When you’ve earned so many awards and accolades that you have to categorize them by type, you know you’re something special. Hotel del Coronado has been named to such an array of “Best of” or “Top” lists in just the last five years that it’s hard to keep track of them all. From “Top 10 Resorts in the World” to “America’s Top Ten Beaches” to “Best Wine Bar” to “#1 Best Place in the U.S. to Get Married” – these only scratch the surface of the praise heaped upon the hotel that locals lovingly refer to as The Del. It certainly piques the curiosity if you’ve never stayed here. What is all the fuss about anyway?
Since it opened in 1888, the manifestation of an extravagant dream, the iconic, red-roofed Hotel del Coronado has been hosting and entertaining Presidents, celebrities, royalty, and other guests from all over the world in comfortable seaside sophistication. You can learn about the storied past of this majestic Victorian beach resort by taking a Hotel Del Coronado Walking Tour, or delving deeply into its glamorous history, but nothing will take the place of experiencing the hotel firsthand and adding your own story to its long history.
Having been chosen a top family resort by the likes of Condé Nast, Travel + Leisure Family Magazine, and San Diego Family Magazine, The Del is no doubt a great beach resort for vacationing families. The Travel Channel, Ranch & Coast, and Wedding Wire have all picked Hotel Del as a premier wedding venue, so you know the magic of love is in the air for couples. With over 15 food and beverage awards and luxury indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, it’s definitely good for business too – especially yours.
Hotel del Coronado Rooms and Suites
There are numerous types of rooms and suites to choose from in The Del’s three buildings. After an $8 million room renovation in the Victorian Building in 2012, Victorian Rooms, Junior Suites, Junior Suites with Ocean Views, Victorian Suites, Signature Suites, spacious Crown Suites, and large family-size Octopus suites are exclusive to the hotel’s original building. Victorian rooms have one queen bed and are meant for one to two guests.
Junior Suites and Junior Suites with Ocean Views have an open floor plan and come with either one king or two queen beds, and a sitting area with a queen sofa bed. Some have balconies. Victorian Suites are large and have a king bed in the bedroom and a queen sofa bed in the separate living room. Guests have either garden views or views of Glorietta Bay. Signature Suites also have a king bed in the bedroom, and queen sofa bed in a separate living room. Additionally, they have a separate dining room and ocean views.
Octopus Suites were a new addition during the 2012 room renovation. They’re two-bedroom, two-bathroom family suites on the ground floor; they average 750 square feet. The master bedroom has a king bed and the blue-colored kids’ room is ocean-inspired with bunk beds, bean bag chairs, toys, and video games. The separate living room also has a queen sofa bed. The Crown Suite is 1200 square feet and has two bedrooms with a king bed in one and two queen beds in the other. There are two queen sofa beds, a large dining table and entertainment area in the separate living room, and views of Glorietta Bay.
All rooms and suites in the Victorian building have subtle color palettes and blend the hotel’s Queen Anne architecture with modern and tasteful seaside décor. Individual room and suite sizes in this building vary in size due to the unique architecture of the original historic building.
The Ocean Towers building houses Resort Parlor Suites, Resort Suites with Coastal Views, and Resort Suites with Ocean Views exclusively. All three are located on the top floor of the Ocean Towers building. The spacious one-bedroom suites have a king bed in the bedroom, and a separate living room has a queen sofa bed, wet bar, and balcony. Resort Parlor Suites overlook the resort and Coronado neighborhood. Resort Suites with Coastal Views offer stunning California coastline views from the balcony, and Resort Suites with Ocean Views provide two balconies overlooking the Pacific Ocean.
In addition to these specialty rooms and suites, Hotel del Coronado also provides three other room options that are located throughout the resort in the Victorian Building, Ocean Towers, or California Cabanas. Since rooms are assigned at check-in, make your choice known if you prefer a particular location on the 28-acre resort.
Resort Rooms, Coastal View Rooms, and Ocean View Rooms all have either a king or two queen beds. Resort Rooms provide guests with various views depending on location, Coastal View and Ocean View rooms are self-explanatory. Remember that when these rooms are in the Victorian building, they vary by size due to the historic architecture and do not have patios or balconies. Resort Rooms in both Ocean Towers and California Cabanas have either a balcony or patio.
Room and suite amenities at Hotel del Coronado include HDTV with HBO, in-room Wi-Fi, mini-fridge, in-room Keurig coffeemaker with complimentary coffee and tea, The Del’s signature line of spa products, and welcome bottled water. Complimentary turndown service, cribs, pack ‘n’ plays, toddler beds, and childproofing kits are all available upon request.
Note: Exclusive, luxury accommodations are also available at Hotel del Coronado’s Beach Village at The Del Cottages & Villas.
Hotel del Coronado Amenities
From fine dining at Hotel del Coronado’s signature 1500 Ocean Restaurant to poolside ice cream, there is something for every appetite. 1500 Ocean Restaurant in the Victorian building serves California cuisine with stunning ocean views. Sheerwater, located in the Ocean Tower, is a bistro-style restaurant; ENO Pizzeria & Wine Bar serves artisan pizzas, small plates, rare cheeses, chocolate, and of course, wine. Sun Deck Bar & Grill, which is only open during high season, grills up entrées served with summer cocktails.
