In-Depth Review of the Hotel del Coronado in California - AFAR

"A reimagined Southern California beachfront Gilded-Age resort that completed a $550 million, six-year restoration of its National Historic Landmark main building, preserving the iconic red turret, stained-glass windows and many original details (parquet floors, a cut-crystal chandelier, restored oak paneling and a vintage-style birdcage elevator) while modernizing nearly every corner of the 136-year-old property. The vast estate offers 938 rooms across distinct neighborhoods—the Victorian (each room unique), gated Beach Village cottages and villas, beachfront Cabanas, the glass-railed Views tower and residential-style Shore House suites—where recent renovations lighten interiors while retaining historic touches; a Shore House two-bedroom example includes electric blinds, a Sub-Zero fridge, a large wine cooler, blue rugs, warm woods and an extended patio beneath palm trees. The dining scene ranges from a newly opened Nobu to standout on-site restaurants (notably a Veranda plate of halibut with olives, capers and lemon and Serẽa’s local-catch ceviche, spicy lobster rigatoni with Calabrian chili and swordfish piccata), plus a beachfront taco shack, Ocean Club (members/paid access), ENO Market and Pizzeria, an ice cream parlor, candy shop, the lively Sun Deck and the historic Babcock & Story Bar with its 50-foot mahogany bar; cocktails are inventive (try the kalamata dirty martini with feta-stuffed olives and truffle salt or an Old Fashioned with sage‑infused date syrup). Steeped in legend—where Marilyn Monroe was filmed, L. Frank Baum wrote parts of The Wizard of Oz and a Nixon state dinner once gathered Sinatra and John Wayne—the property leans into its past with an Ice House Museum, guided tours (a 90-minute Legendary Tour and a 60-minute Haunted Happenings for ages 12+), uncovered period features like an 1888 ceiling fresco and chandeliers tied to Baum. The vibe is festive and memory-focused, ideal for history buffs, families, milestone celebrations and quick SoCal getaways; staff handle high occupancy smoothly, and the resort is fully ADA compliant with hearing-impaired rooms, widened pathways and added ramps. Situated beachfront on Coronado peninsula across the bay from downtown San Diego, it’s also near a naval air station whose occasional flyovers excite aviation enthusiasts." - Tim Chester