Hotel del Coronado Review & VERY Detailed Guide: Your Access to VIP Rates

Readers book into Hotel del Coronado through me more than any other hotel in San Diego. There are reasons for this, including that it’s our best full-service beachfront resort and one of the most historic buildings in California. Built in 1888, it’s been the top choice of U.S. Presidents, dignitaries, and the Hollywood elite for over 130 years now.

I’ve stayed at the resort multiple times and got married there. You need to know things to make sure it’s a good fit for your vacation, including how to choose the best rooms and suites, and I’m going to lay them all out for you here. It’s a lot of detail that is also based on reader feedback, but I promise it will help you plan.

The Best Way to Make Hotel del Coronado Reservations

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Hotel del Coronado: What to Expect Now

Hotel del Coronado is open and operating in line with County health and safety requirements. You can read more about what to expect.

There is very little that isn’t up and running, but two things come to mind. One is that you can have housekeeping, but you’ll need to request it. And, there still isn’t in-room dining available.

Otherwise, activities, fitness classes, beach rentals, pools, and restaurants operate normally.

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The Hotel del Coronado Renovation Is Still in Progress, But Less to Worry About

Hotel del Coronado’s $400 million renovation has been 18 years in the making and a multi-year project. I keep a close eye on how it impacts the guest experience (or doesn’t).

What’s been completed so far has been fantastic. It started with practical enhancements, like putting the parking lot underground and opening new dining outlets. The Main Pool was completely rejuvenated with new cabanas. The renovated Cabana and Views rooms are open for booking, and some have fire pits.

On the south side of The Views, the Shore House building is finished. Rooms in The Views don’t need to worry about seeing construction (but we still don’t like the no-view rooms in this building or the Cabanas). Here’s what the next phase entails:

• Beach Village begins renovations on January 9, 2023 with anticipated completion by Labor Day 2023.
• The Victorian Building room refreshes start in September 2023.

Rest assured that my Virtuoso bookings will be placed in the best rooms possible to *usually* avoid any disruption.

I am in direct communication with the resort nearly every day. I will continually update this post with how the renovation impacts (or doesn’t impact) the guest experience.

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How to Choose Hotel del Coronado Rooms and Suites

There are definitely things to know about Hotel del Coronado rooms and suites to figure out which building is best for you.

I’ve broken down each option and provided a handy map to help you decide where to stay.

You’ll first want to narrow down which building to choose. The choice is easy if you’re looking at suites because they are only located in the Victorian and Views buildings on the main resort.

Hotel del Coronado has an online map you should look at before choosing a room. It will give you an idea of where the main buildings and amenities are located. Here is a screenshot of the map.

Here’s a quick run-down on how to interpret the map.

• Beach Village: Multiple small buildings on the left. The villas are in the second row, and the cottages are in the beachfront row.
• The Victorian: The historic building behind the oval Windsor Lawn.
• The Cabanas: Located under and to the right of the rectangular main pool (you can see the fire pit terrace rooms on the ground floor)
• The Views: The two connected dumbbell-shaped buildings on the right of The Cabanas.
• The Shorehouse: The building wrapped around the pool on the far right of the map.

Victorian Building Rooms and Suites

Victorian Building rooms and suites have historic hotel hallmarks like creaky, uneven floors and smaller, single-sink bathrooms with shower/tub combos. There isn’t a lot of shelf or storage space in the bathrooms.

This charm, though, is why many people prefer these Hotel del Coronado rooms. No two accommodations are alike because this building is over 130 years old.

I enjoyed a recent stay in an Ocean View King Victorian Studio Suite, which had a layout in reverse of what is pictured above (the living room was by the window).

Victorian Building ocean view rooms and suites overlook the resort out to the ocean.

I like sitting on the patio and getting lost in the buzz of the resort. If you want more ocean in your view, The Views Oceanfront rooms and suites have the best ocean views on the entire property.

