The Dana on Mission Bay

Christina who was part of our experience from the beginning was wonderful to work with made everything seamless.  The food was good, the service was excellent!  And those bay views are to die for!  We loved it here and would choose this venue again and again!  We had a large size guest count and did a  buffet and they kept it moving with two lines and it was perfect!  Best wedding day!  We loved the Dana!

! The food was excellent too! I am always going to recommend this venue to everyone I know getting married!

lly looked at the Dana because the park has been a special place throughout our relationship but when we toured the hotel we immediately felt like it was the perfect place. Christina (the event coordinator) was so incredibly kind and welcoming and we felt like she genuinely cared about our experience, not just the business. She patiently guided us throughout the planning process with so much kindness and was even there guarding our table to make sure we ate at our reception. The food was delicious and we had so many compliments from our guests on everything from the hotel stay to the bartenders to every little detail. If you are considering the Dana for your wedding you should absolutely go for it! 100%

enues the Dana offered for lodging discounts for our guests. The Sunset Lawn ceremony location overlooking Mission Bay was beautiful. The in-house food served at at the event was delicious and The Dana went to great effort sure everyone's dietary needs were taken care of. Specifically, Christina (the Director of Catering) made sure the event ran seamlessly and was an excellent resource throughout the planning process. The Dana's staff were always professional and quick to serve, leading to many compliments from our guests. As the bride and groom, Christina ensured that our needs were taken care of, our preferences were always immediately available to us, and that we had the opportunity to enjoy all the food we selected. The Dana entirely managed food and drinks for the event, and offering multiple venues for the ceremony and reception on-site simplified logistics during the planning process. We strongly recommend using the Dana as a venue if you are looking to get married in San Diego.

is great, and we got so many compliments on how beautiful the venue is. Parking was the best I could find for all beach venues. Pricing was very transparent and reasonable for everything you get!

never choose to stay at the hotel again. PROS: - The Marina Garden at The Dana is by far the best outdoor reception venue I toured in San Diego. A lot of other waterfront hotel venues are more expensive, and their reception areas do not have a view of the water. The Marina Garden has a gorgeous view of sunset on the docks which made for perfect pictures. The grass was green, and the white rose bushes were blooming. It was amazing! - The venue also comes with so much! I loved the chiavari chairs they offered, and I didn’t have to rent tables, dishes, tablecloths, etc. They even had great seating and table options for the cocktail hour, so I didn’t have to have rental for that either. Christina helped us do a lot of different things to personalize our wedding and make it feel like ours! - The catering team at the Dana was awesome. Everyone raved about our food (we went with Polynesian buffet), especially the ginger beef. I’ve never had better wedding food, honestly. I’d say the only issue we had was some of the staff being rude to the groom and bridal party. A bit strange for such an expensive event! - Everything ran smoothly with the catering and reception. Nothing was late, passed apps were delicious, and everyone loved the drinks. People commented that the drinks were quite strong compared to the small pours you might get at other weddings. - The bathrooms were technically portables, but they were super nice! I think there was only a line once during the night because it was a transition time. But you could always walk to the lobby to use other bathrooms. - The location of The Dana is so perfect. It’s close to everything in San Diego, so not everyone needs to stay at the hotel. It’s easy to get to from anywhere, unlike a lot of waterfront venues in La Jolla or North County! - In terms of the cost for what you are getting, The Dana is much more affordable when you put it next to comparable venues. You really are getting so much for your money here. CONS: - We held our ceremony on the grass overlooking the bay on the Sunset Lawn. If you care a lot about your ceremony, I would not recommend this venue. For me, it was worth it because the reception venue was so amazing. There was trash everywhere The Dana property - all behind the seating for guests. Like old food that had been dumped out there, it was disgusting. I didn’t see it until it was too late! There were a ton of people on the public part of the grass, playing music and having parties. It was me and my husband who had to go around asking people to move so that we could take some portraits on the water. - When we toured the venue, Christina had shown us that when she comes in the morning the day of the wedding, she sets up a bunch of chairs and blankets out front to avoid this issue… basically to stake out the space. But Christina couldn't make it the day of our wedding. Whoever covered for her, did not seem to do this as there were a lot of people set up right out front. If someone had just let us know that Christina wasn’t there, I would’ve had my friends and family go out and stake out spots to avoid all the chaos, but no one let us know. - We had a ton of issues with the hotel in general. Only some of the rooms are redone - not all of them. The rest are old and rundown. The staff was rude to my family (paying tens of thousands of dollars to this place for our wedding). We heard that the staff at the hotel was rude to many of our guests staying there. The staff that was not rude, simply had no idea what was going on, as if they’d just been hired. - The room block was a mess, and led to a lot of issues leading up the wedding. It ended up being more expensive to book with the room block a year in advance than it was to book without the room block a week before the wedding. Yikes! - When we first put down our deposit, Christina had told us that we would be able to us USD family discounts on our room on top of the room black discounts. She later (once we paid our deposit) told us this wasn’t correct information. If I had to do this again, I would get a room block at any other hotel for my guests. I would not stay at this hotel ever again due to all the issues we had with them. I do not recommend staying here, especially for the price point on a summer weekend. - One big thing that caused a lot of unnecessary stress was that the bridal suite was not ready for us. We were assured it would be ready early. Instead, the staff seemed to clean all the other wedding guests’ rooms first (some of them got early check-ins), and did not clean the bridal suite early. They knew when our wedding rehearsal was, but the bridal suite was not ready until after our rehearsal started. So we brought all of our stuff to my parents’ room, got ready there, went to our rehearsal and Welcome Party, and then had to drag all of our stuff to the bridal suite and check into our room at about 10:00pm the night before our wedding. Again, if someone had just told us that our bridal suite would not be ready early like they said.. we would’ve made other arrangements. Seems strange that you’d have your staff clean all the other rooms first before cleaning the bridal suite.

