Hotel del Coronado

We’ve been loyal guests of the Hotel del Coronado for decades — visiting at least every other year since our now 37-year-old daughter was a baby. We’ve always loved the property and considered it a special place for our family. Unfortunately, our most recent stay (August 7–11, 2025) was nothing short of a near disaster — and we left wondering what has happened to the standards and hospitality we once knew so well. Frankly, I’m not even sure where to begin: The room we were assigned was extremely cramped, with virtually no desk space — making my bringing a laptop pointless. There was inadequate drawer space and no nightstands or dresser, which made settling in nearly impossible. The pool and hot tub areas were consistently overcrowded, and on multiple days we were unable to access chairs, towels, or even get near the hot tub. We sat at a table on the sundeck only to be told there was a $175 minimum to remain — and had to move. (I’ve included several photos for reference.) Despite requesting housekeeping three separate times in one day, our room was never serviced. We had also specifically requested a room with a bathtub in advance due to some medical needs — but were placed in a room with only a shower. It was disheartening to have these issues compounded throughout the stay, especially at a property we’ve long cherished. We had plenty to talk about on the drive back to Los Angeles — mostly about how dramatically the experience has changed for the worse. We would love to return someday, but only if we can be assured that the Hotel del Coronado is once again living up to Hilton’s standards and reputation. I have been a Hilton American Express cardholder for more than 40 years and a Hilton Honors member since 2016

We’ve visited annually for years with a brief pause while the main Victorian was renovated. Renovations are lovely. We were very disappointed by the lack of toiletries. I appreciate being eco-conscious, but the lack of vanity kits, loofahs etc not to mention the low end products offered made the room feel more like a budget hotel, not the $10k we were dropping for a couple of rooms. I realize vanity kits are available upon request, it’s just sad seeing a naked bathroom with cheap, plastic water bottles. At least do better there. For what we paid, we expected amenities comparable to the Four Seasons. Even the Bower across the street had luxe toiletries, slippers and Dyson hair dryers. Slippers should also be in the rooms. All that said, the property itself is absolutely lovely. Would just recommend upgrading amenities in club level rooms.

Let’s start with my $900/night Victorian room that was so comically tiny, the nightstands couldn’t even accommodate a lamp. No cozy bedside glow — just blinding overhead LED interrogation lighting straight out of an airport security line. But that minor (albeit annoying) disappointment was nothing compared to the “Water View” that was, I think, a three-level upgrade I paid for (no complimentary upgrade as part of Hilton Elite status, of course). The view was horrible. Hey Hilton, did you need to warm up before that stretch of calling this a "water view" and charging over $100 extra per night for it? See the photos. Not okay. As a Hilton Gold Elite member, I always appreciate the ability to communicate directly with the hotel. In the case of Hotel Del, I’ve had better service from Hampton Inns off I-95. I requested a birthday dessert be sent to my room. Instead of being told they didn’t offer in-room dining (because why wouldn’t a hotel at this price point offer what even a budget airport motel does?), they farmed out my phone number to some third-party vendor hawking Hickory Farms-style gift baskets. I got three calls trying to upsell me “high-quality spa products” and baskets of chips and pretzels for $120. I literally just wanted a plate of chocolate-covered strawberries! Eventually, I got cookies… from MooTime Creamery down the street (delicious, btw, five stars). Getting anything delivered was an act of Congress, though. Just know: there is no in-room dining. I also requested robes and slippers at check-in. They arrived 11 hours — and three texts — later. Housekeeping? Minimalist, both in philosophy and execution. We left notes, gratuities, and three-quarter-empty toiletry bottles (already that way on arrival), and they were never refilled. We had to steal one off a housekeeping cart like we were looting during a blackout. No turndown, no complimentary water, and certainly no sense of hospitality. But don’t worry — they still charged nearly $50 a day in resort and “historic preservation” fees. For what? Couldn’t tell you. Before we realized that the beach chairs cost extra (about $100) for hotel guests, we sat down to take in the view for a minute — only to be rudely shuffled off like seagulls or random squatters, not guests spending $3K on a weekend. When we tried to rent chairs the next day, we were told, “None left.” We never even sat on the beach during our so-called beach weekend. The pool was crowded and loud. And thanks to the Del’s anything-goes guest policy, the property was flooded with people clearly not staying on-property, turning the experience into something closer to Disney than luxury beach resort. The Victorian building is lovely and may have a robust history, but it’s mostly haunted by the ghosts of better hotel experiences. Unless you’re looking for the thrill of paying five-star prices for two-star service, skip this one. Swing by for a drink or sunset dinner — they’ll happily let you open your wallet — but I couldn't recommend staying there unless it was free.

I've stayed at my Hilton hotels. This one is truly special. The more I researched this hotel , the more I realized how much history there is here Celebrities, presidents, and many others have stayed here before. And now we got to experience this! The location is right on the beach. Great grassy area to hang out. If you're into a breakfast buffet, while it is a bit more expensive, it's really good! The gym was immaculate. As my wife said, "if there is a squat rack it's a good gym" And by her definition, it's a good gym. It also has this haunted feel for the hotel. I mean it's historic. Very old school. A lot of not all of it is made of wood. Honestly it was such a sensational experience. Also the hotel front desk Thelma who checked us in was absolutely stellar. Can't wait to come back for an amazing rest and experience again in the future.

Not one to write reviews but felt compelled to do so after seeing many unfavorable opinions. Our stay at the Del was comfortable, clean and so fun! The staff were excellent and very attentive. Is it expensive , yes! But if you book to stay at this place you know that, have a cocktail and chill. Also, if you want a certain room, ask or pay for it beforehand. I see many reviews complaining about room views despite not booking a room with an ocean/courtyard view. Also not sure how people are still complaining about the renovations, we walked the ENTIRE hotel and not once did we experience any kind of construction disturbance. Thank you to the Del staff for an incredible stay, we will certainly return.