Tower 23 - San Diego, California: Located on Pacific Beach, this condo building retro fitted into a boutique hotel not only lived up to, but far surpassed my expectations.

First Impression/Lobby: The lobby of Tower 23 is small, plain and sparse. I began to think the hotel was going to specialize in minimalism in both décor and atmosphere but I was quickly corrected by the fast and charming service.

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Reception: Checking in was fast and easy. The front desk clerk had everything ready for us and just took a quick swipe of our credit card, a signature and we on our way to our room.

The Room: The Ocean Front room or as Tower 23 calls it, the Surf Pad, had a very minimalist feel to it. The walls were a pale gray/off-white and were bare of any pictures. The king-sized bed was covered in the customary, 5-star and boutique hotel, white duvet. A trendy, one-armed lounge chair was nestled in the corner.

Across the front of the room was a one-piece unit that offered up ample space for drawers, workspace and the mini-bar.

The crowning glory of the room was the beautiful view of the Pacific Ocean. Whether it was from inside the room with the curtains drawn wide, or from the small balcony, the view is what sets Tower 23 apart from other boutique hotels.

The bathroom has a large shower, one sink and toilet; it is definitely not a bathroom that is large enough for two people. The towels were of a lower quality than the price of the room would lead you to expect. The amenities were H2O spa brand that helped me to forget about the less than plush towels.

The hotel offers beautiful robes but disappointingly, no slippers. One other thing missing was a nightstand on the right-hand side of the bed. There was a full-length mirror there but I missed having a nightstand.

Overall, the Ocean Front Room at Tower 23 was a pleasure I will not soon forget.

Room Service: Tower 23's room service has a great variety, except for their late night menu which only has six options, is fast, accurate and most importantly, very service oriented.

Late one afternoon we ordered their Dungeness Crab Cakes, which came with corn and huitlacoche salsa and their Steamed Little Neck Clams with garlic, chardonnay, herb butter and grilled French bread. It was hard to say which was best, the food or the sunset was.

Housekeeping: Through, complete and consistent, exactly want you want from housekeeping.

Restaurant: Jordan Restaurant or as they call it JRDN, is easily the best restaurant in Pacific Beach. They have seating both indoors and out on their patio. I only had the opportunity to try their brunch but from what I experienced there as well as from what I enjoyed from Room Service, I have no doubt their restaurant would be bombastic.

Overall Impression Tower 23 was a pure delight from check-in to just before check-out. The clerk at checkout was full of attitude and did put a negative twist on an over-all great stay.

I give Tower 23 a rating of bombastic based partially on the beautiful view but more for the responsive and friendly service. If you stay with the boutique, Tower 23 Hotel in Pacific Beach/San Diego, you will not be disappointed.

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