After years of construction and quiet upgrades, the Sheraton San Diego Resort on Harbor Island is finally showing off its new waterfront Garden Terrace, the capstone to a property-wide overhaul. The outdoor venue brings a pool and open-air bar right to the edge of the bay and is being marketed for weddings, corporate receptions and other social gatherings. Resort leaders say the terrace is the final piece in a renovation that touched guest rooms, meeting spaces and dining across the harborfront campus.
Garden Terrace and What It Adds
According to LODGING Magazine, the new Garden Terrace marks the completion of a multi-year renovation that the outlet pegged at $123 million. The waterfront space is described at roughly 3,600 square feet and includes an outdoor bar and pool. LODGING also notes the terrace can host weddings for up to 300 guests and events for as many as 250 attendees.
"We are overjoyed to unveil the new Garden Terrace, which beautifully put the finishing touches on Sheraton San Diego’s impressive transformation," Sean Clancy, vice president and general manager, said as reported by LODGING Magazine.
Meeting Footprint and Capacities
For planners watching square footage as closely as the bar tab, industry venue listings show the resort offers about 132,367 square feet of flexible meeting and event space across ballrooms, terraces and lawns. That total is cataloged by Meetings & Conventions and other directories, positioning the Sheraton among Harbor Island's larger waterfront event sites.
The expanded outdoor inventory gives planners additional bayfront options that complement the property's indoor ballrooms and established catering capabilities, so receptions can flow from air-conditioned meetings to open-air sunsets without a venue change.
How the Renovation Unfolded
The overhaul traces back to Peregrine Hospitality’s 2019 acquisition of the resort and was rolled out in phases, with some work slowed by the pandemic, according to Meetings Today. That reporting described the multi-year project as roughly a $110 million effort, while other recent coverage lists different totals for the full program.
Press materials tied to the Marina Tower's November 2024 reopening say the tower now houses 717 refreshed guestrooms and suites, per a property release via EIN Presswire. Together with the new Garden Terrace, the updates are being framed as a full refresh of the Harbor Island mainstay rather than a simple cosmetic touch-up.
Dining and Refreshed Public Spaces
The renovation also brought in new dining concepts and reworked amenity spaces, including Rumorosa, Brewery X, Strada Italian Market, Shorelight and the Sunglow Cabana Bar, according to the hotel's listing. Marriott highlights three resort pools and updated lobbies that are designed to better connect guests to the bayfront setting.
Those additions are being pitched to both meeting planners, who gain more built-in catering and social spaces, and local diners looking for waterfront views without leaving Harbor Island.
What It Means for Weddings and Conventions
Planners who previewed the renovated resort praised the improved flow between large ballrooms and outdoor terraces and said the refreshed food-and-beverage lineup makes event logistics smoother, Meetings Today reported after MPI Southern California's [WE]Con took place at the property. The Garden Terrace gives couples an on-site waterfront ceremony option that can cut down on off-site transfers, while meeting buyers gain an alfresco reception space with built-in catering and AV support.
Local event pros say the combination of bayside access and proximity to San Diego International Airport could help the resort compete for more convention business that wants a resort feel without straying far from the terminal.
The Sheraton San Diego Resort sits on Harbor Island, minutes from San Diego International Airport, and its sales and events teams are now promoting the Garden Terrace for spring and summer bookings. For event specifications, floor plans and booking contacts, see the resort's official event listing on Marriott.
