the pools, spas, and other amenities at San Diego’s finest hotels. That’s right—there’s a whole new category of businesses in the sharing economy making it affordable to lounge poolside, soak in a rain shower or steam room, and otherwise live like a guest at the region’s best hotels—all without a room charge.
All you do is log on to a website or app, browse current deals, and purchase day passes—which generally include a host of amenities, plus discounts—for as little as $15. The big players in this fast-evolving niche are names like ResortPass, Daycation, Dayuse, Dayaxe, and Daypass.
At this time, not all of these companies have partnered with San Diego resorts, however. So we did some research for you to find out where you can get the best deals at the snazziest resorts, including Hilton San Diego Resort and Spa, Paradise Point Resort and Spa, Rancho Bernardo Inn, Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina, Viejas Casino and Resort, and more. (On the flip side, when you’re traveling, peruse these sites to get the hotel experience by day and the Airbnb experience by night.)
ResortPass
ResortPass offers a plethora of intriguing deals in and around America’s Finest City. To name just a couple, check out the $25 day pass to Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa that gives entrée to the pool, Jacuzzi, and gym, sweetened with 15 percent off all hotel restaurants and free parking. Upgrading to a $65 spa pass tacks on the steam room and whirlpool to the above amenities.
A mere $15 buys access to three pools, a hot tub, and gym, as well as 10–20 percent discounts on spa services at Hyatt Regency Mission Bay and Spa. For a $30 day pass, they throw in rain showers, a steam room, and $25 off an hourlong spa treatment. Massage, anyone?
Dayaxe
Click over to Dayaxe for $25 passes to Manchester Grand Hyatt’s cabanas at the adult luxury pool, including the following perks: a daybed, bottled water, food and beverage discounts, and access to the gym, tennis courts, and steam room.
Dayuse
This company offers a variation on the theme. They rent deeply discounted hotel rooms during the day—usually from around 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.—giving you a place to rest your bones along with access to amenities that overnight guests enjoy. When we checked, they had $99 rooms at The Keating, $109 rooms at The Westin San Diego, and $99 rooms at the Hilton San Diego Del Mar, among several others.
Daycation and Daypass
These two companies don’t offer anything in San Diego at the moment, but keep your eye out to see if they expand to our neck of the woods.
How to Enjoy San Diego’s Finest Hotels and Resorts—Without the Room Charge
Poolside at Estancia La Jolla
