By Barbara Beckley
The Catamaran Resort in San Diego seems to be in a surprising place. You’re driving through Mission Beach in San Diego… Predictable oceanfront apartments, quirky clapboard beach houses, corner hangouts. Then you turn right. OMG! You’re in Polynesia!
Inside the Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa, you truly are in another world and not one occupied by other San Diego hotels. High-beamed Fiji-style architecture welcomes you to paradise. In the lobby, a lushly landscaped waterfall tumbles into a stream filled with golden koi and flows under a glass wall into the resort’s acres of old-growth tropical foliage.
Who knew?! Leisure and meeting travelers will love to discover Polynesia so close to home. You’ll be rewarded with pleased clients and a 10 percent Catamaran commission.
Catamaran Resort: Paradise Found
Just as in the far South Pacific, the beach is at your toe-tips. The privately owned resort hugs the wide white sands of Mission Bay, making it like a private beach – just steps from the hotel’s 310 rooms and bay-front suites, bar, eateries, pool, private watersports dock, waterfront walk, 20,000 square feet of water-view event space, and the only beachfront spa in San Diego!
Plus exotic birds! Tiki signs point the way to everything; including brightly colored macaws who talk and entertain with daily shows. Rumor says their ornate wrought-iron birdcage is from Disneyland’s original Enchanted Tiki Room. Could be. The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa opened in 1959. Disneyland opened in 1955. (It’s known the Catamaran’s founders were well connected.) These parrots aren’t amateurs, either. Bird Handler Supervisor Jackie Kohlman worked at the San Diego Zoo bird shows.
Suite View
Talk about the perfect room! My two-room first-floor Bay Front Suite, No. 524, opened directly onto the lawn, the beach, the boardwalk, the water and the San Diego skyline across Mission Bay; while my king bedroom faced the garden for privacy. A fully-stocked wet bar with a fridge added to the living room’s comfort. The living room couch makes into a bed for families. I enjoyed the sweeping bay view from my patio and at night San Diego’s twinkling skyline. These first-floor suites offer the perk of walking from your patio to all the resort amenities, while the 604-square-foot, two-room Bay View Suites in the 14-story Tower building offer airplane-like views of all Mission Bay, the Pacific Ocean and downtown San Diego. Take your pick.
Mai Tais and Magnificent Meals
After checking in, I relaxed over sizeable signature Mai Tais amid tiki torches, tropical plants and bay views at Moray’s Bar.
Then dinner, a few steps away, at the resort’s indoor-outdoor Oceana Coastal Kitchen restaurant, also serving breakfast and lunch. It’s known for chef-driven, modern ocean-inspired cuisine, such as the signature Crisped Skin Ocean Trout with herb butter sauce, grilled asparagus and mushroom potato gratin. Light, tasty, delicious. “It’s flown fresh from Norway,” said Executive Chef Steven Riemer. “One of the finest proteins in modern cuisine.” And desserts like Rum Baba, made with pistachio custard, strawberry rum sauce and fresh seasonal berries.
The Real Deal
Everywhere, historic South Pacific artifacts decorate the walls. “The founders took great care to make this, their second San Diego hotel, authentically South Pacific,” explained Robert Arends, Catamaran media relations manager. “From the Papua, New Guinea crocodile carvings and gigantic Vanuatu tapa cloth in the Lobby to first-edition prints of Captain Cook’s 18th Century voyages in Moray’s Bar, and museum-quality spears, carvings and tribal relics displayed outside the Catamaran Gift Shop, Lava Java grab-and-go cafe and upstairs meeting space, all were crafted before WWII and collected between 1950 and ’60 by a partner of Michael Rockefeller.”
Originally the summer estate of the Scripps Family (hence, the prime location), San Diego entrepreneur William Evans Sr. and his wife, Anne, purchased the land in 1956, then built and opened the Catamaran in 1959. Still owned and actively managed by their son, Bill Evans, and daughter, Grace Evans Cherashore, (who also own and operate the neighboring Bahia Resort Hotel, opened in 1953, and The Lodge at Torrey Pines, opened in 2002, both 10 percent commission), the Catamaran’s art, gardens (more than 100 varieties of palms and 1,000 varieties of plants) and architecture remain intact – with constantly updated amenities – preserving the original Polynesia experience for all to enjoy.
