Hotel del Coronado

The Bottom Line: An enchanting Victorian hotel built in 1888, the Hotel del Coronado is a popular wedding destination.

Guest Room and Rates: Some guest rooms are located in the original Victorian building, and overlook the ocean or the garden courtyard. Guest rooms are also located in the newer Ocean Tower and California Cabana buildings. See pictures of a guest room. Rooms start at $158.
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What's Special about the Hotel del Coronado: Built in 1888, this Victorian seaside hotel has a storied and romantic history. Presidents, movie stars and even a prince have stayed in this grand hotel over the last hundred years. The hotel once showcased modern technology such as telephones, electric lights and water pressure. Now, a cage elevator in the lobby hand-operated by an attendant is a throwback to the past. The modern-day Del is a romantic setting that nonetheless offers activities for family members of all ages. See pictures

Historic Guests of the Hotel del Coronado: The comedy film "Some Like It Hot," starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, was filmed at the Hotel del Coronado's beach in 1958. L. Frank Baum, the author of "The Wizard of Oz" books, was a frequent guest of the Hotel del Coronado. and designed the crown-shaped chandeliers in the hotel's formal dining room. Other guests included England's Prince of Wales (who may have met his legendary love, Wallis Simpson, there), and a list of movie stars too numerous to mention.

Haunted History: The hotel is believed to be haunted by the ghost of young Kate Morgan. I recently visited the hotel looking for ghosts.

Recreation: Guests have a number of recreation options, enhanced by the year-round perfection of Southern California weather. Guests can enjoy swimming, kayaking, surfing, fishing, yoga, tennis, golf and bicycling, with lessons offered for all ages. Guests can rent sailboats, water skis, jet skis and paddleboats. A full service spa offers treatments and fitness classes.

The Del offers supervised children's program, and is one of the few West Coast resorts to offer a full slate of programs for teenagers.

Weddings at the Hotel del Coronado: Without its signature red roof, the Del would resemble a wedding cake with its ornate white architecture. Its gardens, interiors and beaches provide a romantic setting for weddings, the Travel Channel named the hotel the #1 destination for weddings in the United States.

Location:
Beachfront hotel on a peninsula across the bay from San Diego, about 14 miles from San Diego International Airport and 120 miles south of Los Angeles. Coronado's beach was named the #2 beach in the United States by the Travel Channel. Compare Flights

Contact the Hotel del Coronado:
1500 Orange Avenue
Coronado, California 92118
phone: 619.522.8000, 800.HOTEL.DEL; fax: 619.522.8262
email: delinquiries@hoteldel.com
web site: Hotel del Coronado

Guest Reviews of Hotel del Coronado:
(average guest rating: 5 out of 5)

• "The Del is a spectacular place to stay. Everything is great -- from the view of the ocean and the stores and the restaurants to the great rooms. I truly felt like royalty!!"
  5 out of 5 -- Betsy Gerrity, visited August 2005
  

Have you stayed in the Hotel del Coronado? What did you think? Rant and rave.