View from Manchester Grand Hyatt adds to San Diego getaway

San Diego's dependable weather and vibrant waterfront make the city an excellent choice for a sunny big-city getaway.

The mega hotels along San Diego Bay are situated in one of the best, most centrally located visitor areas you'll find in any of California's major cities. Not only do they look out on the water and gorgeous Coronado Island, but they also are just a five-minute walk from the Gaslamp District where sidewalk cafes, interesting shops, busy nightspots and historic architecture all combine to offer the visitor a feast for the senses.

There are several excellent hotels in this area but, on our most recent trip to the city, we booked a two-room suite at the Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego, a four-star urban resort that is a fixture on the San Diego skyline. On previous visits we've cast glances skyward at the hotel's two towers (33 and 40 stories), always wondering what it would be like to stay at the top of the city so close to the San Diego waterfront. We finally got our answer - and it was just as exhilarating as we imagined it would be.

Just as in any real estate, the key variable for a hotel is location - and the Manchester Grand Hyatt has one of the best. From our 20th floor suite we opened the curtains to a southwest view of Coronado Island, San Diego Harbor, the gleaming waterfront area near the city's Convention and Visitor Center, a major boat marina and, just below, a fun grouping of shops and restaurants known as Seaport Village. With a view like that, we just kept our curtains open all the time - well, almost all the time.

Directly below us on the hotel property we could see the hotel's spa deck and lap pool, and, on the east side of the property, the roof-top tennis courts and other sports areas. The first impression was this was like one of those giant cruise ships - everything you need was right here within walking distance. With 1,625 guest rooms altogether, that comparison is not far off the mark.

Another thing re-enforcing that impression was the grandiose nature of everything at the hotel, starting with the main lobby with its ultra-high ceilings and ornate architecture - more like Union Station than a typical hotel lobby. Stroll through the hotel and you encounter numerous shops and restaurants - not just knick-knack shops, but places that sell the finest clothing and ultra-expensive artwork and sculptures. There's a little bit of Las Vegas in this hotel with all of its opulence, and that's one of the reasons you would choose this hotel: to do something that is bigger, grander, more spectacular than those things you do in your everyday life.

We found our suite to be as welcoming as you might expect with plenty of deluxe amenities such as both wireless and wired internet, a 25-inch TV with cable programming in each room, luxury bath products and beds that were among the most comfortable we've experienced in a hotel room. But with so much to do in this part of San Diego, we really only spent a few evening hours in our room - the rest of the time it was off to enjoy the sights and experiences.

One of those is a stroll through Seaport Village, a colorful well-designed mini-town along the San Diego waterfront where you can walk along the waterfront or enjoy a coffee and pastry in the Village Café, or a draft beer in the waterfront pizza place, or have a Greek lunch nearby. The specialty shops here are diverse and packed to the rafters with interesting items, many of them perfect for San Diego souvenirs.

For our dinner, we already had some idea of where we wanted to go. For some time we'd been meaning to visit the Kansas City Barbecue, site of the filming for the Top Gun movie with Tom Cruise. Who can forget the famous scene with "Goose" and "Maverick" at the piano singing Great Balls of Fire? Just so happens the restaurant where that was filmed is just across the street from the Manchester Grand Hyatt.

We waited a little too long to visit, however - the restaurant was gutted by fire a couple of years ago and re-opened for business in November 2008. There are plenty of Top Guns photos and memorabilia on the wall, but those are all replacements for what was burnt in the fire -- all except the piano, which is the real McCoy. But it was close to it, and the fire hasn't slowed the owners down from promoting the bar as the Top Gun bar. It's a fun atmosphere and the wait staff is top-notch - but, alas, the food is just average.

Between visits to the Gaslamp District, Seaport Village and the waterfront, our weekend getaway to San Diego gave us plenty to do - and a memorable stay in a top-notch waterfront hotel.

AT A GLANCE

WHERE: The Manchester Grand Hyatt is on the San Diego waterfront and is one of several fine hotels that offer great views and close proximity to both the water and the city's Gaslamp District.

WHAT: This kind of getaway is the kind you can go back and do several times because there is so much to see and do in downtown San Diego.

WHEN: San Diego is a year-round destination with what many believe is the most ideal climate in the country. You can expect 70s during summer months and nothing really below 60 in the winter - and very seldom does it rain or even get cloudy.

WHY: Probably more fun per square mile than anyplace in California.

HOW: For more information on the Manchester Grand Hyatt, phone 800-233-1234 or visit www.manchestergrand.hyatt.com.