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Hotels in Del Mar, California, offer visitors the best of San Diego, including proximity to a popular beach, fantastic dining and boutique shopping, nearby hiking, and other outdoor activities.
Visitors, as well as locals looking for staycations, choose Del Mar hotels also for their charm.
Del Mar is a small beach city about 20 miles north of San Diego. East of its zip code is a section loosely referred to as East Del Mar, Del Mar Heights, or Carmel Valley. I mention a few hotels here.
Speaking of location, Del Mar’s is central with easy freeway access (though you’ll need to avoid rush hour) to popular attractions including the San Diego Zoo, Balboa Park, and the Gaslamp Quarter in the south to LEGOLAND, Carlsbad, and the San Diego Zoo Safari Park in the north — if you can bear to leave one of these hotels.
1. Fairmont Grand Del Mar
Hotel class: Luxury (one of the best in San Diego)
Location: 5300 Grand Del Mar Ct, San Diego, CA 92130 (East Del Mar)
Reminiscent of a luxury Mediterranean estate, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar is located on 400 acres in the Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve, just a few miles from the Pacific Ocean on Del Mar’s east side.
The hotel is a AAA Five Diamond and Forbes Five-Star property, one of the best luxury hotels in San Diego.
It’s the largest resort on this list. It offers the widest range of amenities of any property on this list, including a Tom Fazio-designed private golf course, an award-winning luxury spa, four pools, and San Diego’s only three-Michelin-starred restaurant, Addison.
Fairmont Grand Del Mar is also a very popular San Diego family hotel with its Explorer’s Club, a year-round supervised kids’ club, a main pool with underwater music, pickleball and padel courts, and tennis.
Guests take advantage of complimentary transportation to the Del Mar beach at 18th Street, one of the best San Diego beaches, which provides guests with beach chairs, umbrellas, towels, and bottled water.
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Reservations with VIP Amenities
You have access to our HERA/Virtuoso amenities, including breakfast for two, an activity credit, and more.
When booking Fairmont on Virtuoso.com use only the number of adults traveling to get the correct rates. Kids may otherwise be priced as adults. We will add them after we follow up to collect your arrival details.
2. L’Auberge Del Mar
Hotel class: Luxury
Location: 1540 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
L’Auberge Del Mar is one of the most desirable hotels in Del Mar if you want a refined hotel experience with restaurants and shops within walking distance and a location across the street from the beach.
It’s on my list of best San Diego beach hotels thanks to a private walking path that provides direct beach access. The resort fee gives guests access to beach gear and, seasonally, a beach valet who will set up chairs and umbrellas for guests.
Rooms have minibars, coffeemakers, plush bathrobes, marble bathrooms, and private patios or balconies, with some partial ocean views.
Dining is a big draw here, with Adelaide’s ocean-view patio and The Living Room bar creating a lively, social atmosphere. The hotel also sits across the street from Del Mar Plaza and is extremely pet-friendly, including a menu just for dogs.
You can also use lit tennis courts with equipment rental, beach cruisers, a 24-hour fitness center, and a complimentary shuttle within about a two-mile radius to other things to do in Del Mar or adjacent Solana Beach. The spa is also fantastic.
Good to Know
Reservations with VIP Amenities
We can book you in as a Virtuoso guest with these amenities at no extra cost to you:
*When searching rates, do not input children ages 17 and under as they will be priced as adults. I’m notified when you book and will add them after I contact you about your reservation.
3. Del Mar Beach Hotel
Hotel Class: Moderate (for beachfront)
Location: 1702 Coast Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014
Del Mar Beach Hotel is one of the only hotels in Del Mar that is truly on the sand. You can step outside and be on the beach in seconds, which is the entire point of staying here.
It is a small, casual beachfront hotel with newly renovated rooms, a private oceanfront sun deck, and a laid-back, beach-house feel. The experience is about location rather than resort amenities.
Parking is complimentary, which is rare this close to the beach in Del Mar. The hotel provides beach chairs, towels, umbrellas, and boogie boards. Guests also receive a complimentary welcome drink from the hotel’s wine dispenser, which is a fun and memorable touch.
Some rooms have full ocean views, while others face inland, so room selection matters. You can also order to go from the Poseidon restaurant next door (which I love).
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4. Wave Crest Resort
Hotel class: Budget
Location: 1400 Ocean Avenue, Del Mar, CA 92014
Wave Crest Resort sits on the bluffs above the Pacific, with the ocean below and Del Mar Village just inland. It’s one of those places where the location does most of the work. You’re close to the beach, close to town, and don’t need a car to enjoy either.
This isn’t a traditional hotel. Wave Crest is a small residential community with vacation rentals, offering studios, one- and two-bedroom suites, and bungalows. Every unit has an ocean view, which is a big part of why people choose it.
Each unit includes a simple kitchenette with a microwave, minirefrigerator, and coffeemaker, making it a practical option for longer stays or travelers who like a little flexibility.
There’s also an outdoor pool and hot tub surrounded by mature landscaping, along with a 24-hour front desk. A walking trail leads down to the beach from the bluff, and Del Mar Village’s shops and restaurants are about two blocks away.
