By Anna Buckley and Andra Kovacs
Every time Sandy Gutierrez walks into the Crown Room at the Hotel Del Coronado, it takes her breath away.
Opening the hand-crafted wooden doors, she steps back in time to an era of elegance.
Gutierrez is reminded of the 112-year-old room’s history when she hears the quiet yet emphatic sound of music from the Roaring Twenties. The smell of the room was one of time, filled with remnants of perfumes of all the hundreds of movie stars, presidents and other guests who had dined in the Crown Room.
“It’s humbling to think of all the people that have come here before you,” said Gutierrez, who has been working at the hotel’s gift shop, Established 1888, for over four years now. The friendly Gutierrez is happy to share her knowledge with any curious visitor and is enthusiastic about the interesting history of the hotel.
The Hotel Del, the only beach front resort in all of San Diego, is situated on the scenic peninsula of Coronado Island, with the sand at its steps.
“You’re sitting on 28 acres of beachfront property,” Gutierrez said. “You’ve got some of the most beautiful beaches in the world here.”
Aside from the sunny beaches, the history of the hotel is what draws most guests in. This combination is what makes it one of USA Today’s top ten resorts in the world. The hotel was also designated a National Historical landmark in 1977.
The Hotel Del was built over 100 years ago in 1888, after only an 11-month construction. The hotel was built without blueprints, meaning that every room is truly unique, said Gutierrez.
The authenticity and location of the hotel is what initially brought in prominent public figures and celebrities. Inventor of the light bulb, Thomas Edison, and L. Frank Baum worked together to create the crown chandeliers in the Crown Room, while Marilyn Monroe filmed the famous movie, Some Like It Hot, on location. Another claim to fame for the hotel is the fact that every president since Benjamin Harrison has been a visitor (with the exception of Barack Obama thus far).
Even to this day, the Hotel Del is a hot spot for celebrities who enjoy the beach and diplomats who hold meetings and host international luncheons.
“You never know who you’re going to see walking down the halls,” Gutierrez said. “People come here for the history, they come to meet, they travel from all over the world just to come here.”
However, famous people are not the only interesting thing that can be seen throughout the hallways.
“You just walk down the halls and you can see the history,” Gutierrez said.
Almost all the architectural features and design of the hotel have been preserved in its original form, with the initial pillars and woodwork still intact. The classical Victorian design and grand size makes it unlike other hotels in the world.
Another significant part of visiting the Hotel Del is the wide variety of entertainment and food available for both guests and the public. From the upscale boutiques and spas, to paddle boarding, bike and boat rentals and sunset sailing, there is something for everyone.
“There’s so much to do here,” said Hannah Zamudio, a desk manager at the hotel. “With every guest it’s a different experience, so we try to work and make it a dream vacation for everyone.”
The Hotel Del is also famous on a much different note. Among the many guests who have stayed at the hotel, there is one guest who employees and visitors say has never quite left. Kate Morgan, a young woman who checked in November of 1892, never got the chance to check out and is known to haunt the grand hotel.
Since then there has been hundreds of reports of paranormal activity, both in her room and around the hotel. Some say they’ve seen things thrown off shelves by mysterious spirits while others see Ms. Morgan walking throughout the halls. Either way, the haunting of Kate Morgan is yet another aspect that gives the hotel character and intrigue.
Overall, there are plenty of reasons people come to visit and stay at the Hotel Del Coronado. People love it so much, they even come back years later.
Rose Tyndall and her husband originally visited the hotel from their home state of Virginia around forty years ago when they toured the historic hotel. They said they had enjoyed sitting on the balcony, soaking in the sun and touring the movie set. They have now returned to the hotel to show their daughter, now a young adult, the place they fell in love with so long ago.
“My daughter has never seen it and she wanted to see the beauty and the reputation of it being so elegant,” Tyndall said. “We truly love the beauty and the history. [It’s] just lovely.”
