Why You Can’t Miss San Diego’s Famous Hotel Del Coronado for the Beach Vacation of Your Dreams
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San Diego is one of my favorite places in the world. It’s such a beautiful and relaxed city, with the pace set by surf and skateboard culture. Located on the beach, San Diego enjoys tons of sunshine (so much so that it’s nicknamed “Sunny San Diego”) and tons of outdoor activities.
Fun fact- I went to college and law school there! In total I lived in San Diego for 8.5 years, so it will always feel like a second home to me. It’s always a pleasure going back and revisiting fond memories.
Hotel Del Coronado, affectionately known as “The Del” is an absolutely breathtaking Victorian hotel built in 1887. It’s a historical landmark with more than a century worth of stories to tell. If you love historic, grand, luxurious hotels with a beachy vibe, this is the place for you.
Located right on a picturesque stretch of Coronado Beach, the Hotel Del is a sprawling resort with over 700 rooms and suites, full-service spa, three pools and incredible views.
Rooms – Some with A View
The rooms are all different, with plush oversized beds, large flat screen tv’s, and many offer beautiful ocean views. The hotel might be historic, but the rooms feature updated technology and modern decor. I highly suggest you request room with a balcony overlooking the beach, they all having rocking chairs that you can sit in and watch the waves rolls in.
Every night, we watched the sun as it set over the ocean, it’s out of this world amazing!
We stayed in the main portion of the building. Many of the hallways are decorated with beach umbrellas and grand curtains. The hotel’s elevator is vintage, with an attendant ready to help you.
The vintage elevator at the Hotel Del Coronado with an elevator attendant
Visiting the Hotel Del Coronado really feels like a blast from the past!
Pools
The Del has awesome poolside cabanas you can rent for the day. They’re equipped with comfy couches, a flat screen TV, a mini fridge with snacks, and bottle service.
It’s perfect for when you have a bigger group or come with kids and need a place to relax in the shade. Switching between the pool and cabana are one of my favorite vacation luxuries!
The Spa pool at the Hotel Del Coronado
Pools
The Del has awesome poolside cabanas you can rent for the day. They’re equipped with comfy couches, a flat screen TV, a mini fridge with snacks, and bottle service.
It’s perfect for when you have a bigger group or come with kids and need a place to relax in the shade. Switching between the pool and cabana are one of my favorite vacation luxuries!
You can also purchase water toys for the kids to have a little bit of extra fun if they get bored of just swimming around. We always bring our own pool toys, googles etc, but I love having them available just in case!
The Spa & Pool
What would an amazing resort be without an incredible spa? The Hotel Del Coronado has one of the most amazing spas I’ve ever visited, as it’s literally located on the beach. The services are absolutely top notch, and you can stay and enjoy the spa pool which is adults only.
That means I don’t get to visit it too often, but when I do, ahhhh!
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Kid’s Club
On our first day a the Hotel Del, Harper was hogging all of the purple pool noodles. Naturally another girl wanted to play with one, and my normally good sharer Harper was having none of that.
My husband struck up a conversation with this girl’s mom and then I started talking to her as well. She asked if our kid’s were attending Kidtopia that evening. I asked what that was and she said, it’s the incredible kid’s club, you have to check it out.
So check it out we did. Located right next to the pool, Kidtopia is a three-hour evening camp for kids that features dinner, activities like painting during themed nights like Mermaid and Pirate Night.
We immediately signed the kids up, as our kids really got along with the other family’s kids at the pool. They absolutely LOVED IT!
That night we met up with the other couple for dinner while the kids were at Kidtopia, and we continued this throughout the trip. One night we saw the kids playing soccer and tag from our room’s balcony as we watched the sunset. It was so nice to be able to relax and enjoy some time together on vacation while our kids also had a blast!
I know sometimes on vacation I need a mommy break, no shame in that. The kids get to play games, do crafts, and socialize with other kids at the resort. Harper and Grayson had a blast and didn’t want to leave when it was time to go!
Coronado Beach
On the beach, you can rent a daybed with full drinks and food service. This is a total MUST if you plan on staying at the beach all day! Having food and drinks delivered to your bed on the beach is the ultimate vacation vibe!
We had so much fun spending hours splashing around in the water and building sandcastles. Harper loves the beach, she’s a total mermaid.
Bike & Surrey Rentals
Another super fun outdoor activity are the bike rentals. We rented a surrey, which was SO FUN. They didn’t have an individual bike small enough for Harper, so we opted for the whole family to ride a surrey and it was a blast. Pedaling together encouraged teamwork amongst everyone and made it a serious bonding experience.
It was definitely better than if we all had our own bikes! Biking along the beach is one of my favorite things to do, but we don’t always get the chance to do it back home.
Food at the Del
The restaurants offered at Hotel Del Coronado are all delicious, of course. I’m doing Whole 30 right now which is so tough on vacation, but we made it work because there are so many options at the resort!
ENO is their pizza and wine bar, they have adorable fire pits if you plan to sit outside at night. So cute, we loved that.
Sheerwater is their AMAZING beachfront restaurant known for seafood, and both restaurants are equally yummy! We ate breakfast there daily, had dinner nightly, and the service is impeccable. Also the views are the BEST! You can watch the sun set, hear the waves crashing, all from your dining table!
We had the famous Sunday brunch in the Crown Room, which was to die for. First of all, this room is a sight to see. The architecture blows you away, it’s really grandeur. There are crown chandeliers hanging throughout the room that make it look so royal. This brunch is known for it’s extravagance, and it did not disappoint.
They have a gourmet Bloody Mary bar, made-to-order mimosas, and a spectacular candy and dessert bar. The menu itself is huge and will leave you feeling overwhelmed because you’ll want ALL of it!! No matter what you order, you can’t go wrong.
Ice Cream Shop
I almost forgot, The MooTime Creamery was a favorite for us! No trip to The Del is complete without an ice-cream cone, or a cup so you can fit more toppings! Harper and Gray love piling on any sort of candy, sprinkles, and whatever else they can find to make a crazy concoction.
Overall, we were blown away by our stay at The Del Coronado. It was an unforgettable experience that I loved sharing with my family. It’s a trip my kids will always remember.
The Del has a really unique feel and feels special in a way that other hotels don’t. I highly encourage you to stay here if you’re ever in the San Diego area, it really is a bucket list resort!
