Hotel del Coronado, Curio Collection by Hilton

Staying at Hotel del Coronado was a memorable experience, especially because I stayed in the historic Victorian building. It truly felt like being an insider—immersed in both the hotel’s storied past and its present-day luxury. The architecture and ambiance deliver a wonderful old-world feel, while the rooms are thoughtfully updated with modern amenities, including USB and USB-C outlets throughout, which made everyday travel needs easy and convenient. Because the historic section is open to the public, there’s a lively, iconic energy during the day. That said, staying overnight adds a special layer to the experience. Once the day visitors clear out, you really feel like part of something exclusive, almost like you have access to a behind-the-scenes version of this legendary hotel. For travelers who prefer a quieter or more private setting away from outside visitors, I’d recommend looking at The Views (formerly Ocean Towers), Beach Village, or Shore House. Each offers a different atmosphere and level of privacy. It’s worth noting that Hotel Del has over 150 different room types, so choosing the right one matters. I highly recommend calling the hotel directly for room recommendations or working with a knowledgeable local travel agent who can help match the room and location to your specific needs. Doing this will elevate an already special stay into an exceptional one.

The beach village by Hilton is one of my favorite properties I’ve stayed at so far. You will be remiss if you don’t go see Daniel at the ocean club for mimosas during breakfast! Has the absolute best time!!

Staff was nonexistent. Crowded. Not worth the price. Can’t swim in the beach. Very expensive food. Too crowded to truly enjoy. Definitely better ways to explore Coronado. The whole experience felt inauthentic

Wedding Review: The venue is beautiful and the wedding itself went well. Unfortunately, post-event billing raised serious concerns that remain unresolved after more than three months. We disputed approximately $15,000 in charges that cannot be reconciled with what occurred at our events. The hotel offered a $2,500 credit without providing the detailed consumption records requested. We are now pursuing credit card disputes and legal remedies. Key Billing Issues The final bill includes charges for 50 glasses of wine during the after-party. Fewer than 5–10 glasses were consumed. We have video documentation confirming minimal wine service. When asked to explain the discrepancy, the hotel stated that “wine glasses in use” justified billing for 50 glasses as consumed. No consumption records were provided to support this quantity. Mathematically Implausible Drink Counts Based on the hotel’s invoices: • After-party (2 hours, ~20–30 guests): 230+ drinks billed (≈9–11 drinks per person in 2 hours) • Reception (87 guests, ~30% non-drinkers): 300+ drinks billed beyond a 4-hour open bar • Combined total: 530+ drinks = 16+ drinks per guest over the full day This implies every guest—including non-drinkers, elderly relatives, and designated drivers—consumed more than 16 drinks. This volume did not occur. Notably, specific drinks we know were consumed do not appear on the bill, yet the hotel maintains all billed drinks were accurately tracked. Additional Discrepancies • Premium (“Diamond”) liquor billed despite contracted “Gold” package only • Incorrect guest count billed (88–89 vs. confirmed 87 guests) Prepayment Reconciliation Concern We prepaid >$100,000, including more than $15,000 allocated for variable, consumption-based charges. The final invoice matched our prepayment almost exactly, despite consumption being inherently variable. No point-of-sale records or consumption logs have been provided to explain how totals were calculated or why variable costs matched prepayment to the penny. Timeline of Resolution Attempts • Nov 7: Submitted detailed written discrepancy questions • Nov 24: Hotel cited “heavy drinking” without supporting documentation • Dec–Jan: Multiple promised follow-ups missed • Jan 6: Contract access disabled when requested • Jan 14: Offered $2,500 credit without supporting records Current Status • Credit card dispute filed (American Express) • Legal counsel retained for potential civil claims regarding billing practices • Complaints prepared to submit to California Attorney General (Consumer Protection) and Better Business Bureau • Escalated to Hilton corporate leadership Guidance for Future Couples If booking Hotel del Coronado: • Avoid consumption-based billing where possible; negotiate fixed pricing • Request detailed point-of-sale records immediately after events • Review invoices line-by-line before final payment authorization • Independently document bar service • Budget for potential legal costs to dispute charges Bottom Line The venue itself is exceptional and our wedding day was beautiful. The billing practices following our event were not. Charges were applied that the hotel has been unable or unwilling to substantiate with documentation after three months of requests. We paid >$100,000 and expected accurate billing based on actual consumption, not charges that appear structured to exhaust prepayment rather than reflect actual usage. This review is based on documented invoices, emails, and video evidence. The hotel is welcome to provide the detailed consumption records that have been requested since November 2025. Will update when/if resolved through settlement or legal proceedings.

Patrick greeted me upon arrival and provided outstanding, friendly service. This experience exceeded any I have had at other hotels. Our room was the Victorian ocean view, we loved it!

The rooms, location and most of the staff are fantastic. However, I had forgotten needed medications in my rooms refrigerator upon check out. I called later from Los Angeles and was told that Security would retrieve the medications and call me back. After a time I called Security as they never called back. Yes, they had retrieved my medications. When I explained that I needed to get them sent by overnight to me in LA because I was leaving the next morning they were completely unsympathetic and unwilling to pursue anything further than "it's Saturday and Fedex doesn't open until Monday!" There's more to the saga, but I was forced to rent a car in LA and return to the Del to pick up the medications myself. Following the instructions given to go the bellman's station they were unaware of my package and the person in Security they spoke to had no idea. It was only after I forced the topic on the phone with security that they found my medication in their refrigerator and delivered it to the bell station so I could turn around and drive back to LA. Totally unacceptable and unlike any of the other services and treatment we received at the Del.

This is a special hotel. The grounds are beautiful and the rooms were recently renovated. If you ever wondered what it would have been like to stay at a high end hotel 100 years ago this is the place. You feel like you stepped back in time. The staff is excellent. The pool is nice and the beach is large with plenty of room. The bar is excellent with an amazing open wall view of the property and beach. I never say this but the restaurants and surrounding area restaurants are very expensive. Go ahead and splurge for Nobu or another high end restaurant because there aren’t too many low price restaurants nearby. Breakfast is expensive so plan on pastries and coffee if you want to save.

As expected, the property is wonderful, and the people were fantastic. This property is truly a gem. However, for the money involved, I expected a much better first impression in the room. First, there was a brown stain on the carpet, absolutely unacceptable. This bothered me the entire time. Second, the room fridge was full of half empty food containers from the previous guests. Disgusting! And it was dirty and stained inside. Third, the body wash container in the bathroom was empty. Unbelievable! And fourth (not Del’s fault really), there was no swimming in the ocean due to raw sewage and industrial chemicals flowing up from Tijuana. Completely revolting! When the wind was right, you could smell it. Apparently this is a common issue. If there’s a fifth , it would be the general costs. My 16oz Dasani water was 8.25, that’s worst than Disney! I did love the overall stay, even with all these issues. I may give them another chance though.