Fairmont Grand Del Mar Golf Resort And Spa Review

Our Verdict

Be prepared to live the “Grand Life” if you are visiting the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. The Fairmont Grand Del Mar is located in Del Mar, California just about 20 mins from the San Diego Airport. It is a nice short, and easy drive to get to this luxurious resort. And from the moment you turn off the main road and head back the long private drive to the resort, you know you are about to encounter something very exclusive. The Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond luxury destination. While the resort is pretty isolated from nearby shopping and off property dining, it is still close enough to the beach and to popular restaurants and shopping in the cute beach town of Del Mar.

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar Golf Resort & Spa

Looking for the perfect weekend getaway? Well look no further than the Fairmont Grand Del Mar! But, let us be the first to warn you that you will be surrounded by ultimate luxury. No matter if you are looking to play a round of golf at the Grand Del Mar’s world-class golf course, take a yoga class, go for a swim in the beautiful sparkling pools or play a round of tennis, there is something for everyone. There are also five restaurants to choose from on property plus in-room dining, so you won’t have a hard time finding somewhere to enjoy a delicious breakfast, casual lunch or an exquisite dinner.

Let’s talk about the architecture and attention to detail that the Fairmont Grand Del Mar showcases. From the massive front driveway to the luxurious lobby and then on to the guest rooms, no detail was forgotten. The beautiful purple marble that is featured in the lobby was imported directly from Italy. This Italian inspired resort truly feels like a home away from home.

Upon our arrival at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, we were quickly greeted by several bell-men and assisted with our luggage and we were shown directly into the lobby.

Our Room

The resort appears to be massive when you drive up to the front, but it actually only has about 249 luxurious guest rooms. The main building which houses the guest rooms is very easy to get around. But we will admit that some of the hallways can seem quite long.

For our stay at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, we booked ourselves in a Prado Suite. Talk about 1,000 square feet of ultimate luxury. From the separate living room to the dual luxurious marble bathrooms, this room offered the perfect escape.

The rooms are very old-world Italian-luxury inspired and featured gold fixtures, dark solid wood furniture and lots of attention to detail through texture with the use of various fabrics.

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar was built from the ground up as a brand new resort in 2007. And with 12 years of age it is very hard to tell as much of the property still feels brand new. The resort features tons of old-world character you would expect in an older property but it was built to be that way.

The Prado suite gave us views of the resort grounds but the large picturesque windows and small balcony offered plenty of natural light.

Typically Fairmont Hotels and Resort feature Le Labo toiletries. However the Fairmont Grand Del Mar features Red Flower, also from New York City. We might have been a little disappointed at the lack of Le Labo, as it is our favorite brand of hotel toiletries.

Dining

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar features 5 restaurants on property plus 24-hour room-service. During our stay we had the opportunity to eat at 3 of the restaurants. Amaya, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner is the perfect place to surround yourself with Mediterranean architecture and forget you are even in Southern California. We ate breakfast at Amaya and it was absolutely delicious. The food and the spectacular ambiance make this the perfect place for brunch on the weekend or an Italian inspired dinner.

For dinner we dined at the Lobby Lounge which has a really nice cozy atmosphere with great drinks and casual fare. When dining out we rarely order a burger. But the burger at the Lobby Lounge is a must! The burger was perfectly cooked, and on the brioche bun, it just melts in your mouth.

Another great spot to grab a bite to eat is at The Clubhouse Grill. The Clubhouse Grill is just a short walk or golf cart ride away from the main building. They have a spectacular patio with heaters so you can dine outside, even when it is chilly. We had breakfast here one morning and the service and food was incredible. And here’s a Two Gays and a Puppy insider tip. If you go here for breakfast, order the Banana Bread to start with! You’ll thank us!

Amenities

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar Golf Resort & Spa has tons of things to do for everyone. And if you can’t find it at the resort, it’s probably just a short drive away. At the resort you’ll find everything from a fitness center to four sparkling outdoor pools, the luxurious spa and a world-class golf course.

One of our favorite things about this resort are the pools. They are so iconic with their sparkling blue water and red and white lounge chairs. The main pool area features 2 large pools and a smaller third pool. This main pool area is located toward the back of the resort and is very quiet and secluded.

The Spa at Fairmont Grand Del Mar is one of only 60 Forbes Five-Star Spas in the world. The Spa features both a women’s lounge, a men’s lounge and a co-ed lounge. Both the women’s and men’s areas feature an indoor whirlpool, a dry sauna and a steam room as well as a locker room and shower facilities. During our stay we didn’t have any treatments done, but we enjoyed the spa facilities including the beautiful outdoor relaxation pool.

The fitness center at the Grand Del Mar is well…..Grand. There was plenty of cardio equipment, lots of machines including several cable machines and a squat rack.

Service

For a luxury five-star resort, let alone San Diego’s best luxury five-star resort, you would expect a certain level of service. And the service at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar was just that. Everyone we encountered from the bell-men to the front desk, to the wait staff, to the spa concierge, everyone truly seems like they enjoy their job in providing outstanding customer service.

Overall Impression

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a home away from home that surrounds you in luxury from the moment you step foot in the door. If you are looking for a weekend getaway, a place to bring your family or a stop on a business trip, this is the place. There are plenty of things to do close by from the beach to shopping and all that San Diego has to offer but when you return to the resort you are able to relax and forget about everything else.

