My husband and I stayed with our 11 year old at the Pantai Inn in La Jolla for our San Diego adventure. It really was fairly close to the city attractions, plus it was nice to come back to the quiet, near beach oasis for evenings. Reasonably prices. Nice asian-inspired, spa-like vibe. Kid thought it was cool. Just a block away from where you can see the seals and about 2 blocks away from the best gelato you've ever tasted.

I've stayed at the W several times for work and found the staff friendly and rooms large (esp. compared to other city Ws), but it's definitely a city location (convenient to Gaslamp District, PetCo Park) rather than beach. Torrey Pines is La Jolla, nicest family beaches are probably in Coronado or Encinitas (Moonlight Beach)...to hit all of these, I assume you'll have a rental car, so I'd probably just go with the best deal via Kayak/Expedia. AirBnB might be an option, too, esp. if you're willing to go further north than the city proper.

We're going to spend 2 nights in San Diego. Can anyone recommend a hotel? 2 adults, 2 kids ages 11 & 15. We plan to see the zoo, take a hike in Torrey Pines, walk on the beach, and eat great food. Would like to spend $300 or less per night. Thanks!