r this reason. Christina was great at putting out (metaphorical) fires, contacting us quickly and helping coordinate with our other vendors. The only reason for the review to be 4/5 instead of 5/5 was for the people that work with Christina. For example, the front desk did not acknowledge us as the bride and groom when we checked in, did not provide our welcome bag that we paid for and had issues letting us into the getting ready room morning of the wedding, which was an unnecessary stressor on me as the bride. Additionally, the welcome bag had my last name spelled incorrectly, which Christina was able to quickly fix. The only other reason for the 4/5 is that the fish that we ordered for wedding reception was not how it was during our tasting trial. At the trial, it was moist, flavorful and full of sauce/cilantro. At the wedding itself, the fish was dried out and did not have much sauce. Disappointed, but not a deal breaker as everything else went swimmingly. Would book again regardless of the above comments

to finish, Christina flawlessly guided us through the process. I highly recommend the Dana for all of your wedding needs at a great price.

ith us when we had a million questions. We wish we could get married here a million times again, and cannot say enough good things about this hotel. Also, the staff was AMAZING, they were so helpful and our guests loved each of them. 100/10 would recommend the Dana as your wedding venue!!!

r wedding!

he perfect backdrop for our wedding ceremony. Guests were stunned at the beautiful views on a sunny August evening. We held the reception in the ballroom which was very convenient for guests to stay on property for the entire wedding. It comfortably seated 170 guests and had plenty of room for guests to party on the dance floor, enjoy dessert just outside in the courtyard, and grab a drink at the bar in the foyer. Christina made the planning process easy and the staff at the Dana were professional, timely, and responsive. Additionally, the Dana is conveniently located near the SAN airport and Old Town train station making it an ideal venue for guests traveling into San Diego. We were beyond thrilled with how everything turned out! We highly recommend!!

cial day was made even easier by Christina, the venue coordinator. When searching for our wedding venue, we wanted to find a place that was next to the water, had a gorgeous view, amazing food and had access or a partnership to provide nearby accommodations for our guests… The Dana had everything we wanted, and more! From the first meeting, Christina was THEE BEST! Very welcoming, organized and extremely communicative. There was not one email that went by unanswered. She always kept my husband and me on-track with our wedding preparations and ensured that all of our concerns and desires were met. Once our wedding day came, everything was AMAZING! Our guests not only raved about the delicious food (special shout-out to the chef and kitchen staff), as well as the cocktails and beverages (another shout-out to the bartending staff), but they could not stop commenting about the Dana overall. The resort staff were very accommodating and professional, and the rooms were comfortable and convenient for our out-of-town guests… I don’t think that we could have asked for anything more from a wedding venue. Thank you to Christina and the staff for helping us have the wedding of our dreams!

y Ballroom. The venue was absolutely gorgeous and the staff really made our dream wedding come to life. All of our guests, including ourselves, had the best time celebrating :)

d and accommodating. The bartenders Brad and Patti were the best both at the rehearsal dinner and the wedding. Everyone could not stop talking about how delicious the cocktails and appetizers were and they were always checking on us to make sure we were taken care of. Lastly our communication with Christina (lead coordinator) was great. We could tell she wanted us to have the best wedding possible and worked with us to make sure that happened.

