Loews Coronado Bay Resort

I rated the hotel a 3 because I think it was an average experience for what should be more of a luxury hotel. Given the location towards the end of the Bay, you are either here on a family vacation or a business conference. Not really a convenient location to stay if you are in San Diego for business. The rooms are dated yet adequate. It just felt like you were stepping back a bit in time. As a business traveller I value a quiet room. The room was quiet, the curtains covered the windows so that no light really leaked in and the bed was super comfortable. So although the room look like it needed a facelift, the sleeping experience was exceptional. The bathroom was fine and had a separate shower and tub. One thing that did irritate me was that the TV didn't provide the option to log into Netflix or Max. That seems like a modern convenience most hotels now offer. The location of the hotel was a drag as is a $20 or $30 Uber ride to any restaurants or amenities. The exercise room was actually pretty good with a lot of dumbbells, a few exercise machines and enough bikes and treadmills.

Really needs to be updated. Years of families and dogs have left this property in dire need of refreshing everything from parking to carpets to rooms. The hotel knows this and is planning a major remodel -- but until that is completed, it is in disappointingly run-down condition. The self-parking entrance is not easy to find and the parking lot is depressingly dark and with things being stored there. It felt dirty and unsafe, setting a poor tone for going to see the room that we were assigned. The elevator smelled like a wet dog. The carpets from the elevator to our assigned room were in OK condition but looked dated. The room itself was a good size and the bed was comfortable, however the furniture was chipped. The bathroom was large, but much of it was taken up by a jetted tub that looked to be quite old and uninviting. The bathroom vanity was also chipped and scuffed in several places. The balcony pavement was cracked and needed to be repainted. The balcony furniture looked gritty and uninviting -- we didn't sit on it. Early every morning we heard a loud screeching noise coming from the parking garage, like maybe some sort of metal dumpster was being moved. Breakfast in the restaurant was a mixed bag: on the one hand the servers were very nice, on the other hand, it took a long time for food to be brought to the table and the servers did not top off our coffee or water often enough. One family seated near us waited at least 20 minutes for their breakfasts to arrive. The food itself was pretty standard hotel food. The location is also a mixed bag: on the one hand, it is quiet, on the other hand because it is so isolated miles from Coronado proper, you have to drive into town. It also means that you have to park at the Loews, which costs about $50 a night plus taxes. In sum, the Loews Coronado Bay Resort is a good place for families with young children or people traveling with dogs -- provided that they don't care about the place being a little run down, slow food service, and being isolated from Coronado.

Wonderful Stay at Loews Coronado I had such a great experience here. The staff was lovely—Anthony at check-in was so friendly and welcoming, and Cindy was incredibly helpful throughout my stay. The valet process was easy and seamless, and the shuttle to Coronado made getting around so convenient. The room was beautiful, clean, and quiet, with the grounds of the property just as stunning. Coffee and breakfast at the shop were delicious and a perfect start to the day. Everything felt effortless and well cared for from start to finish. 10/10 stay—so happy I chose Loews Coronado!

Public Service Promotion We stayed at Loews Coronado Bay Resort in Coronado, California from July 20 through July 25 for a much-needed vacation. We were able to take advantage of their public service employee promotion, which we are so grateful for because it allowed us to take a break from serving others and feel cared for in return. The promotion even included a discount on self-parking, which made the trip more affordable and accessible for us. Our Travel Background My husband and I travel fairly often and have stayed in many different types of accommodations. We have stayed at Hiltons, Hyatts, Marriotts, and charming privately-owned hotels like the one we enjoyed in Rome. We have also stayed in cozy bed and breakfasts, such as in Sonoma and Cayucos here in California. Our travels have taken us to Switzerland, Japan, Mexico, Hawaii, the Caribbean, British Columbia (Victoria and Vancouver), multiple areas throughout the southern U.S. states, and many parts of Southern California. I share this so readers have a sense of the type of traveler we are and the standards we are comparing this stay to. Warm Welcome and Service From the moment we arrived, we felt welcomed. Even though we did self-parking, the staff greeted us right away, guided us to the parking area, and made sure we knew exactly where to go. Each time we returned to the main entrance of the resort, we were welcomed again, which gave the stay a really warm and caring feeling. Our Room Our Resort View King Room with Balcony, Room 2217, became a peaceful retreat every evening. The room was very clean, and the bed was extremely comfortable. Some reviews mentioned that the rooms were aging, so we looked for it, but we only saw very small signs of age and only because we were looking. It did not take away from our comfort at all. We also ordered room service during our stay, and it was excellent. Food arrived quickly and fresh. Sitting on the balcony with coffee in the morning or relaxing in the evening was one of our favorite parts of the day. A Small Suggestion If I had one small suggestion, it would be for better bathroom ventilation. Unless we missed it, we did not find a fan in the bathroom, and a little more air circulation would make it even more comfortable. Dining We enjoyed the food on-site. Silverstrand Exchange quickly became our daily coffee stop. My husband loved the caramel macchiato, and I tried a few different drinks, all of them delicious. Their chocolate chip cookies were a highlight too—soft, rich, and so good. On our first night, we had dinner at Cays Lounge, and the burgers were cooked perfectly for our taste and very tasty, exactly what we needed after a long day of travel. La Cantina by the pool was another favorite. My husband enjoyed a burrito, and I had a Brussels sprouts taco and a fish taco, which were both fresh and flavorful. We also noticed that they offered vegan and plant-based options like tofu bowls, which we thought was great. Fitness Center I also want to point out the fitness center. I did not use it myself, but my husband, who travels with me often and goes to gyms regularly, said this was the best hotel fitness center he has ever seen. It was spotless, well-equipped, and clearly cared for by someone who takes pride in it. He said that person deserves recognition. Overall Impression Our stay was exactly what we hoped for; relaxing, comfortable, and full of excellent service. The staff was consistently professional and friendly, the room was spotless and comfortable, the food was great, and the whole experience made us feel valued. We left with no complaints, only gratitude, and we would be happy to return. We also hope they continue the public service promotion, because it truly made this wonderful stay possible for us.

I came across Loews Coronado Bay Resort as it was marketed as a family-friendly hotel near San Diego—even showing up in Instagram ads and influencers as one of the top spot for families. Naturally, I was excited to stay. But unfortunately, the experience didn’t meet the family resort vibe I was expecting. Check-in was slow, with only two people working the desk, and the line moved painfully slow. People checking in were offered some fruit punch when they check in and I wasn't, which really made me feel singled out. Our bags took so long to arrive in a room (since our kids wanted to go swim) that I ended up retrieving them myself. The room itself felt very outdated and problematic. In our room, several issues stood out: • Rust on metal fixtures like the lamps and bathroom mirror • A bed frame that stuck out awkwardly from the side • Only one usable three-prong outlet (with that socket coming out of the wall - an electrical fire waiting to happen) • USB ports built into lamps and the clock that didn’t work with modern USB-C cords • A sliding closet door that required lifting off the track each time • A bathroom door that swung open into the entrance door, making it difficult to even enter unless you shoved it hard • Non-functioning ice machines that forced me to go from building to building just to get ice—the staff eventually had to retrieve ice from the cafe • A balcony that opened to people smoking right outside • A slow, unresponsive TV that took 10 minutes just to load the guide As for my kids—they were underwhelmed. They swam in the pool once, but weren’t interested in the outdoor games. The ping pong paddles were broken, the giant Connect Four was surrounded by seagulls that they were scared to go near it, and much of the “kids passport” brochure activities weren’t actually available to do. A large conference also took over many of the shared spaces in one of the days, making it even harder to explore or enjoy the resort. I genuinely wanted to love this place, but it just didn’t live up to the expectations for a fun, family-friendly resort getaway. It is $40 dollars for a resort fee a day for something we did not make use of at all. Honestly, it felt more like a senior living community by the look of the place. If I had the chance to do it again, I’d spend more and stay at a hotel in San Diego—closer to everything —instead of traveling 20–30 minutes across the bridge to Coronado. If you have kids under 12, Legoland Hotel or the new Gaylord Hotel in Chula Vista (just 13 minutes away) and offered more variety of options to eat Asian and the infamous Tacos El Gordo. In fact, we were lucky to get a day pass at the Gaylord Resort, and my kids had a blast in the wave pool, lazy river, and kiddie pool. I seriously considered cutting our stay short at Loews to move over there. My kids even encouraged me to do it, but it was too expensive for one night stay and was too lazy to make the change and unpack everything. It was the lesson I had to teach them - "once you had filet mignon, it is hard to go back to Hamburger Helper". So if the price is right and save, I promised the kids to stay at Gaylord next time or possibly just stay at the renovated Disneyland resort. That said, the highlight of our stay was the hardworking young adult staff—especially the valet team. They were kind, welcoming, and truly helpful every time we came and went.