Average at best.
We stayed at the Avenue one night. The only bright spot was the bed. The bed was wonderful, very comfortable. The rooms are dated, clean, but dated. We had a Groupon for a suite which made the hotel a little more palatable, had I paid the full rate I would have been very disappointed. There are plenty of other options in the same price range. 
The front desk attendant seemed disgusted that we asked if our room was ready prior to the 3 pm check-in. It was a simple question, no need to get upset. The staff at the Hotel Palomar have had my room ready as early as 9 am. The door man was slow and strange, hovering around as if we should tip him for opening the door for our stroller. 
Upon checkout (this time the front desk attendant was very nice), we got to witness the valet take a customers vehicle and proceed to spin out and squeal the tires around every turn as they made their way up the parking garage. I thought valets only drove like that in movies, obviously I was wrong. When the valet returned with our car he also hovered around expecting a tip. I wish I would have told him he wasn't getting a tip due to how his co-worker was driving, but I didn't. I will not return to the Crowne Plaza, it was average at best. Certainly not the caliber of hotel I expect in this neighborhood.