Hotel del Coronado

Hotel del Coronado is a historic hotel with an outstanding oceanfront location, conveniently located in downtown Coronado, just across the bay from San Diego. It's a fun place to visit even if you don't spend the night there. To decide whether it's the right place for you, read the review below.

The Hotel del Coronado is right in the middle of downtown Coronado, one of our favorite cute little towns with a charming downtown to stroll and shop in. It also faces one of San Diego's best beaches, Coronado Beach. As if all that weren't enough, the iconic architecture of the white, Victorian-style building topped with red roof and turrets looks like it came from a fairy tale.

The Hotel del Coronado is a National Historic Landmark, its rooms designed and built in the early twentieth century. You'll be in good company if you decide to stay there: they've hosted 11 U. S. Presidents and a future King of England along with celebrities from Babe Ruth to Brad Pitt.

We don't know how well any of those folks liked the Hotel del Coronado, but we enjoyed our stay in an ocean-view suite. If we'd had the time, we would have settled down on our balcony and just watched people and listened to the ocean all day long.

Our room was quiet and clean, with a comfortable bed and all the amenities we needed. Like many historic properties, it reflects the era it was built in. The bathroom was functional and clean, but not very big and the closest was also small by modern standards.

Those who give the Hotel del high marks enjoy its beachfront location, its history and character. Many of those who dislike it seem to have been expecting something more modern and many think its rates are too high. If it were located in another part of San Diego, we'd agree, but given the unparalleled location and surroundings, it's a place we'd be happy to go back to.

Whether or not you'll like the Hotel del Coronado depends on what you expect from it and how much you enjoy staying in historic properties. However, if you're looking for a sleek, modern hotel with a busy nightclub and all the latest gizmos, you should probably stay across the bay in the Gaslamp instead. Or, if you want to stay in this location but in more modern surroundings, try the cottages and villas at the Beach Village at the Del next door.

If you decide to stay in the main hotel, be aware that they offer a number of different room types, some of them which are not in the Victorian section, but next door. If you want to stay in a particular part of the hotel, it's best to call to reserve instead of doing it online.

Unfortunately, we've also read quite a few complaints about customer service and we witnessed this happening to another guest while we were checking in.

Every December the Hotel del Coronado hosts An American Christmas, a music and dining experience set in 1910.

We stayed at the Hotel del Coronado in December 2010.

As is common in the travel industry, the writer was provided with complimentary services for review of Hotel del Coronado. While it has not influenced this review, About.com believes in full disclosure of all potential conflicts of interest. For more information, see our Ethics Policy.