ing everyone said we wouldn’t be able to do!

here, and it was the best decision! Our wedding day was nothing short of amazing thanks to Christina and her wonderful team! Communication is key for me and Christina was the best! Always answering my never ending questions quickly and with so much detail. She was beyond accommodating and so helpful. Many of our guests traveled to our wedding as it was a destination for my side and all of those who stayed at The Dana can not stop raving about it! They are all planning their next vacations. We truly could not have asked for a better location to celebrate our big day. Big shout out to the kitchen as well for absolutely delicious food! Our gusts were so impressed with everything from the appetizers, to dinner, to the late night sliders. Our signature cocktails were a huge hit and the bartenders were so fast! No one went thirsty. A HUGE thank you to Christina for being the most wonderful venue coordinator. Not a beat was missed and everyone could not stop talking about how wonderful all of the staff members were. I could not have done it without you! Truly the day of our dreams and the party of a lifetime. THANK YOU!

zoom. Christina allowed me to ship some boxes ahead of time and had them waiting there for me when I arrived. Our day of went so perfectly, there was not a moment I would change! The sunset lawn was the perfect backdrop and flowed so nicely over to the patio for cocktail hour. We chose to do the stations for our meal and I am still getting comments from guest that the food was the best they have ever had at a wedding. I’m so glad we went with the Dana and cannot recommend Christina and her team enough!

and cheese bar for the win!). Christina was amazing to work with throughout the entire process and made everything feel easy-going. We had an amazing wedding and couldn't have asked for a better place to celebrate!

e wedding. Everything was absolutely amazing right from the initial contact with Christina (who made our vision a reality and is a superstar!!) all the way until check out two days after the wedding. I could not have asked for a better place for us to host our wedding weekend. The service was spectacular, the food was amazing, our bartender Brad J was top notch! We received so many great compliments from our wedding party and guests. They totally went above and beyond in every aspect. We can’t wait to return to visit again!

Christina Gold began in part because of how responsive and kind they were, despite the busy year. Christina simply never dropped a ball, and she made us feel like we had an ally to planning our day. Upon a visit to view the resort, we were also struck by how helpful and warm their staff was – from Omar to Paul to Janessa to Vee to everyone on the breakfast crew –it was wonderful to hear our guests talk about how the staff made their stays so comfortable. On top of that, we really appreciated the extra measures they were taking to prevent the spread of Covid, as we had a few immunocompromised and older guests, and other hotels were definitely not in the same ballpark. Christina coordinated with our other vendors behind the scenes and took a lot of the logistics work off our plate so we could focus on more meaningful tasks. It was a great feeling to walk into our party and have absolute faith that Christina and her team would have everything handled so we could enjoy ourselves – and we did. It was also great to feel like the Dana’s packages and different options allowed us to prioritize our spending on exactly what we wanted and not on things we didn’t. There was never the dreaded ‘nickel and dimed’ feeling we’d heard about from other couples who faced surprise added costs or missed expectations. The Dana very much made us feel like we were their guests of honor, and that is also exceptional because we saw how many weddings they do! Finally, the Marina Garden outdoor setting we held our event in was lovely, and our suite’s view of the bay was spectacular. The vibe of the resort is laid back and relaxed. The hotel won a few loyal returnees from our guest list, and we ourselves look forward to making trips there to celebrate our anniversary in the future.

nd she was a joy to work with! She helped set up a venue tour with a friend since I live out of state, and she helped me feel so comfortable and confident with the venue that I booked it without even seeing it!! And then when my husband and I came to see the venue for ourselves, we fell in love. It is seriously feels like your own private oasis when you're there, and all of the wedding venues are beautiful. After my wedding date was contracted, I started working with Christina, who absolutely went above and beyond for every occasion. She managed to help keep us calm during the entire process because she had everything so under control, even despite us having to postpone our wedding and still have it during COVID. I can't thank Christina and her team enough for making sure we had the most beautiful and flawless wedding, better than we could have ever dreamed. We love the Dana and hope to come back to celebrate anniversaries in the future!

and stress-free. The venue was absolutely beautiful and I would not hesitate to have my wedding here again if given the chance to redo it. Thank you Dana on Mission Bay!

d buffet style receptions compared to other vendors we had visited. We also loved the tropical setting near the water. Originally, we had planned for a large dinner reception in the beautiful ballroom with floor to ceiling windows. In March 2020, the pandemic turned our world upside down and put our plans on hold. Thankfully, as the world started to re-open, Addy and Mariana were so flexible in adjusting our plans and putting in place additional safety measures for our wedding reception. Our reception ended up being in the outdoor Marina Garden and actually turned out better than we had originally planned and we are so thankful to have been able to have a small celebration with our family.

