The Hotel del Coronado is located about 15 minutes outside of downtown San Diego in the adorable small town of (you guessed it!) Coronado.

Built in 1888, The Del has a lot of history and is probably most well-known for being the site of the film Some Like It Hot. Nowadays, it’s a lavishly gorgeous property perfect for your next Southern Californian getaway.

I’ve stayed at the Del twice now, so thought it was about time to write a complete review on this beauty!

HOTEL:

From an architectural standpoint, the Del is absolutely beautiful. A soaring turret, dark red roofs and white walls are all part of the Del’s trademark look.

 

The grounds are sprawling, the beach is clean & vast and the restaurants and bar are all open-air. There is a huge grass area between the hotel and the beach that you will most definitely witness a wedding ceremony on during your stay.

The hotel has two pools – a main one open to anybody and a smaller adults-only pool.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

I unfortunately forgot to take photos of the room while I was there, but they are spacious and clean. All rooms have balconies.

DINING:

1500 Ocean and Sheerwater are The Del’s most upscale restaurants. They are both open-air facing the ocean and are a must-eat for a couple nights of your stay.

ENO specializes in wood-fire pizzas and OMG are they good. I recommend dining outside here. Each table has a fire pit in the middle that is spectacular around 8 pm when the air is cooling down a bit.

The bars at the Del are fantastic as well. There’s an open-air indoor bar called Babcock & Story that is fabulous for wine and small plates, and a completely outdoor bar called Sunset Bar, which is (as the name suggests) great for sunset drinks before dinner.

The one critique I have of the dining at the Del is the lack of healthy grab-and-go options. While looking for a healthy breakfast option at their indoor café, I was disappointed to see that literally the only option I had among a smattering of large muffins and croissants was a (kind of pathetic) fruit cup. While craving a heathy salad at the adult pool, the only option I had was a Caesar salad, packaged in a plastic container, pulled pre-made from a fridge and accompanied by Ken’s Creamy Balsamic dressing. When I asked, they informed me they didn’t have balsamic vinegar and oil… Questionable.

For being so close to San Diego, I was surprised by this.

SERVICE:

The second time I stayed at the Del, I was with my mom and, when we shared with the concierge we were there for a “Mother-Daughter Weekend,” we were awarded a room upgrade. This is just one example of how the Del really shines in terms of customer service. The staff is attentive and kind, all working to make your stay the best it can be.

(Side-bar: Here’s a picture of my beautiful mama, who I love going on mother-daughter trips with)!

SPA:

The Del has an incredible spa! I enjoyed a seaweed wrap and 60-minute massage during my stay, and thoroughly enjoyed my entire experience.

When you purchase a spa treatment, you have day long access to the facilities! This means access to the opulent locker room (cucumber water, anyone??), hot tub, sauna and outdoor infinity pool.

OVERALL: 4/5 

The Del Coronado is great for a luxurious getaway with friends & family, but if you’re looking for a peaceful, serene or romantic getaway, I think you should look elsewhere! This is definitely a family/kid-friendly hotel.

---

Save this post:

Share this post: