The Del: a Brief History

A Brief History of the Hotel del Coronado

With its red turrets, white Victorian façade and spectacular beachfront setting, Hotel del Coronado is one of the most recognizable landmarks in Southern California. Known locally as “The Del,” the hotel has welcomed presidents, royalty, celebrities and generations of beachgoers since the late 19th century.

Its history is closely connected to the development of Coronado itself.

A Grand Vision for Coronado

The story began in 1886, when businessmen Elisha Babcock Jr. and Hampton L. Story formed the Coronado Beach Company. Inspired by the island’s natural beauty, they envisioned an extraordinary seaside resort that would attract visitors from across the country.

Their ambitions extended well beyond constructing a hotel. The company helped establish the infrastructure needed for a new community, including a ferry company, railroad, water system and electrical plant. Parks, streets, commercial areas and residential lots were laid out as Coronado began developing around the planned resort.

Architect James Reid and his brother Watson Reid were selected to design the hotel. Construction began in 1887, with approximately 250 workers employed on the project by that May. The enormous wooden structure used Douglas fir for framing, California redwood for its exterior siding and other carefully selected woods throughout its public spaces. Hotel del Coronado’s official history

The Del Opens in 1888

Hotel del Coronado began receiving guests in January 1888, although February 19—the date of the first meal served in its main dining room—is traditionally celebrated as its birthday.

The hotel was an engineering and architectural marvel for its time. Its amenities included more than 400 guest rooms, expansive verandas, reception rooms, parlors, billiard rooms and a grand interior courtyard. The hotel cost approximately $600,000 to construct and another $400,000 to furnish—an extraordinary investment in the 1880s.

The Del was also at the forefront of technology. Electricity remained a novelty, yet the resort was one of the largest electrified buildings in the country. It featured telephone service, hydraulic elevators and an advanced fire-sprinkler system. The hotel’s power plant also supplied electricity to the growing community of Coronado. Hotel del Coronado

A Destination for Famous Guests

As Coronado grew, The Del quickly became one of the West Coast’s most fashionable destinations. President Benjamin Harrison visited in 1891, becoming the first sitting U.S. president to visit San Diego. Other presidential visitors over the years included William Howard Taft, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter and Gerald Ford.

The hotel also attracted prominent writers, entertainers and public figures. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum spent extended periods in Coronado between 1904 and 1917. He wrote several books in the Oz series during that era and is credited with designing the distinctive crown-shaped chandeliers in the hotel’s Crown Room.

Aviation pioneer Charles Lindbergh was honored with a banquet at The Del in 1927 following his historic solo flight across the Atlantic. The event was especially meaningful to San Diego, where the Spirit of St. Louis had been built.

Hollywood Comes to Coronado

Hotel del Coronado’s dramatic architecture and oceanfront location made it a natural setting for the film industry. Early motion pictures were filmed there beginning in the silent-film era, while stars including Charlie Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks and W.C. Fields visited the resort.

The hotel’s most famous movie appearance came in 1958, when it served as a major filming location for Some Like It Hot. The classic comedy starred Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon. Although the movie’s story was set in Florida, The Del’s Victorian architecture provided the perfect stand-in for a glamorous 1920s seaside resort.

The film remains closely associated with both the hotel and Coronado.

A National Historic Landmark

The Del survived economic downturns, changes in ownership and more than a century of evolving travel tastes. Unlike many grand wooden resorts constructed during the Victorian era, it was never lost to fire or demolition.

In 1977, Hotel del Coronado was designated a National Historic Landmark in recognition of its architectural and historical importance. Its distinctive silhouette, expansive wooden construction and relationship with the development of Coronado make it a rare surviving example of the grand American resort hotel. Hotel del Coronado preservation history

The property has expanded and changed over time, but significant restoration work has sought to preserve the character of the original Victorian building. Historic spaces, architectural details and decorative elements continue to connect today’s guests with the hotel’s earliest years.

The Del Today

More than a hotel, The Del has become a symbol of Coronado. Its red turrets remain visible from the beach, surrounding neighborhoods and approaching aircraft, while its grounds continue to serve as a gathering place for visitors and residents.

The hotel’s influence can also be seen throughout Coronado. It helped drive the island’s original development, contributed to its national reputation and continues to shape the character of the community.

More than 135 years after opening, Hotel del Coronado remains what its founders hoped it would become: a celebrated destination that people would continue visiting long after they were gone.