It’s been a couple of years since I last stayed at the Andaz San Diego. Rates were just over $100, so I thought a return stay was in order.

The main change that had occurred since my prior visit is that the main restaurant, Katsuya, had closed. It had been closed for over six months, and remains closed to this day. Also, the downstairs wine bar area had also closed.

There may great news in the works though. I was told that Masaharu Morimoto of Iron Chef fame had been by to view the property. At that time, I believe talks had just been starting. I have been subsequently told that talks are progressing well, and hopefully Morimoto will have his first restaurant in California in the near future, which is quite surprising.

Upon entering the hotel, the lobby is open, but somewhat small. The lighting is rather dim. Although there is a front desk of sorts slightly to the right, front desk associates are usually roaming around carrying iPads to help check-in guests.

I was greeted immediately, offered a glass of wine or bottle of water, and was quickly checked in.

I was upgraded to an Andaz Suite, Room 433, which is a junior suite as there is no separate bedroom.

Upon entering the room, the bathroom is located to the left. There is laminate hardwood flooring, which gives the space more of a “homey” feel. There is a single sink, which limits the amount of counter space to a certain degree, but I found there was enough space for my needs.

The shower is spacious, which is thankfully fully enclosed. I do not like showers that have the half door, which allows water to splash all over the place. Water pressure was good. Whoever designed the shower actually had the guest in mind, because there is an opening in the door which allows you to turn the water on before getting in. Nothing like having to freeze for a bit before the water comes to temperature.

There is a spacious living with two couches, one longer and a shorter leather couch. There is also a glass coffee table.

The desk has ample work space, but the chair space is somewhat confined. There is also a flat screen TV above the desk.

The king bed is somewhat firm but comfortable.

There is also a flat screen TV facing the bed.

As with all Andaz properties, there is a mini bar in the room with a basket of snacks. Everything in the basket is complimentary. This included a bag of Pop Chips, a granola bar, and a chocolate bar.

There are also drinks in the fridge, and all non-alcoholic drinks are also complimentary. This included several bottles of still and sparkling water, a couple cans of soda and an orange juice.

The gym is located on the rooftop level. While not huge, it does contain a couple of treadmills, recumbent bikes and elliptical machines. There are also some dumbbells , kettlebells, exercise balls and yoga mats.

Breakfast which is complimentary for Diamond members, is served in the rooftop restaurant, Rooftop 600.

The Summer Corn Soup ($10) was kind of thick and some of the sweetness of the corn came through. There was only a little bit of crab, which added some salinity. The heat from the chili oil was almost non-existent.

The Crispy Castroville Artichokes ($14) were “lightly tempura battered”. They were nice and crispy, but kind of heavy and slightly oily.

The Cobb Salad ($14) contained fresh ingredients. The addition of crispy salami and roasted corn were the only stray ingredients from the classic recipe.

The Chicken and Potato Hash ($14) is a take on an Eggs Benedict. This is a rustic type dish as the pieces of shredded chicken are rather large. The eggs were cooked nicely, and the hollandaise rich and creamy. The potatoes were slightly crispy on the outside, and soft and creamy on the inside.

Service was somewhat slow throughout the meal despite the restaurant being relatively empty.

The Andaz is my favorite Hyatt property in downtown San Diego. If Morimoto eventually opens up his restaurant here, it will definitely add more appeal.