Some Victorian Building rooms have balconies or terraces, but you are not guaranteed to have one in your room. If a balcony is important to you, request it at the time of booking. Partial Ocean View Victorian rooms do not have balconies.

The Cabanas

The Cabanas rooms received a beautiful design upgrade. Some first-floor rooms feature outdoor fire pits, chaises, and covered terraces for soaking in the California sunshine.

The Cabana Beachfront Terrace Fire Pit rooms are among my favorite Hotel del Coronado rooms. These rooms open up to your own covered terrace and grassy area with a fire pit.

Many families use the terrace as an extra outdoor room. Meaning, parents hang out here while babies and younger kids sleep in the room.

The sand is just a few paces from your patio, so it’s more or less direct Coronado beach access. Awesome.

Rooms in The Cabanas are closest to the Main Pool and steps from the beach. This building is an excellent location for families and those who want to be close to the beach and the Hotel del Coronado pool.

Some rooms in The Cabanas border busy public areas, but some think this is a fair trade-off, especially if they have young kids who don’t want to walk very far to the pool or beach.

KING ROOMS HAVE SOFA SLEEPERS

King rooms in The Cabanas now have full-sized sofa sleepers. Still, they have a three-person occupancy. If your kids are really young, it may be okay. Two queen rooms do not have sofa sleepers and can not have rollaway beds due to local fire codes.

The Views (Formerly The Ocean Towers)

This building is off to the side of the Main Pool (you can see it on the right behind black mesh behind The Cabanas building in the photo above) and is “a pre- and a post-adventure outpost for active guests” that is now open.

Its name, The Views, reflects what you can expect here — views through new floor-to-ceiling windows. Guest rooms offer white, bright sanctuaries with coastal color accents.

It’s the tallest of the resort’s buildings and closer to the beach than the Victorian Building, so you can expect panoramic ocean views from the top floors.

Your choices are The Views – King or Two Queens (no-view king and two queens), Resort View, Ocean View, Oceanfront, and Beachside Terrace. Book Oceanfront or Beachside if you can because these are in the front of the buildings. Ocean View is mostly okay to book as well. However, on the south side and behind The Views you may see or hear the construction of the new event center and Shore House neighborhood.

KNOW THIS ABOUT THE VIEWS OCEAN VIEW ROOMS

These rooms are really partial ocean view rooms. They have a side ocean view or angled ocean view from the room and balcony. You’ll also overlook part of the resort on the way out to the ocean.

(If you read older Hotel del Coronado reviews, the unhappy people were primarily located in this building, which bordered the pool, The Cabanas, and The Shore House renovations for quite some time. It was also dated and didn’t have the same character as the Victorian Building.)

Shore House at The Del

Shore House at The Del is the place to stay. It’s a private neighborhood of seaside residences that are brand new with beautiful, clean coastal design.

Highlights include the ocean view pool with a poolside bar, the communal indoor-outdoor living room area, and bistro.

View Types to Choose From in Each Building

Rooms and suites in the Victorian Building come with the following views:

• Resort View
• Partial Ocean View
• Ocean View

The Cabanas views include:

• Resort View*
• Pool View
• Pool View Terrace (no fire pits or direct pool access from the patio, but it’s closer to the pool)
• Terrace Fire Pits
• Oceanfront
• Beachfront Terrace Fire Pits

Every room in The Cabanas has a balcony or terrace except for some Resort View rooms.

The Views views include:

• King or Two Queens* (the no-named view category that is worse than resort view – please don’t book this)
• Resort View*
• Ocean View
• Terrace with Fire Pit (this is a resort view)
• Oceanfront
• Beachside Terrace with Fire Pit

Resort View in any building at Hotel del Coronado can overlook some lovely greenery but also a wall or a parking lot. If what you see out the window is important to you, book Ocean View, Oceanfront, or Beachfront. Even Pool View can be better than Resort View.