Leisure, Luxury and Spa — Ahhh
Morning sunlight reflecting on the water was the perfect wake-up call for my second day. From my patio I crossed the lawn to the Mission Bay Boardwalk and enjoyed a leisurely stroll along the beach and elegant waterfront homes of Pacific Beach. No crowds. Just me, the occasional cyclist and dog walker. The Catamaran’s private sports dock for kayaking, paddle boarding, sailing and other splashy water fun was nearby. But so was the Catamaran Spa. Easy choice.
The luxurious, serene full-service spa features men’s and women’s facilities, a gift shop, 10 treatment rooms including one for couples; sauna, steam, and – the only beachfront Whirlpool in San Diego! The adjacent Fitness Center offers wide-open beach views – incredible! Here, Polynesia melts away in favor of an Asian ambiance, with treatments inspired by South Pacific and Asian healing traditions. I enjoyed a 50-minute (also 25 and 80 minutes) Catamaran Signature Massage, truly customized to my needs. The skilled masseuse worked my muscles so expertly I was visibly straighter and felt lighter on my feet. It’s one of dozens of soothing choices from wraps to reflexology and Advanced Muscle & Joint Massage with Chinese herbs.
Tiki Terrific
I continued pampering myself in the Catamaran Gift Shop – stocked with out-of-the-ordinary fun and beautiful Polynesian-inspired keepsakes: cute plush shark dolls, jewelry, shells, hand blown sea-themed art, stylish Hawaiian resort wear. Like everything at the resort, the shop is personally curated by the owners, in this case Grace, to match the Polynesian theme.
Catamaran Resort: Stand-out Meetings and Incentives
Stand-out Meetings and Incentives
No surprise, the group offerings are personalized to perfection. Perks include a stunning beach location, an expert in-house convention services team including in-house A/V and in-house team-building from sandcastle making to boat races, discounted group spa services and cruises onboard the resort’s private Mississippi sternwheeler boats, the Bahia Belle for groups from 20 to 130, and the William D. Evans for 40 to 450 guests. Plus customized in-house menus, easy flow between event spaces. In all, the Catamaran offers 20,000 square feet of bay-view meeting space, plus outdoor lawn venues, for 10 to 450 people for conferences, training seminars, symposiums, board meetings and corporate retreats.
By the Way …
Sunset Luaus on the Bay: Back this summer, The Catamaran Resort Hotel and Spa’s famous summer tradition – “Sunset Luaus on the Bay” – is held Tuesday and Friday at 6 p.m., now through September 2, 2022. “There’s nothing else like it in San Diego for an authentic taste and tropical vibes of Polynesia without having to fly to the islands,” said Robert Arends, speaking as a lifelong San Diego resident.
Set on the shores of Mission Bay, the luau celebrates Polynesia in dance, music, food and fiery torch performances by San Diego’s Pride of Polynesia entertainment group. Entry is open to guests and non-guests and features a free silk lei, free Mai Tai and all-you-can-eat Polynesian buffet including Kalua roast pig, Huli Huli Chicken and Haupia coconut pudding, plus contemporary fare like tossed Kula Greens with poppy seed dressing. New Premium VIP Seating includes early admission, a custom-made lei, reserved seating close to the stage, and a photo op with the Pride of Polynesia performers. Tickets are $49 to $109 per person.
Summertime Family Activities at the Catamaran Resort: The Catamaran is loaded: free Lei-making and Hula Lessons; The Kids Keiki Club (for all ages) with interactive Hawaii-inspired arts and crafts at the pool; live Polynesian-inspired entertainment at the pool. Also “Toes in the Grass” happy hour featuring Cutwater canned cocktails, beer, snacks and adult pops. “S’mores on the Bay.” Beach games with Frisbees, footballs, corn hole and more. “Movies on the Bay.” The Self-Guided Scavenger Hunt – there is that much to see and do throughout the property. Daytime sightseeing and evening cocktail/entertainment cruises onboard the two sternwheelers. Founder William Evans was so clever. Who would have thought – a riverboat on the bay? It’s been super popular since he introduced it in 1961.
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