Bahia Resort Hotel

About the Bahia Resort

We recently stayed at the beautiful Bahia Resort Hotel located in Mission Bay. The Bahia feels like a mini oasis tucked into its own little pocket of San Diego. It is a private waterfront resort that is kid and dog-friendly.

The property has a gourmet restaurant, beautiful waterfront suites, free family-fun activities throughout the day, recreational water sports, a pool, rescued seals, bonfires, beachside cabanas and more!

The design of the tropical 15.5 acre property gives a feeling of seclusion and intimacy despite there being 314 rooms total.

There is easy beach access no matter which room you choose to book. The water is also lined with cabanas and beach lounge chairs throughout the property. 

Rooms

We stayed in one of the Marina Suites which was literally a stone’s throw from the beach.  We couldn’t have asked for much more. What a dream! Here are a couple shots from our suite:

Room Amenities

65″ Flat-Screen TV with DirectTV
Bluetooth Speaker
WiFi
Self Parking (for one vehicle)
Wake-up Service
In-room Laptop Size Safe
Mini Refrigerator
Single Cup Coffeemaker and Disposable Coffee Cups
Iron and Ironing Board
Hairdryer

They also offer great amenities for people with disabilities and their friends and families who accompany them.  Learn all about these rooms here! 

Bahia Belle

When visiting you should absolutely book a sight-seeing cruise on the Bahia Belle. The Belle is a turn-of-the-century, Mississippi-style boat that provides a 45-minute sightseeing cruise of Mission Bay.

You can depart from either the Bahia or its sister property Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa. 

This is such a fun family-friendly activity to add to your itinerary while building great memories. The Bahia Belle has 3 stories including top deck access and a bar.

Sightseeing Cruise Schedule: Wednesdays, Fridays + Sundays: Departing from Bahia Resort Hotel // Tuesdays, Thursdays + Saturdays: Departing from Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa
Admission: $15 Hotel Guests (per person) | $20 General Admission (per person)
Reservations required  View boarding times.

Dockside 1953 Restaurant 

The Bahia has several dining options including their newly opened Dockside 1953 restaurant and the Grab ‘N Go Airstream Café. Dockside 1953 pays homage to the resorts 7 decades as Mission Bay’s first resort.

Enjoy tropical-themed plates and drinks of high-quality with scenic backdrops. Even if you don’t book a night at the Bahia, the restaurant is still open to the public.  This is an excellent way to enjoy the property on a budget!

For dinner we had the oysters, crab cake, forbidden rice curry, bread service and clam chowder.  Everything was delicious and I will absolutely be back!

Dockside 1953 sources their seafood sustainably and from local fishmongers.  You can be rest assured that everything is of the highest quality.

They also offer a weekend brunch from 7-11am.  You can expect a full display of cold and hot buffet bar options including salmon, waffles, fresh fruit, pancakes and more! Included in the brunch is a mimosa bar with juice options such as guava, blood orange and pineapple!

Grab ‘N Go Airstream Café 

For those interested in a more grab and go approach to eating, the Bahia’s airstream café is a great solution. Located right near the lobby, this adorable airstream-turned-café carries fresh food items such as pastries, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, light lunch and dinner selections, freshly brewed coffee, tea and even fresh juice!

There are dining tables alongside the airstream which are also right next to the resort’s rescued seals!  Yes, they have seals here!

Both of the seals are blind so this is their forever home.  They are a ton of fun to watch and it kind of makes you feel like you’re at one of the zoo enclosures without paying a hefty admission fee!

History of the Bahia

The Bahia Resort is actually the first resort development in Mission Bay, dating back to the 1950’s. The property was developed by William and Anne Evans of Evans Hotels. The Evans family also own the Catamaran Resort and The Lodge Torrey Pines. Clearly they know a thing or two about hospitality!

The Bahia began as a 14-acre, 52 unit property and was known as the Bahia Resort Motor Hotel when it first opened.

Back in the 1940’s the City of San Diego offered several land parcels to be bid on for commercial development.  At the time Mission Bay was a shallow water, tidal mudflat.

Belmont Park had recently been built by John D. Speckles adding a lot of value to the area. The Evan’s envisioned a beautiful beach resort and decided to take the leap. The hotel has seen many expansions since its modest beginning. 

Personal Experience

Staying at the Bahia Resort was an absolute blast! It is both family-friendly and super romantic, drawing in a wide variety of people. We recently had a baby and are loving taking her to new places and watching her enjoy herself.

Staying at the Bahia allowed us to create even more lovely memories with our family. When we visited I had vague flashbacks hitting me of staying here when I was a child.  It was a fuzzy nostalgia but I remember having so much fun and making a bunch of friends when I was here.

Here are a few more photos of the property.  Make sure to find the lagoon areas if you visit:

A fun playground for kids:

I fell in love with this tree.  It’s so much bigger and magnificent in person!

The property is so dreamy at night!

There are a lot of fun games on the property including shuffleboard, tennis and pool.  Definitely not a place you can get bored at!