The Shore House views include:

• Residence
• Resort View
• Ocean View
• Oceanfront
• Bay View (2-3 bedroom Loft Residences only)

Hotel del Coronado Rooms for Larger Families

The maximum occupancy for rooms at Hotel del Coronado is three people (king rooms) or four people (two queen rooms). If your family is larger, look to these options.

Connecting rooms: They can be requested but are not guaranteed and are difficult to achieve during peak season. Connecting rooms can be a king room to a double queen room in the same view type. The Cabanas building has very few connecting sets, so you’ll want to look to the Victorian and Views buildings for the best chances of a connection.

Studio Suites (one-room junior suites): The Hotel del Coronado has one of the best rooms for families with two adults and four kids. The Victorian Studio Suite Two Queens can sleep six people across two queen beds and a queen sofa sleeper. This junior suite is also popular with families of four traveling with two kids who don’t want to share a bed. Victorian Studio Suites come with Resort Views or Ocean Views.

These junior suites are one-room suites and do not have a wall separation between the living area and bedroom. Junior suites are in high demand, so it is best to book them as soon as possible.

I recommend the Victorian Studio Suite King (king bed and a queen sofa sleeper) to families of four with parents who prefer to sleep in a king bed. King rooms in The Cabanas and The Views also now have full-sized sofa beds in them, but they have recently changed the maximum occupancy to three people in these rooms. If your kids are young, two on a sofa bed is likely okay — we can talk about it.

Suites: If you prefer a fully separate bedroom from the living area, you need to book the Victorian Suite with an ocean view or resort view. These larger suites can also suit families of five between a sofa bed and rollaway (an extra charge applies for the rollaway) in the Victorian Building.

The Views offers gorgeous suites with king beds and sofa beds that sleep up to three adults or two adults and two kids. The Views suites can have rollaway beds.

Rollaway beds: $25/night fee

Cribs: Complimentary

BEWARE OF SITES CLAIMING THEY CAN GUARANTEE CONNECTING ROOMS

They can’t. Seriously. You’ll see websites like Suiteness and others guarantee connecting rooms or multiple-bedroom suites. Even Hilton.com can not guarantee connecting rooms here. If you book through one of these websites thinking that you have guaranteed connecting rooms you may arrive at check-in to be disappointed. Hotel del Coronado can not guarantee connecting rooms – this is an ongoing struggle for in-house reservations as they do not have the inventory.

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Beach Village at The Del

If you want to minimize exposure to resort renovations, please choose Beach Village at The Del. Or, if you want the most luxurious San Diego beach vacation possible, make reservations at Beach Village at The Del.

The exclusive private enclave adjacent to Hotel del Coronado is only accessible by Beach Village guests. Beach Village guests can access everything on the Main Resort, including the Main Resort pool.

Designer villa rooms and suites go up to three bedrooms. Rates here typically start at $699/night ($1400+/night during the summer) plus taxes and resort fees and are significantly higher during peak season.

Beach Village at The Del has its own check-in and amenities, so I’ve written separately about why Beach Village at The Del may be a fit for you.

I can add Virtuoso benefits to Beach Village bookings at the Semi-Flex Hilton Honors rate. If you wonder which rate is best for you, submit your dates, and I can tell you.

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Hotel del Coronado Activities

Plan to spend a decent amount of time at the resort because there is quite a bit to do. You’ll receive an event calendar in your room but you can also check it online before your stay.

The following are some of my favorite things to do with my family when we stay at Hotel del Coronado. 

Del Beach

Del Beach offers guests the ability to rent lounge chairs, cabanas, and cabanettes in a full-service area with a menu of sandwiches, salads, snacks, and drinks (including adult beverages). It’s a lovely way to spend a beach day. Beach rentals are offered daily. However, food and drink service seems to be seasonal.

The Hotel del Coronado beach is called Coronado Central Beach. It’s enormous, so if you do choose a Del Beach rental, you won’t be able to see kids playing in the water from the cabanas and cabanettes.

However, they will set up smaller chairs and umbrellas at the water’s edge, if you ask.

