Add me the list of guys who hate hobbying downtown. Last week I tried to rendezvous with someone at her incall at a major convention hotel. The girl said she liked it because she felt comfortable there. The date was set for 6:30pm. Despite leaving Solana Beach with an hour to spare I barely made it downtown and off the freeway in time. Had no idea where to park. Stumbled across a good spot probably because someone had just left it. The girl texted that she running late, and then texted again she was running late, and then she texted she was still running late. She of course had not even begun to check in. One of her texts implied the hotel was fifteen away from her home. I don't know if that was with or without rush hour traffic. In any case the date blew up when I bailed after an hour wait. My window of opportunity had evaporated. Things I learned. 1. Never try to schedule anything downtown anywhere near rush hour. 2. Never try to schedule anything without plenty of pad. 3. Never try to schedule anything downtown anyway.
Much prefer carmel valley. Easier to get to. Tons of free parking.
Can't do much about a provider who's an hour late, but I would never plan to drive downtown after 3pm or before 7pm. Street parking is often free after 6 and some lots have reduced rates in the evening, if you know where to look. It's on you to scope out parking or ask the provider if she knows a good spot. I jump on google maps as soon as the girl confirms a location, so I can scope out parking if I don't want to park at the hotel lot.
I actually like the big (Busy) hotels too. It's easier to be invisible in a crowd.
I hope this provider offered something more than "sorry about that" for basically standing you up.
However, I'm in The East Village of The Gaslamp District,
where it's not as congested as it is near all of the hotels.
My guests usually find either metered street parking,
or a convenient lot or two down the street, without
considerable hassle.
Admittedly, during baseball season, when the Padres play of course,
parking everywhere can be a bit tricky.
It's all in the forethought and planning, which makes
a visit downtown usually enjoyable.
@Phi68psi, you are quite generous Sir that you would allow someone
to delay you three times, and yet you still waited an hour!
Personally after 15-20 minutes, I would've bailed!
However, you are a kind gentlemen, and patient too!
I've changed appointment times before due to emergencies, though
with plenty of notice. It just worked out that way.
I have also been delayed 5 minutes, only twice due to the cancellation
of an Uber driver. {which I've come to find out happens frequently}
Other than that one time, I wouldn't even think to make my
guests wait beyond 15-20 minutes.
With the influx of weekly Conventions occurring Downtown,
Mission Valley, and Carmel Valley, not to mention,
the procession up and down the 5, to OC and LA, for some whom
work up there, but reside here, one little fender-bender, can falter
any plans.
The freeways both the 5, 805, & the 15, not to mention the 52 and the 78
should always be driven with time to spare.
Someday we shall all look down upon the city, from our "Jetsons" contraptions,
or teleport to our destinations.
Thus we'll be discussing near misses, instead of the
woes of Downtown adventures.
Have a lovely evening all .....relax and just breathe..
xoxo Angelina Jones
Never had an issue with parking down town.
Perhaps because, most my dates are in Hotels where there's more than enough parking for visitors or valet parking.
Oxox
For $40. I parked in a public garage for $15 until 11. I was still out that.
with downtown areas. LA is the same way.
When I hobby in SD, I look for providers in Mission Valley or UTC La Jolla. I'm coming from the North (for me, OC) like you and it just adds to the stress to try to have to get all the way downtown, which gives me a bad attitude that affects the session and my perception of the experience with that provider. I just don't do it anymore. Haven't for several years. It doesn't matter who the provider is. Downtown is a no-go zone for me.
About a year ago I was staying downtown with the express intention of visiting a couple of downtown providers. I am from out of town and driving was unnecessary on this trip. I stayed at a hotel on 6th. Three days after I was to leave after having only visited two different providers, I twisted my ankle walking back from Panera. Later that afternoon I came down with a terrible cold that lasted the duration of the trip. Never did get in any more provider visits even though I was only 2 blocks from one of them! I could literally sit in my hotel room, look out my window and easily see her condo building. Talk about frustrating!
Girls that book downtown are rarely locals, and are often looking to engage our plentiful tourists, at vacation-resort prices, so seeing them is much like going to a touristy restaurant in hopes of having a great dinner....
Add in the ridiculous parking rates and traffic issues to the tour-bus experience, and I vote NO.