The Travel Channel ranked Coronado Central Beach as one of the top 10 beaches in the USA. It’s certainly one of my favorite San Diego beaches and I can’t think of a better place to park yourself, whether you live in San Diego or are traveling from afar.
Coronado has wonderful accommodations to choose from in all price ranges, but we recently enjoyed a two-night stay at the Coronado Beach Resort, located right across the street from Hotel del Coronado and Coronado Central Beach.
See also: 20 Best Things to Do in Coronado
About the Coronado Beach Resort
It was summer, a busy time in Coronado, and I was grateful to quickly pull into the garage at the Coronado Beach Resort and find easy parking. We checked in and headed up to our condo to literally throw our stuff down and hit the beach.
Coronado Beach Resort condos are timeshares, but you don’t have to own one to stay there. Choose between studio, one and two bedroom condos equipped with fully-stocked kitchenettes. Amenities in our two-bedroom included:
- free WiFi
- large refrigerator
- microwave
- dishwasher
- toaster
- coffee maker with coffee
- dishes, glassware, pots and pans
- iron and ironing board (in the bedroom)
- TV and DVD player
- Jacuzzi bathtub.
We also had a small dining area and a sofa in the adjacent living area, where I used the free WiFi. The master bedroom had a plush queen-sized bed, half bathroom, large closet and dresser. The main bathroom was just off the kitchen area. The second bedroom had two twin beds.
The only issue to consider here is that there is no wall separating the second bedroom from the kitchen, but rather a curtain. If you have late-sleeping kids, you’ll need to be very quiet until they wake up. Other than the absence of an oven, this condo is meant to feel like home.
Coronado Central Beach Access
The first thing your kids are going to want to do is get their toes in the sand. Coronado Beach Resort has chairs, umbrellas, towels and basically everything you need other than your bathing suit and some sunscreen.
Boogie boards and wagons are in the parking area, while sand toys like buckets and shovels are near reception. Also near reception: a gorgeous talking parrot and popcorn machine.
To get to the beach, all you need to do is cross Ocean Boulevard, via a crosswalk and signal, and walk through the Hotel Del Coronado parking lot. The beach is right there. A flat, sandy, kid-friendly, gorgeous beach with clear ocean water is just a 5-minute walk from Coronado Beach Resort.
The waves there aren’t typically big due to the nature of the bay (according to my husband) so you can let the little ones wade in the water under supervision but without too much stress.
Access to Loews Coronado Bay Resort
Since there is no pool onsite at Coronado Beach Resort, you have the option of using the pools (yes, plural) at Loews Coronado Bay Resort, which is about a 5-minute drive from Coronado Beach Resort. At the time of our stay, we received 20% off (check the exact discount with Coronado Beach Resort) at the Loews’ restaurants. However, Coronado Beach Resort has a jacuzzi and barbecue grills on site.
Coronado Restaurants
Unless you’re cooking in your condo, you’ll need to dine out as there is no room service. There is no shortage of dining options in Coronado, in fact, some of San Diego’s best restaurants are located within walking distance of Coronado Beach Resort, which has a list of Coronado restaurants online. We enjoyed the buffet breakfast at the Hotel del Coronado’s Sheerwater restaurant where kids 5 and under eat free. We dusted ourselves off from a morning at the beach and ate lunch at the Hotel del Coronado pool deck, too. Bruegger’s bagels, Brigantine, and many other fast-casual restaurants are just steps away from Coronado Beach Resort should you need sandwiches or other food to-go. A complimentary continental breakfast is available at Coronado Beach Resort on Mondays only. There is also a ton of shopping on Ocean Boulevard, too!
It’s Like Staying at Three Hotels
See also: 15 Things to Do at the Hotel Del Coronado
As you can see, you can partake in the Hotel del Coronado restaurants and shopping, have access to the pools and a discount on dining at Loews Coronado Bay Resort and then retreat back to your comfortable condo. To me, this is a huge selling point. I think the Coronado Beach Resort is great for families because it is set up like a home away from home due to its layout and amenities in each condo. However, if you need to be waited hand and foot, book yourself in across the street. You’ll likely pay triple the price, however.
Have you ever stayed at Coronado Beach Resort?
*Top photo credit: Flickr, AshleyRandallDances, Creative Commons 2.0
**I received a complimentary stay at Coronado Beach Resort, however, opinions are my own.
Katie Dillon
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