4* The Sofia Hotel

The Pearl Hotel understands the assignment: take a 1959 Point Loma motel, keep the oyster-shaped pool and mid-century bones, then turn the whole thing into somewhere you actually want to hang around. There are just 23 individually styled rooms, all arranged around that original saltwater pool. Ponyboy handles seasonal food and cocktails, and Wednesday night “Dive In” movies are still projected beside the water – one of those little details that makes the hotel memorable rather than merely photogenic. Point Loma puts you handy for Ocean Beach, the harbour and airport, while Downtown is an easy drive. Hillcrest’s main LGBTQ nightlife is farther inland, so The Pearl is more suited to travellers who want San Diego neighbourhood life and coastal exploring with a night or two in the gay bars. GayMapper tip: Stay in on Wednesday – dinner, cocktails and a movie beside the pool is exactly the sort of evening The Pearl does best.

The Sofia Hotel has been part of Downtown San Diego in one form or another since 1926, when it opened as the Pickwick. That history still gives the building more personality than the glass towers around it, although the 211 rooms have been thoroughly modernised. Recent changes have also moved the food offering on: Truva now serves Mediterranean-inspired dishes and cocktails, with Starbucks and Tender Greens providing easier grab-and-go options. There’s a 24-hour fitness centre, dedicated yoga studio and complimentary bikes for exploring the waterfront or Little Italy. You’re just outside the Gaslamp Quarter rather than amid its busiest streets, with the waterfront and Little Italy both close. Hillcrest is an easy rideshare when gay nightlife calls. GayMapper tip: Borrow one of the bikes and head towards the Embarcadero – this is a particularly good Downtown base if you like exploring under your own steam.

The clue is in the name: Club Wyndham Inn at the Park sits right on the western edge of Balboa Park, making museums, gardens and the San Diego Zoo unusually easy to reach without treating them as a day trip. Inside, things are much more apartment-like than hotel-like. The large studios and one-bedroom suites come with proper kitchens and dining space, while the panoramic rooftop terrace is a lovely place to take in the skyline. There’s also a fitness centre for anyone who still has energy after walking around Balboa Park all day. Hillcrest begins just north of here, and the main LGBTQ nightlife along University Avenue is comfortably reachable on foot. That makes this one of the few San Diego hotels where both sightseeing and gay nightlife genuinely work without constantly calling a car. GayMapper tip: The kitchen-equipped suites are particularly useful for longer stays – and rooftop sunset drinks are considerably cheaper when you bring your own.

Palm trees, koi ponds, waterfalls, tropical birds and tiki torches: Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa has absolutely no intention of being subtle. The Polynesian theme may be gloriously old-school, but the setting between Mission Bay and the Pacific is hard to beat. Days can involve paddleboarding, cycling the boardwalk, lounging beside the outdoor pool or disappearing into the beachfront spa, whose hot tub looks directly over the bay. Oceana Coastal Kitchen keeps dinner waterside, while many rooms and suites add balconies looking towards Mission Bay, the ocean or tropical gardens. Pacific Beach gives you plenty of bars and restaurants nearby, although San Diego’s main LGBTQ nightlife in Hillcrest is a separate evening out. GayMapper tip: This is one to book when you actually want to use the resort – otherwise you’re wasting a perfectly good excuse to spend a day doing very little beside Mission Bay.

Some hotels have history; Hotel del Coronado practically has its own mythology. The red-roofed Victorian landmark has been welcoming guests since 1888, hosted generations of celebrities and famously appeared in Some Like It Hot with Marilyn Monroe. After a six-year, $550-million restoration, The Del is looking particularly smart again. You can stay in the restored Victorian building, more contemporary Cabanas and Views rooms, or splash out on cottages and villas. The huge beachfront resort adds pools, spa treatments, reserved beach seating and enough restaurants and bars to turn several days into a self-contained holiday. Coronado is very much its own destination, so Hillcrest nightlife means crossing back into San Diego proper. That's hardly the point here, though. GayMapper tip: If you’ve always wanted to stay at The Del, book the Victorian – the history is a big part of what you’re paying for.

La Jolla makes a convincing argument for spending at least part of a San Diego trip away from Downtown altogether. The Empress Hotel sits right in the village, with restaurants, galleries, coastal walks and La Jolla Cove all within an easy stroll. Rooms have recently been refreshed, with fridges, coffee facilities and larger suites available when you want more space. A daily hot breakfast is included in the destination fee, along with afternoon refreshments and fitness-centre access, while the hotel’s Beach Concierge can sort you out with chairs and umbrellas for the coast. Manhattan of La Jolla downstairs covers Italian dinners when you don’t feel like going far. San Diego’s gay nightlife in Hillcrest is across town, so this is very much the beach-and-La-Jolla choice. GayMapper tip: Come here for mornings by the water and seals at the Cove – save Hillcrest for one planned night out rather than trying to commute back and forth.