Price breaks at San Diego hotels can be hard to come by, but with a little digging you can find a deal. (Photo credit: James Blank) RELATED LINKS Return to San Diego City Guide

As in other popular travel destinations, San Diego hotels offer discounts in periods of low demand, but given the city's perpetually mild climate and robust convention business, there's no single season when discounts are widely available.

At the business-oriented downtown hotels, occupancy tends to be lowest on weekends and at times when the convention center is quiet. When planning your trip, check the convention center schedule (www.sdccc.org) and the San Diego Convention & Visitors Bureau events listings (www.sandiego.org) first. If no major events coincide with your visit, there's a good chance you'll find some attractive deals at downtown hotels, and special packages designed to fill rooms on weekend nights when business travelers are scarce.

Demand for leisure-oriented seaside accommodations tends to be highest in summer, on weekends and during holiday periods. Beach hotels frequently offer weekday discounts, particularly during the cooler winter months, so depending on the time and duration of your stay, it might make sense to spend the weekend downtown on a package deal, then transfer to a beach hotel to take advantage of lower weekday rates.