It has been a surprisingly long time since any of the Andrew Harper editors have taken a trip to the San Diego region. But I was ready to feel an ocean breeze again, hike the coastal bluffs and play some tennis. So I made a plan. I would land in San Diego, head straight for La Jolla and drive up the Pacific Coast Highway to Carlsbad. Along the way I’d visit five hotels: a longtime member favorite, two that had recently been refurbished, a brand-new property and one that we dropped but might have renewed promise.