$550M Renovation Transforms Hotel del Coronado
The Hotel del Coronado has rehabilitated its famous Victorian architecture, marking the final milestone in Blackstone Real Estate’s $550 million restoration effort to strengthen its heritage for future generations.
“From its earliest days, Hotel del Coronado has been a pioneer, continuously redefining the resort experience,” said JP Oliver, Managing Director, Hotel del Coronado.
“After this transformative journey, we are proud to set a new benchmark for resort excellence and continue exceeding expectations for a new era of guests and visitors.”
The Victorian Neighbourhood was completely restored, including the front porch and lobby, main entry, and drive experience. Updates and enhancements were also made to all Victorian guestrooms, the Victorian garden courtyard, event spaces (including the iconic Crown Room), and two new dining destinations: the acclaimed Nobu Del Coronado and Veranda, an alfresco dining experience with ocean views.
Rob Harper, Head of Asset Management Americas at Blackstone Real Estate, said, “Blackstone has been dedicated to preserving Hotel del Coronado’s iconic status as a National Historic Landmark while ensuring it remains a timeless destination for future generations. We are so proud of the thoughtful collaboration that brought this more than $550 million project to fruition and are thrilled by Hotel del Coronado’s transformation into a modern, premier hotel for the enjoyment of guests, visitors, and the San Diego community.”
The expertly completed, full-property renovation emphasizes historical accuracy, combining top design and architecture talent. Collaborators included Wimberly Interiors, which worked with WATG and GSB Inc.; Burton Studios, which served as Architect of Record for the Victorian Garden Courtyard; and David Marshall of Heritage Architecture & Planning, who provided historical architecture consultation throughout the project.
Victorian Charm, Modern Comfort in Revitalized Guest Rooms
The restored Victorian guest suites at Hotel del Coronado combine exquisite modern touches with the property’s rich legacy. No two guest rooms are identical, reflecting the building’s history and adding to the property’s character. The design reimagines Victorian aesthetics with brighter floral linens, a welcome change from the darker palettes of the era. Furniture intelligently blends caning and wicker with deep wood tones, combining richness and airy texture for a classic yet fresh atmosphere. While maintaining classic curving forms, headboards are made of woven vinyl raffia, and floral wallcoverings pay homage to the hotel’s gardens.
The lighting scheme smoothly blends modern and classic styles, utilizing various materials. Bathrooms have been rebuilt for maximum utility, with large vanities inspired by antique washstands and traditional checkerboard marble flooring. The room artwork presents vintage sketches and drawings through a current lens, as shown by striking black-and-white botanical photographs. Victorian-inspired light fixtures and blue and white Chinoiserie lamps add a touch of romantic elegance, while carefully placed trims and tassels provide subtle Victorian details.
Veranda Restaurant: A Modern Interpretation of Hotel del Coronado’s Historic Veranda
The Veranda restaurant at Hotel del Coronado draws inspiration from the hotel’s historic wraparound veranda, capturing the charm and elegance of the property’s past while embracing contemporary design. When the Hotel del Coronado opened in 1888, a 20-foot-wide veranda ringed the building, providing a continuous 1,800-foot stroll around it. This distinctive feature provided tourists with a relaxing seaside breeze while also symbolizing the hotel’s historic charm. The restaurant’s menu honours the Hotel del Coronado’s Southern California traditions by emphasizing locally produced foods and supplier partnerships.
Starters include grilled California artichokes and broiled West Coast oysters with creamy chorizo butter. In contrast, entrees include American classics with a twist, such as Veranda’s French Dip, grilled Whole Red Mountain Trout Noisette, Certified Angus Beef Steaks, and a Dungeness crab “Wedge.”
Nobu Del Coronado: A Fusion of Global Culinary Artistry and Local California Flavours
Nobu Del Coronado flawlessly combines Chef Nobu Matsuhisa’s trademark style with the Hotel del Coronado’s elegance. Guests can enjoy a variety of Nobu signature dishes, such as Black Cod with Miso, Squid ‘Pasta’ with Garlic Sauce, and A5 Wagyu, as well as Nobu’s unique sushi creations. Nobu Del Coronado’s locally inspired Southern California delicacies include Tai Sweet Shiso, Lobster Truffle Tempura, Beef Kushiyaki Skewers, and more.
The outdoor-indoor restaurant has 156 seats, 120 of which are positioned al fresco with views of the Pacific Ocean. It also offers an eight-seat sushi bar and a sleek 12-seat Pagoda Bar that serves handpicked sake, Japanese whiskeys, and creative cocktails. The restaurant also has 3,700 square feet of oceanfront dining area and a room for special gatherings.
Elevated Meeting, Group, and Event Venues
TheVictorian ballrooms of the Hotel del Coronado, known as the Crown Room, Coronet Room, and Ocean Ballroom, have all been painstakingly restored. These restored areas combine design and technology with historical preservation. The Ocean Ballroom’s rediscovered and preserved 1888 fresco, refinished original wood floors, expertly restored historic wood finishes, meticulously restored doors and a balcony, historical wainscoting recreation, and modern lighting and sound systems are some of the property’s standout features.
Fully Restored Garden Courtyard
The Victorian building’s central garden courtyard, complete with pergolas and historic pathways, has been restored to its original design. This resurgence is aided by the restoration of the well-known Naiad Queen Fountain, which houses a bronze reproduction of Charles Cordier’s “Naiad Queen” monument. Using a mould from an original J.L. Mott Iron Works replica, Carapace Arts expertly produced this recreation, bringing back a significant feature in the region until 1912. The Garden will captivate visitors with a varied assortment of Victorian-era plants, including bromeliads, camellias, cycads, agaves, citrus, hydrangeas, daylilies, ferns, and specimen palms, in addition to the well-known tree ferns, fossil silk tree, and queen palms in the courtyard.
Beyond the completion of the Victorian Neighbourhood, Blackstone’s development has completely changed the resort. For example, the Ocean Club in the Windsor Cottage has debuted, the entire Beach Village, an enclave of oceanfront cottages and villas, has been completely renovated, and Shore House, a branch of LXR Hotels & Resorts, has been added. Shore House is an oceanfront residential experience in a modern beach house setting.
Along with renovated dining options, the restoration brought new life to the Cabanas and Views neighbourhoods’ guestrooms; a revamped Spa & Salon at The Del and an expanded Fitness Center; the construction of the historic Ice House Museum; and new meeting rooms and retail experiences at The Shops at The Del. More than 300 resort jobs have been generated during the renovation. Additionally, during the construction process, thousands of new jobs were created. The address of the Hotel del Coronado is 1500 Orange Ave., Coronado, CA 92118.
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