With a multimillion-dollar renovation behind it, the former Comfort Inn & Suites in Hotel Circle has reopened as the Best Western San Diego Zoo/SeaWorld Inn & Suites.
Owned by Dr. Barry Lall, founder, president and CEO of Pinnacle Hotels USA, the hotel at 2485 Hotel Circle Place features 199 guestrooms, including 68 suites. Pinnacle Hotels USA maintains headquarters in San Diego and currently operates nine hotels in various locations in California, Ohio and Texas.
The hotel is managed by AZUL Hospitality Group, a San Diego-based hospitality management platform.
Vice President of Marketing
AZUL Hospitality Group
The change for Pinnacle has come, according to AZUL Vice President of Marketing and eCommerce Azure Tackert, because Best Western Inn & Suites brand is “an ideal fit for the mix of leisure, government, military and leisure travel demand in San Diego.”
While the building’s size is the same at 119,877 square feet with another 60,000 SF in parking space, Best Western Hotels & Resorts, a privately held hotel company within the BWH Hotel Group, completed more than $2 million in on-site renovations.
“We’re pleased to partner with a modern and innovative brand like Best Western International to continue the success of this San Diego hotel,” Tackert said.
The hotel is debuting a new modern design throughout featuring a color palette of grays and deep blues against a backdrop of earthy tones. The renovation included new carpets; refreshed guestroom curtains and bedding; new soft goods to include linens and terry cloth towels; refinished bathtubs and granite vanities; new furnishings; updated décor and artwork; modernized lighting; and updated radio frequency identification locks in each room.
Inside each guestroom – which range in size from 324 SF to 385 SF – is a large flat-screen television and mini refrigerator. All suites include a microwave. The hotel’s family suites feature a unique sleeping arrangement of bunk beds to better accommodate families that are traveling.
General Manager
Best Western San Diego Zoo/SeaWorld Inn & Suites
Andrew Cooper, general manager of the Best Western San Diego Zoo/SeaWorld Inn & Suites, said the hotel team is “excited to debut our renovated hotel and welcome Best Western guests to enjoy our new amenities,” especially to BW’s “dynamic, brand-loyal travelers.”
Cooper called the new BW a “refreshed hotel… the perfect place for families and guests to create new and exciting memories as they experience all of our nearby attractions.”
The hotel’s public areas have also been refreshed with upgraded furniture with a new lobby coffee station. A new fitness center is also part of Best Western’s changes. Guests also have use of laundry facilities, a 24-hour pantry, a heated outdoor pool and sauna, a business center and a daily complimentary hot breakfast. The breakfast seating area’s chairs, tables and décor have also been updated.
“We feel strongly the renovation and brand transition will ensure this legacy San Diego hotel will continue to resonate with business and leisure travelers alike,” Cooper said.
The Best Western San Diego Zoo/SeaWorld Inn & Suites is five miles from San Diego International Airport and within close proximity to the San Diego Convention Center and local attractions – including, as its name suggests, the San Diego Zoo and SeaWorld San Diego.
The hotel is sold as part of both attractions’ package offerings on their respective websites and BW is also able to offer hotel guests tickets for park admission directly at its front desk and sale of ticket plus guest room packages through BW’s website.
Guests are also close to the Zoo’s host site, Balboa Park, as well as beach areas, plus myriad bars, restaurants and shopping centers. The hotel offers visitors discounted tickets to various local attractions.
“Business travelers appreciate the convenient location and proximity to major interstates and San Diego employers,” Tackert said. “Leisure travelers – particularly multi-generational families – appreciate the family suites, spacious guest rooms, and separate bath and vanity layout. The complimentary breakfast, in-room microwave, and mini-refrigerator offer convenience and value that appeals to both business and leisure travelers. The amenities, along with our experienced group sales specialists and on-site parking, make the hotel popular with government, military, educational and sports groups.”
Rates for rooms per night range from $159 to $199 during the low and high travel season and low $200s during peak travel season.
Best Western Hotels & Resorts
FOUNDED: 1946
FOUNDER: M.K. Guertin
PRESIDENT AND CEO: Larry Cuculic
HEADQUARTERS: Phoenix
BUSINESS: Hotels
WEBSITE: bestwestern.com
CONTACT: 602-957-4200
SOCIAL IMPACT: Best Western is committed to conserving resources and seeks new and innovative solutions to protect the planet for generations to come. It recently formalized a commitment of sourcing 100 percent of its eggs globally from cage-free sources for Best Western Hotels & Resorts’ entire portfolio by the end of 2025.
NOTABLE: Privately held Best Western Hotels & Resorts has a global network of about 4,500 hotels in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide with 19 distinct brands.