See also: Rentals for Residents and Hotel Guests at Del Beach

FAQ: SHOULD I BOOK A BEACH CABANA?

Yes! It’s fantastic to have food and drinks delivered to your luxe, comfy cabana! However, this is a very wide beach. If you have young children who will want to play at the water’s edge, rent chairs and an umbrella instead and take them closer to the ocean. You can not see the water’s edge from Del Beach.

Fun Fitness Classes

Opt for morning spinning or beach yoga. Have you ever wanted to try a mermaid fitness class? Here, you can put on a tail for a surprisingly robust pool workout. Fitness classes on the beach also include boot camp, pilates, fitness walk, hula hooping, and meditation.

These classes may require an additional fee. However, the gym is complimentary, open 24 hours, and offers private personal training.

Hotel del Coronado Pools

The Main Pool has been completely refreshed and is heated to 82 degrees year-round. In addition to complimentary lounge chairs and towels, guests can reserve shaded private cabanas for up to eight people.

These luxury seating areas have 2-4 lounge chairs, an L-shaped sofa, a mini-refrigerator with soda and snacks, and a fruit bowl though you can order additional food and drinks.

There are a couple of requirements. Guests need to grab a new wristband daily to use the pool, and they enforced a kids’ break policy (though I’ve been told this isn’t always the case during the off-peak season).

Kids must take a short pool break at 11 a.m., 1 p.m., 3 p.m., and 5 p.m. to use the restroom, rehydrate, reapply sunscreen, grab a snack, etc. There is no lifeguard on duty.

A small spa pool is available to spa guests, too.

TIP: BOOK CABANAS AND DAY PASSES ASAP

The new pool cabanas sell out quickly. Book them ASAP if you have a room reservation, even if your stay is months ahead. You can also book pool day passes if you are not staying at the resort through ResortPass.

Watersports, Bike Rentals, and Boat Rentals

The resort offers a variety of rental options to help keep your whole family entertained during your stay. Private surf and SUP lessons can be arranged year-round (though they can be canceled in poor weather or when the surf isn’t cooperating). Group surf lessons and surf kids’ camps are offered seasonally, too.

It’s also possible to rent a boogie board, surfboard, SUP board and paddle, wetsuits, kayaks, and more to head out on your own for the day at Del Watersports.

Bike rentals are a must-do, as Coronado is fantastic when explored by bike. The boardwalk in front of the hotel is perfect for a surrey ride. You can ride a bike across the island to the ferry terminal or down the Silver Strand and back (the latter is great exercise). Pick up a bike at the Wellness Terrace in front of the Spa & Salon.

Take a short walk off the resort to Coronado Boathouse at Glorietta Marina for speedboat rentals, sailing, jet-skiing, and other fun options. Seaforth Boat Rentals is also right across the street.

Ocean Explorers Kids’ Club

Kids’ clubs are hard to find at San Diego hotels, but Hotel del Coronado offers Ocean Explorers (formerly DelVentures) for kids ages 5–12.

You can book a full-day or half-day session seven days a week during the peak summer season and Friday–Sunday throughout the rest of the year. It’s best to check the calendar to see available dates that fall during your stay.

Two supervised sessions are on offer from 9 a.m.–noon and 1–4 p.m. so that parents can enjoy spa treatments and some rest and relaxation at the resort. You can also book the full day from 9 a.m.–4 p.m., including lunch. On Fridays and Saturdays, the Explorers’ Night Out program runs from 6-9 p.m. and includes dinner.

What will the kids be up to? We’re talking about edutainment that can include scavenger hunts, tide pooling, crafts, beach Olympics, and fun things your kids will love.

Again, check the schedule and programming before you book if a kids’ club is important to you.

Beach Roasts

I highly recommend booking a Roast during your Hotel del Coronado stay. They’ll set up a private fire pit and chairs for up to eight people on the beach in front of the hotel. S’mores kits are included, and the experience lasts for an hour.

Reserve your fire pit in advance during one of the two offered evening times. It’s a lovely opportunity to watch the sunset and enjoy the beachfront location.

