Loews Coronado Bay Resort is not the first place to come to mind when I envision a staycation in Coronado or San Diego. At least it wasn’t. 
After spending a day at the resort though, experiencing some of the amenities, enjoying the tranquility of the many gardens, having a massage and enjoying one of the best meals I have ever had in a restaurant, I can now confidently recommend saving money on airfare and booking a weekend staycation at the Loews.
The 15-acre property with 439 guest rooms and suites, which were renovated in 2011, has spectacular views and a list of amenities for water enthusiasts that is a dream. The resort is elegant and still family friendly. It’s spacious enough that it doesn’t feel like people are on top of one another with every corner you turn.
My day started with a tour of the property by Sarah Moran, Area Director Public Relations, after we ordered and enjoyed a latte and a fresh pressed healthy juice at Silver Strand Exchange.
She showed me the entire property including the pool area, Action Sports Rentals, Sea Spa, the spin class on the front veranda, the gym and most captivating, the four courtyard gardens. 
Each garden has a uniqueness about it while offering tranquility and lushness, a couple with edibles. The GROW garden provides vegetation which the chefs use in preparing cuisine for Crown Landing. The BLISS garden has a stone labyrinth to walk and a large sphere shaped water feature. The SOLSTICE garden also has a soothing water feature with umbrella covered couches and a glorious bay view, and the NECTAR garden is surrounded by citrus trees, again used by the chefs. The fruit from these trees is also being used in the formulation of a Loews Coronado Bay Resort vodka, being created by You and Yours Distillery, San Diego’s first female-owned distillery, which is set to make its debut on this year’s summer solstice, Thursday, June 21, 2018.
After spending time relaxing in the different gardens and sitting areas, I arrived to a warm welcome by the staff at Sea Spa who prepared me for a 50 minute “Traveler’s Relief” massage.
After all, I did travel all the way from the village of Coronado. It was chosen for me because it is customizable. I was completely unaware of the number of knots in my muscles until they were being worked on, kneaded and stretched. My only complaint is that it wasn’t a four-hour massage. I would recommend making certain you have plenty of time before or after your treatment to enjoy the spa Jacuzzi, steam room or sauna. I had to hurry to my lunch reservation or I would have enjoyed the spa serenity for hours. You can check out the Sea Spa menu for the other relaxing services they provide. They is also a fitness center/gym which is open 24/7 for members and guests (resort and gym memberships are available).
My day ended on a savory and sweet note at the resort’s signature restaurant, Crown Landing. Sous Chef Zack McElroy had been informed of my dietary restrictions. Yes, I am one of those. No gluten, onions or garlic. Gluten? That’s not so unusual these days; but tell a chef no onion or garlic and you typically hear a huge sigh, a loud “what?” or see eyes roll. Not on this day. The meal I was served, perfectly in alignment with my diet, started off with an appetizer plate of Baja ceviche, roasted beet salad and seared tuna.
I ate each serving individually so as not to disrupt the flavors. My taste buds were in heaven. It was as if I had never seen food in my life. Chef Zack was given free reign even after telling me their specialty is seafood. (I am a pseudo-seafood eater who was being brave.) He delivered a whole Bronzino. Huh? It is a Mediterranean flown-in fish which was delicately filleted on both sides (no bones), served topped with wheat berries, shitake mushrooms, tomato vinaigrette and arugula pesto. I asked him about the skin, he said, “you eat it, it’s crunchy.” [
Insert wide-eyed emoji here]. It was one of the best meals I can remember ever! Dessert was flourless chocolate cake with berries and a cup of coffee. To make this meal that much better I sat out on the veranda overlooking the marina. As I shared with Chef, if I didn’t know better I could imagine being in another country.
It was truly a day where I felt like I had whisked away leaving Mom-duties behind. It was decadent but doable. Within 10 minutes of my dessert being finished, I was on my way to resume life and pickup duties at Village Elementary.
I can’t say enough about the level of professionalism and friendliness in every area where I spent time. The list of activities and amenities can be found on their website, as well as the upcoming events. There is a plan for a free outdoor concert, with complimentary parking, coming up in August. There are also resident specials when booking. The next time I spend the day at the Loews, you can be certain I will also be spending the night.