and energy. She was available and supportive (and her staff were too) throughout the 18 months we had between booking the Dana and actually hosting our wedding. Our wedding took place one week before the COVID-19 panic really kicked off, but we did have over 15 people cancel at the last minute. The Dana stayed super flexible with us rearranging seating charts and table assignments, and with our guests having to cancel rooms when they couldn’t come. The day of, Christina and her staff were there to support my vendors with anything they needed, and she popped in a few times to make sure I felt comfortable too. Her banquet staff did a wonderful job, and were very attentive to everything my husband and I needed! 10/10, would get married here again! Highly recommended for a waterfront wedding in San Diego!

the view of the bay and the palm trees was breathtaking. Our guests loved the scenery so much. Besides having our wedding at a gorgeous venue, it all wouldn’t have been possible without our venue coordinator Christina Gold. She worked so cohesively with all of my other vendors and my day of coordinator that the day was seamless. She was so quick to respond throughout the whole process, which as a busy bride, I appreciated so much. She helped execute our vision and made it come to life. The catering was absolutely delicious and everyone loved our plated entree selections and tray passed appetizers. Highly recommended The Dana for your future wedding venue!!

ated both the Hindu and Christian wedding ceremonies, and we nor our guests were disappointed with the accommodations. Aside from the great location, new facilities, free activities, and everything else that comes along with a nice resort, I wanted to highlight just a few reasons why I recommend this venue: **Communication – Cannot stress this one enough. The Sales Director (our Point of Contact) at the venue was one of the most professional and responsive contacts of any of our vendors. And for being the actual venue, this alleviated a lot of stressing knowing that she would always be there. And when she was not available, the other Sales Director was not only just as responsive, but also just as well up-to-date with our wedding where we didn’t skip a beat. I never had to re-explain anything, and they were on the top of their game. **Flexibility – Being that we were putting on a fusion wedding, we had lots of changes. From quite a few additional hours needed for the ceremony, to having a horse on premise, to a moving procession (Baraat) along the water, to changes in timeline and vendor setup; the venue was extremely flexible and accommodating. They also provided us with extra storage for our event items, their staff was always helpful and accommodating, and the venue overall provided anything we needed. **Only 1 Event per Day – This was a HUGE bonus. The Dana only has one wedding per day even though they have multiple ceremony and reception sites. Aside from this being beneficial for our guests, it was great for us as the wedding party since we had the entire grounds at our disposal for our pictures. It was also nice that we were not competing for storage space, or the bridal suite with another party. **Catering – One thing that I was concerned about with the venue was that they do not allow outside catering. And this was not anything unique about this venue. My only concern was that with a fusion wedding, I was concerned about the quality of the Indian food that they could create. However, not only were my wife and I blown away at the quality and authenticity of the flavors and dishes during our tasting; but my Indian family also reiterated the same after the wedding. And this was not only because the Chef is extremely talented, but he was very in tune to what we needed and wanted. He asked for any specific dishes and recipes, asked for you tube examples of techniques as suggested by my mom, and even provided us options of alternatives. In the end, they nailed it, and this was one of the biggest importance to me. I could go on and on, but as is clear from the above, I highly recommend The Dana on Mission Bay for your future wedding event. Simply reach out to either Christina Gold or Adrienne Hur…they will take care of you, walk you through the process, and take all your concerns away.

ations. Christina is phenomenal and basically acts as your own personal coordinator (even though a day of coordinator is required, which is totally worth it, FYI!). The venue grounds are so beautiful and they only hold 1 wedding at a time, therefore, you have access to the entire venue for your wedding for pictures, etc. You can seriously not go wrong choosing this location for your dream day! I wish I could go back and do it all over again!

mention. Christina even made sure not only that we had vegetarian options, but also a vegan plate for our guests. There was constant communication throughout the planning stages and the big day went so smoothly. My guests all told me it was the most beautiful wedding they had ever been to and I have The Dana to thank for that.

ng went so smoothly... Really couldn't have asked for more.

had the great opportunity to accompany my best friend since the beginning of the planning stages and as soon as we met Christina and toured the venue, we knew it was the one. From the beginning of the planning process, to the day of the wedding, every single thing was flawless. Thank you for making my best friend's dream wedding become a reality!

ent out of their way to bring me flip flops from the gift shop for free. I had no complaints when dancing late into the evening with my new shoes. A special thanks to that server for going above and beyond.