Hotel Review: The Hotel Del Coronado

As you drive across the Coronado Bridge from San Diego to Coronado, the telltale orange gables of the Hotel del Coronado soon come into view and then slip back out again. In this brief instant, you’ve just had your first glimpse of the breathtaking “Hotel Del.” Soon, you’ll be on the manmade island of Coronado winding your way through the charming residential streets past multimillion dollar homes and upscale restaurants. Within minutes, there it is: a sight to behold, the Hotel del Coronado.

The Hotel del Coronado has a rich history filled with famous guests, Hollywood movie stars frolicking across the silver screen in movies such as Some Like it Hot, and even a few ghosts. The Hotel Del is a gorgeous, one-of-a-kind landmark that lives up to its legendary status. As you step across the threshold, you are immediately transported back to Victorian times.

Victorian splendor is the overriding theme with a funky, casual back beat that gives the Hotel Del an accessible feeling, not a stuffy one. Families with children are just as welcome, and treated just as well, as VIPs at the Del. The hotel features an old-fashioned elevator that takes you down into a unique shopping area or up to the main building’s Victorian rooms.

Each room is unique and tastefully appointed. Choose from ocean view or courtyard view rooms in the main building or opt for more modern accommodations in the Hotel del Coronado’s Ocean Towers, California Cabanas, or the new Beach Village cottages. With over 750 rooms, 65 suites, 78 villas and cottages, and six restaurants, the hotel is massive.

While the size, stature, and architecture of the Hotel del Coronado are impressive, the location is second to none. The Hotel del Coronado is set on 28 oceanfront acres featuring a stunning, wide white sand beach. While many southern California beaches are rocky with thin strips of sand and lots of people, this beach is the exact opposite with plenty of room to roam. If you visit in the winter, plan on spending a few hours on the ice! Each year, the Hotel del Coronado sets up an outdoor ice rink where you can ice skate just steps away from the Pacific Ocean.

The Hotel del Coronado, with its charming Victorian architecture and over a century of history, is a full service resort with all of the amenities one would expect of a four or five star resort including: high speed Internet access, spa services, gourmet restaurants, bars, pools, water sports, programs for children, bicycle rentals, gym, laundry service, room service, and concierge service.