Seasonal Activities

During a typical summer, guests look forward to seasonal clam bakes, beach movies, and more outdoor activities.

San Diego hotel is more festive during the winter holidays than Hotel del Coronado, with its gorgeous Christmas tree, annual ornament tradition, and beachfront ice skating rink.

TIP: WINTER ACTIVITIES ARE ON THE WINDSOR LAWN

Some room around the resort overlook the bustling winter activities on the Windsor Lawn. Consider this before booking Cabana Resort View or Victorian Ocean View rooms that may over look the events.

It’s busier in the common areas during this time of year, but it is a lot of fun. We always head down to enjoy the winter programming, and many people check in to the hotel to experience it.

See also: Things to Do at Hotel del Coronado During the Holidays

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Hotel del Coronado Restaurants

The hotel’s food and beverage program recently went through a revamp that has been well-received. You should understand that you will pay luxury hotel pricing for food and drinks at the resort.

Sheerwater

Sheerwater usually offers nearly all-day dining (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, though it closes for a few hours in the late afternoon) with a California Cuisine menu full of seafood, sandwiches, salads, and more.

If you plan to eat here during the holiday season, make a reservation even for breakfast.

FREE BREAKFAST

Virtuoso guests can use their daily breakfast vouchers (for up to two adults) at Sheerwater.

Sunday Brunch at the Crown Room (on Pause)

The legendary Hotel del Coronado brunch happens in the gorgeous Crown Room on Sundays. If your stay overlaps a Sunday, I recommend reserving this experience in advance. We’re talking about gourmet Bloody Mary bars, made-to-order mimosas, gorgeous dessert bars, seafood towers, and everything a genuinely fabulous opulent brunch should have.

Note: If you are booking in with complimentary breakfast through Virtuoso, the breakfast credit can’t be applied toward Sunday brunch in the Crown Room.

Serea

The newest Hotel del Coronado restaurant, Serea, is just what the resort needed. Here, guests enjoy sustainable seafood served in a relaxed, ocean-view environment.

Guests can take an up-close look at the seafood on offer that day as it sits on the ice near the raw bar. Serea is open daily for dinner and weekend brunch.

Serea is popular, so make reservations in advance.

Babcock and Story Bar

For the times you want to plop down for a drink in a casual bar atmosphere, Babcock and Story is the place. It’s named after the hotel’s founders and is known for signature cocktails, live music on certain nights, and a lite food menu.

Sun Deck

Above the Main Pool and beach, the casual Sun Deck is an excellent place for a craft cocktail or a casual meal. They have some fire pit tables and special events like a dog-friendly happy hour on Sundays in the late afternoon. The menu has been completely refreshed, and you’ll find California cuisine like grilled octopus, seared tuna tostadas, salads, and burgers.

ENO Market + Pizzeria

I’ve always enjoyed ENO, but recently they’ve gone to great lengths to perfect their pizza crust, and It’s a casual neighborhood eatery with pizzas and salads and plenty of wine to pair with them. Dine near the open kitchen or on the patio near the fire pit with an ocean view.

The Market, with various grab-and-go pastries, drinks, sandwiches, and more, is an open and welcome addition to the resort.

Beach + Taco Shack

Come barefoot; it doesn’t matter, to the beachside Beach + Taco Shack for festive cocktails, mocktails, and daily taco offerings. It’s open on the weekends for breakfast if you’d like a hearty breakfast burrito — another San Diego staple. I can vouch for the Mai Tais.

More Grab and Go Options

Sodas, water, wine, sandwiches, snacks, pastries, and more can be purchased on a grab-and-go basis in several small gift shop outlets around the property. Kids will love grabbing a gigantic ice cream cone at Sundaes and fudge at Spreckels Sweets & Treats.

For restaurants near Hotel del Coronado (within a short walk or a short Uber ride), see Best Coronado Restaurants.