You can sip craft cocktails and enjoy small bites at the original 46-foot mahogany bar that made its way around Cape Horn to land at Babcock & Story Bar and Bakery, or join in the uber-popular Sunday Brunch in the Crown Room. Sip specialty drinks and enjoy appetizers at outdoor Sunset Bar while watching flaming sunsets, then warming by fire pits when the sun goes down. Splash Bar & Deli serves sandwiches poolside, MooTime Creamery has your ice cream cravings covered, Boardwalk Café has smoothies for breakfast and lunch, and Del Beach Bar, open during high season, serves snacks and cocktails beachside.
The list of hotel amenities at Hotel del Coronado is ridiculously long and includes 17 hotel shops and boutiques. This is where you go to be pampered and relax. The full-service Spa at The Del provides a complete menu of relaxing spa treatments, massages, and beauty therapies; it also features relaxation rooms, locker rooms, and a private outdoor terrace with a serene vanishing edge pool. Salon at The Del specializes in cuts, colors, and highlights, mani-pedis, pre-wedding services, and more. They use eco-friendly products like Eufora, SpaRitual, and men’s Hero products. Guests also have access to a complimentary 24-hour fitness center with fitness classes.
Kidtopia Camp is designated for guests ages four to 12. Painted in bright colors with underwater murals and featuring beach-themed playrooms and craft rooms, it’s a fun place for the kids to hang out for a few hours while you shop, sunbathe, or have other adult time. Kidtopia includes entertainment stations with computers and video games, a Dance Dance Revolution game, funhouse mirrors, and movie media. Three-hour camps that include either lunch or dinner make full use of the outdoors too with sandcastle contests, beach Olympics, scavenger hunts, luaus, and bonfires. Kidtopia also provides boogie board rentals to kids.
Hotel del Coronado resort fees provide an array of amenities, which include two swimming pools – one with a swim up bar, and a hot tub, poolside cabanas, the fitness center, yoga and surfing lessons, beach towels, and Jacuzzis and steam rooms in the spa. Fees apply to supervised kids’ activities and babysitting services, Del Beach luxury lounge chairs, umbrellas, cabanettes, and beach beds with food and drink service, and boogie board, volley ball, wet suit and surfboard rentals.
Other hotel amenities include the downloadable My Hotel Del smartphone app to help guests easily request services and plan activities. Guests can enjoy concierge services, paid child care services provided by licensed and bonded professionals with CPR certification, paid transportation services by limo, taxi, or Uber, Hertz rental car service, and paid overnight self-parking and valet parking. Laundry and dry cleaning services, and guest e-mail and fax services are also available. There is a full-service, on-site Fed-Ex Center for more demanding business needs.
When your dog or cat vacations with you at Hotel del Coronado, they are treated as valued guests too. Pet amenities for your furry friends include a gourmet room service menu prepared by hotel chefs, welcome treats upon arrival, water and food bowls, placemats, kitty scratching pads, and waste bags and/or littler boxes. Specialized bedding, crates, collars, and leashes are also available during your pet’s stay. If you happen to be staying on a Sunday, your dog can join “Yappy Hour” where complimentary Evian and “yappetizers” are served, while you enjoy a pet-inspired drink of your own like a Salty Dog, Greyhound, or Hair of the Dog. Pet-walking, pet-sitting, dog grooming, and veterinary services are also available to your pet at The Del, if requested. As your pet’s traveling companion, you’ll receive a pet-friendly guide of Coronado Island, including directions to Dog Beach.
Hotel del Coronado is one of only two resorts in San Diego to be Green Seal Certified. The Green Seal Standard for Hotels and Lodging Properties holds hotels to stringent standards in water conservation, energy efficiency, waste management, and other green initiatives. The Del invites guests to collaborate by minimizing water consumption, reusing towels, and turning off air conditioning and lights when out of the room. They utilize over 20 green initiatives including robust recycling practices that partner with organizations like Clean the World, A&E Textile Recovery, and the Forest Stewardship Council.
Note: There is a nonrefundable cleaning fee plus other restrictions pertaining to pets. Be sure to visit the hotel’s website and read the pet policy before booking your accommodations.
Hotel del Coronado Neighborhood
Hotel del Coronado has the absolute best beach location in all of San Diego County. It sits on one end of Coronado Central Beach, San Diego’s award-winning and only truly white sand beach. The hotel is across the street from Glorietta Bay, the island’s watersports hot spot, which is in turn adjacent to the Coronado Golf Course. The Del is also at the end of Orange Avenue, the island’s retail and entertainment hub with cafés and restaurants, theaters, museums, and boutique shops. At the opposite end of the island is Ferry Landing with more shops and, of course, the ferry to Downtown San Diego.
Hotel del Coronado Promotions
Hotel del Coronado offers a number of promotional packages. Past offers have included valuable perks like $100 off spa treatments, complimentary valet parking, complimentary personal concierge service, or $100 resort credits. Check the website for the latest specials and packages.