Hotel del Coronado: Countdown to Final Embellishments

Going back 137 years to the opening of the Hotel del Coronado, it boasted 750 rooms, but that counted every closet, nook, and cranny. The true count was closer to 450 rooms, with only 71 bathrooms, which were not common at the time. Typically, four to six bedrooms shared a parlor with a single bathroom, while few others had private baths.

Seven years ago, the Blackstone Group, owner of The Del, began a $550 million restoration project, which when completed in a few months, will have restored every inch of the iconic 28-acre historic property.

The team has gone to impressive lengths to preserve and recreate original architectural details to maintain the character, while modernizing the property. The piece de resistance, the completion of the Victorian Building, is slated for completion in June. The Del’s Director of Marketing, Denise Chapman, shared that the first 85 guest rooms will be ready on February 15, with the remaining rooms opening in three additional waves through June.

It has been more than a decade since the Victorian rooms were updated and this current renovation is the largest ever completed. Structural enhancements were made to the building, as well as safety features and modern necessities including updated electronic, plumbing, and air conditioning.  The project yielded an additional 37 rooms, as suites were made into smaller spaces, with only seven bathtubs remaining. Currently, ocean view rooms are the most expensive, but in the past the garden rooms were the most desirable, because people in the Victorian era often couldn’t swim.

Walking down the hallways during a recent tour, the black and white wallpaper beckons to an era gone by, with pale pink doors inviting you to peek inside. Leaning into the Victorian design, Wimberley Interiors selected curved headboards, unique furniture, floral wallpaper, to bring the garden inspiration inside; and other details, which set the tone for elevated and charming luxury. Bathrooms are decked out, showcasing black and white checkered marble floors, with sleek showers and updated fixtures. Special emphasis was put on maintaining the integrity of Kate Morgan’s haunted room 3327, which is shown on tours and can be reserved.

Working with original blueprints and knowledge from in-house Heritage Manager Gina Petrone and President, Heritage Architecture and Planning, David Marshall, the duo helped spearhead this meticulous process. When walls and ceilings were being renovated, among the hidden treasures revealed was a fresco in the Ocean Ballroom that had been covered for decades, open-air porches that had been enclosed, and an archway on the fifth floor that had been abandoned since the 1970s, except when used as a sniper location during a presidential visit. Although all the fireplaces were removed by 1931, chimney remnants were unearthed. Many of the windows had been painted over and have now been restored to their original dark red color. An added bonus for Petrone has been taking samples of the various wallpapers, as they were uncovered, to document the many eras.

Visitors will be pleased to see the restored Victorian Courtyard which has been taken back to its origins with gazebos and pathways. Plants and fruit trees like orange, lemon, and kumquats pay homage to Elisha Babcock’s original botanical gardens. Some of the older palm trees are 90 years old. Through a painstaking five-year process, led by Burton Studio, The Naiad Queen, as she is lovingly called, once again graces the fountain in the center of the courtyard. The original was purchased by Babcock in 1887, and later drained thinking it was causing mosquito issues. It was turned back on and then removed in 1912 and subsequently lost. Petrone said that they located the same statue in Washington and were able to have a mold made to replicate it and return it to its rightful spot.

RELATED: Mystery of the Hotel del Coronado’s Lost Fountain Statue

Expect the scaffolding to be down by the end of April, coupled with the opening of new dining venues. The former Sheerwater space, which was closed a year ago, will open with two new concepts. Chapman shared that Veranda, a family friendly restaurant will feature a traditional American classic menu, where guests can eat in a garden setting with an ocean view. The famed Japanese restaurant, Nobu, will be opening for high end dining in May.  The Laundry Pub recently closed its doors to the public and will become an event space.  Chapman noted that it served its purpose for food options during the revitalization process and will now be used for the much-needed event space, for which it was originally intended.

With an updated room count of 938, including guest rooms, suites, and villas, The Del holds many memories for locals and tourists alike, and both will appreciate the end of this impressive construction project to make this crowned masterpiece continue to shine brightly for decades to come.

Look back on the timeline of The Del’s master plan renovation.