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Full-Service Spa and Salon

The renovated space integrates the coastal location, the hotel’s vibrant history, and a Marilyn Monroe-inspired theme —”Some Like It Hot” was filmed at the property.

The dedicated salon offers shampoo and blowouts in addition to nail treatments and makeup applications. You can also treat yourself to massages, facials, and specialty treatments like hydrafacials and prenatal massages. Make reservations online.

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What You Must Understand Before Booking In

Hotel del Coronado is a famous local icon, which means that people who are not staying there visit to take photos, dine in restaurants, and browse the shops. It is a busy hotel, but most people genuinely don’t mind.

It is also incredibly important to remember a location on the best Coronado beach (also considered one of the nation’s best beaches) commands premium pricing.

For example, rates are high in summer if you book last minute. You can’t make the mistake of comparing your rate to a European palace or sprawling Mexico all-inclusive that you paid the same price for and consider twice as nice. It’s our nicest beachfront resort, and many people are willing to pay a premium to stay here.

The Cabanas and The Views rooms price higher because they are new. They are very different from the older, typically less-expensive Victorian rooms.

Book everything you can in advance of your stay online, from beach chairs to pool cabanas to fitness classes during peak season. Do not wait until you arrive, as activities sell out.

My one criticism of the resort, which you’ll see in other Hotel del Coronado reviews, has to do with service.

The level of service that all guests receive could be elevated as I, too, am subject to long hold times when calling the hotel. It sometimes takes a while for the staff to respond to guest requests.

It is a busy hotel, but the service is getting better as time progresses. I think a strategy is to remember that the main resort is still a four-star property, so here you won’t get five-star service (you should at Shore House and Beach Village).

However, I send out a survey to all guests after their stays, and I get more positive feedback about it than in years past. When I lob in a request for an in-residence Virtuoso guest, it’s dealt with quickly.

What you can expect the hotel to deliver is the basis for a fantastic San Diego beach vacation. Book in with the correct expectations, and you will get the most out of your stay.

Take advantage of the activities and amenities on offer (and schedule as many as you can in advance), enjoy the beach, relax, and you will have a great time. The ability to run back and forth from your room to the beach, especially when in San Diego with kids, is indeed a treat.

People often tell me that Hotel del Coronado is one of their favorite resorts. I personally know and work with many repeat guests, some of who I now book every year or multiple times per year.

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Getting to Hotel del Coronado

Coronado is located south of the San Diego International Airport and Downtown San Diego. While there is a pedestrian ferry between Downtown and Coronado, it’s easiest to drive to Coronado from the airport. Unless it’s rush hour, it should take about 15-20 minutes to reach the resort by car.

Follow signs from baggage claim at the airport to the taxis or rideshare waiting area if you’re taking Uber or Lyft. Signage here also points to the rental car shuttle waiting areas. An app-based black car/SUV service we use in San Diego and worldwide called Blacklane works well, and they’ll meet you at the baggage claim.

The summer Coronado shuttle that takes guests around the island, including from the hotel to the ferry (otherwise a 30-minute walk), also makes Hotel del Coronado one of the easiest places to go carless in San Diego. You can use Uber for short distances or supplement by renting a car for the day. The closest rental car outlet to Hotel del Coronado is Enterprise, a few blocks away.

The sights in North County San Diego are far enough to usually make a rental car worthwhile if you need to make multiple trips north. You’ll avoid the parking fees at the hotel, though, by not having a car. Coronado is also easily seen by bike, which, as I mentioned, you can rent within steps of Hotel del Coronado.

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FAQs About Hotel del Coronado

I am asked many questions about this popular resort, so I have answered the most frequently asked here to plan your stay.

Ready to Book?

You can check Hotel del Coronado prices on my Virtuoso page and compare them to Hilton.com. However, you will receive a better level of service and VIP status in addition to my San Diego vacation planning email series if you book with me.

I update this Hotel del Coronado review regularly, so if your stay falls in the future, bookmark this page. You are always welcome to email me with questions.

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