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5. Hotel Indigo San Diego Del Mar
Hotel class: Moderate
Location: 710 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
The boutique Hotel Indigo San Diego Del Mar embraces Del Mar’s ocean and horse racing cultures. The hotel features a spa offering marine-centric therapies, including massages, wraps, and facials, while the Ocean View Bar & Grille serves locally inspired dishes and beers.
The hotel has a main outdoor pool and a smaller secondary pool, both set on a compact pool deck. The hotel is about a 15-minute walk to Del Mar Plaza restaurants and the popular Del Mar City Beach.
Hotel Indigo is pet-friendly with a small, non-refundable fee, which is a major plus since guests can visit nearby Del Mar Dog Beach.
Guest rooms include standard and premium rooms, as well as suites. Some rooms feature private balconies and ocean views. Amenities include Aveda bath products, local California coffee, and complimentary Wi-Fi.
Additional amenities include 24-hour fitness and business centers, and on-site self-parking in either the hotel’s surface lot or underground garage (fees may apply depending on season or package).
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6. Best Western Premier Hotel Del Mar
Hotel class: Budget
Location: 720 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
There aren’t many hotels in Del Mar, CA, on the beach, but the Best Western Premier Hotel Del Mar sits within a short walk of the sand and surf. The quaint boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries of Del Mar Village are also steps away.
All Best Western Premier Hotel Del Mar guestrooms have been recently renovated and feature premium Serta mattresses and designer bedding, large HDTVs, coffeemakers, complimentary Wi-Fi, minirefrigerators, and balconies overlooking the resort-style garden and pool. Some rooms have ocean views.
Cafe Del Mar, the hotel’s on-site restaurant and lounge, serves local California fare and features ocean views. Guests can book packages that include surfing or water sports options, and they can also help arrange golf packages at nearby Torrey Pines.
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7. Hilton San Diego/Del Mar
Hotel class: Moderate
Location: 15575 Jimmy Durante Blvd, Del Mar, CA 92014
Hilton San Diego/Del Mar benefits from a convenient location adjacent to the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds, as well as several other conveniences within walking distance.
There’s Pelly’s minigolf next door, The Fish Market restaurant, Pamplemousse restaurant (another local favorite), and even Viewpoint Brewing, which is still walkable though a little further afield.
Guests also enjoy the property’s outdoor space, which features a heated pool and two hot tubs, as well as CoastalKitchen, the on-site restaurant offering outdoor dining, cozy fire pits, daily happy hour specials, live music, and brunch on weekends.
Hilton San Diego/Del Mar is also dog-friendly with a designated dog run and a welcome gift for pets.
Guestrooms feature Serenity beds and complimentary Wi-Fi, and upgraded rooms are available with patios or balconies. It’s just off the I-5 freeway, making it convenient for getting to the rest of San Diego (most of the time). It is not walkable to the beach.
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8. Secret Garden Inn
Hotel class: Moderate in peak season / budget in off-peak season
Location: 1140 Camino Del Mar, Del Mar, CA 92014
This hidden gem in Del Mar has just five guestrooms but offers an abundance of character. The Secret Garden Inn has a fantastic central location in the heart of Del Mar’s shopping and dining scene, within a short walk of the beach.
No guest room at the Secret Garden Inn is the same. For example, the Rose Room features a whirlpool tub and a private balcony with a partial ocean view, while the Penthouse is a two-bedroom unit with a large ocean-view patio, an outdoor jacuzzi, and a fireplace.
The inn’s lush courtyard can also be reserved for private parties or special events, making it a popular choice for intimate celebrations.
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9. San Diego Marriott Del Mar
Hotel class: Moderate
Location: 11966 El Camino Real, San Diego, CA 92130 (East Del Mar)
San Diego Marriott Del Mar is a top choice among hotels in Del Mar for Marriott Bonvoy members and business travelers.
It’s not close to much that tourists would enjoy, which is why it’s not ranked higher on this list. This hotel is just east of the I-5 freeway in a little Carmel Valley industrial pocket, which is excellent for commuters, though you can drive on surface streets to Torrey Pines State Nature Reserve, Del Mar Village, and nearby beaches.
Guest rooms feature hardwood floors, premium mattresses and bedding, in-room Netflix streaming on large flat-screen TVs, iHome docks, Wi-Fi, and workstations. Wellness amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, an outdoor heated pool, and a hot tub.
Arterra restaurant serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner, with decent sushi. It’s popular for happy hour with people who work in the adjacent office buildings.
You can bring pets, though restrictions apply. I’ve stayed here, and the rooms are nice.
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10. Tempo by Hilton San Diego Del Mar (Coming Soon)
Hotel class: Moderate / Lifestyle
Address: 3510 Valley Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92130
Opening in spring 2026, Tempo by Hilton San Diego Del Mar is one of the newest hotel additions to the Del Mar area.
This modern, lifestyle-oriented property focuses on contemporary design and wellness-forward amenities.
The hotel is located east of Del Mar Village in Carmel Valley, offering relatively easy access to the beach, the Del Mar Racetrack and Fairgrounds, Torrey Pines, and nearby business and dining hubs—all by car.
Because the hotel is not yet open, amenities and experiences may evolve ahead of launch.
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Still need help? Browse reviews and best in class lists of San Diego hotels.
Katie Dillon
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