Hotels

San Diego offers a variety of places to stay, ranging from hip high-rises to spa- and golf-blessed resorts, from inexpensive cookie-cutter motels to out-of-the-ordinary B&Bs.

This section explores all the options within the city proper. Lodging recommendations for Del Mar, Encinitas, and Carlsbad are all beautifully situated along the coast and within 40 min. of the city.

High season is vaguely defined as the summer period between Memorial Day and Labor Day -- some hotels inch rates higher still in July and August. Because San Diego is a very popular convention destination, however, you'll find that rates for the larger downtown hotels and a few of the Mission Valley hotels are largely determined by the ebb and flow of conventions in town during the week -- which means that weekend and holiday rates can be good bargains. On the other hand, leisure-oriented hotels along the coast and in Mission Valley are generally busier on weekends, especially in summer, so midweek deals are easier to snag. Here's an idea to maximize your discounts: Spend the weekend at a downtown high-rise and duck into a beach bungalow on Monday.

The Road to Wellness -- Healthful Havens

Health-conscious San Diego is home to a collection of some of the finest fitness spas in the country. These aren't pedicure-and-a-sauna resort spas, but places where you will engage in regimented mind-and-body workouts that just might change your life.

The Golden Door, Escondido (tel. 800/424-0777; www.goldendoor.com), is a Zen-influenced sanctuary in the North County where a maximum of 40 people engage in a weeklong program of massage, beauty treatments, and fitness activities like yoga, tennis, and hiking. Most weeks are same-sex, but coed stays are also available; a 4-to-1 ratio of staff (including a fitness guide, dietician, and esthetician) to guest helps explain the $7,750 price tag. Accommodations and gourmet spa-cuisine meals, featuring products grown on-site, are included.

Rancho La Puerta, Tecate, Mexico (tel. 800/443-7565; www.rancholapuerta.com), is the Golden Door's sister property, located about an hour from San Diego, just across the border in Baja California. Opened in 1940, it lays claim to being the world's first fitness spa. This elegant, beautifully landscaped resort is set on some 3,000 acres and encompasses part of a mountain held sacred by the indigenous Kumeyaay people. Weeklong residences are encouraged, but a limited number of partial stays are available. More than 70 classes and activities are held each week. All-inclusive rates range from $2,780 to $4,210.

Cal-a-Vie, 29402 Spa Havens Way, Vista (tel. 866/772-4283; www.cal-a-vie.com), sits on 200-plus acres in San Diego's North County, offering 3-, 4-, and 7-night packages. A maximum of 24 guests enjoy exceptional spa cuisine, fitness classes, hiking, lectures, and spa treatments. A nearby golf course provides a golf option. Rates run from $3,395 to $6,995.

Chopra Center for Wellbeing, Costa del Mar Rd., Carlsbad (tel. 888/424-6772), is located on the grounds of the La Costa Resort and Spa. Founded by holistic guru Deepak Chopra, the center has yoga and meditation classes daily (including a free group meditation held every day), spa treatments based on 5,000-year-old Ayurvedic principles, 5-day healing programs, and a gift store with books, jewelry, and more. La Costa offers a special Chopra rate of $195 per night, but an overnight stay is not required.

Warner Springs Ranch, 31652 Hwy. 79, Warner Springs (tel. 760/782-4200; www.warnersprings.com), was established in 1844, but Spanish explorers and Native Americans had long known about the area's rejuvenating mineral springs. Located in the Cleveland National Forest, about an hour and a half from San Diego, the ranch features three large pools of hot mineral or fresh water; there is also an equestrian center, golfing, and hiking trails. Overnight accommodations are $120 to $160.