Oh…..and the resort is very pet friendly!

And when you book with Virtual Travel Gurus, you’ll get complimentary extras like a $100 activity credit, daily breakfast for two and a room upgrade. Plus the Grand Del Mar is offering a third night free promotion through the end of 2019! For more information just email us at Booking@VirtualTravelGurus.com.

Andaz San Diego Review

Andaz San Diego is located in the heart of downtown San Diego's Gaslamp Quarter. Located about a mile from North San Diego Bay and the USS Midway Museum, this particular location makes most areas of downtown San Diego very walkable.

Andaz San Diego

Let's talk about vibrant meets modern and chic. The Andaz San Diego just unveiled a $4 Million Dollar rennovation in the spring of 2017.  Perhaps one of our favorite things about the Andaz properties is you are surrounded by local arts, culture and food. During the renovation, a different piece of local art was sourced for each and every guest room, giving each space it's own unique look and feel. All 159 guest rooms and suites underwent upgrades. And trust us the renovation turned out great! The Andaz San Diego looks very sleek from the outside and that continues as soon as you enter the hotel.

OUR ROOM

The Andaz San Diego gives you the feel of a smaller boutique hotel But you'll also get the amenities and location of your typical larger chain hotels. The rooms are very art-centric with several paintings, photographs, sculptures and a variety of textures give the rooms a fun chic vibe. The rooms feature a pretty neutral color palette of grey and white with pops of color in the furniture, accent pillows and trim work.

We stayed in the Star Suite. And it's incredible with two bedrooms (1 had full-size bunkbeds), 2 full bathrooms plus a living and bar area. The room featured sleek modern surfaces with industrial light fixtures and colorful textiles tying it all together.

And if you happen to bring your four legged friend, the Andaz San Diego is pet friendly. They don't even charge a pet fee like most hotels typically do. And they will roll out the red-carpet for your pet with a bed and food & water bowls. We are already planning another trip back next month and Madi is definitely coming with us!

Be prepared to step into the modern age in this spa like bathroom. You'll be surrounded in lots of glass, metal and shiny surfaces. Both bathrooms featured large walk-in showers and had a modern-sleek feeling to them.

The master bathroom also featured a steam shower, which was quite nice! The shower enclosure in the master bathroom also featured a large free-standing tub, oh and don't forget the fun gold duck.

DINING

The on-site restaurant at Andaz San Diego is not your typical local inspired restaurant. Instead the Andaz San Diego opted for a restaurant that matches the vibe of the hotel. And STK knocks it out of the park!

STK puts a modern twist on your classic American steakhouse food. The ambiance is very dark, fun and romantic with club like music and candles on each table. Steak lovers rejoice, the steak was some of the best we've ever had. Seriously. We can't wait to go back, just to dine at STK!

AMENITIES

There are plenty of amenities at the Andaz San Diego such as the Gallery (art gallery), fitness center and the incredible rooftop bar & pool. If you want to watch the sunset head up to the rooftop for a cocktail or a dip in the pool.

Due to the short duration of our one-night stay at the Andaz San Diego, we weren't able to take advantage of the fitness center. But we did check it out, and it would definitely suffice to get a good workout in. There are plenty of free weights and cardio equipment to get your sweat on.

If you are planning a trip to San Diego, be sure to check out our Weekend Wanderings: San Diego Guide

And remember, if you book with a travel agent like Virtual Travel Gurus, you’ll get extra benefits like complimentary breakfast, a $100 food & beverage credit, room upgrade, early check-in and late check-out!

Hotel del Coronado

Hotel del Coronado has always been on our hotel bucketlist. And since we are huge fans of the Curio Collection, when the property joined Hilton's Curio Collection, we had even more reason to stay at the iconic hotel. So we booked a stay at The Del on New Year's Day.

Hotel del Coronado

The Hotel del Coronado is a famous and luxurious beachfront resort in the city of Coronado, just across the San Diego Bay from San Diego, California. "The Del" is a classic hotel that deserves to be part of your San Diego experience. It somehow manages to combine the charm of a century old resort with the modern amenities.

The Hotel del Coronado was built in 1888 and is listed as a historic landmark. Over the years the resort has played host to some of the most famous people in the world including Charlie Chaplin, Charles Lindbergh, Kirk Douglas, and Marilyn Monroe. Several Presidents have also stayed at The Del. Presidents include Benjamin Harris, William Taft, Franklin D Roosevelt, Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

The public spaces of the hotel have an old school elegance, the elevator dates back to the 1800’s with manual controls and the ballroom is a sight to behold by itself.

Our Room

We booked a Victorian King Room. The Victorian rooms are located in the historical section of the hotel. There is also a tower section of the hotel which was added in the 2000's. At check-in we learned that we had been upgraded to a junior Victorian suite due to our Hilton Diamond Status which was definitely a pleasant surprise.

The junior suite had two rooms, a bedroom and a living room with a small dining area. And off the living room was a balcony overlooking for the resort grounds.

The living area was big enough that we felt like we had space to stretch out.

The bedroom had one king bed, dresser and television. And the bed was extremely comfortable.

The bathroom off of the living room was a bit small. And you could tell the bathroom was dated. But we were in the historical section of the hotel, so no complaints here.

The Hotel del Coronado supplies guests with Espa London toiletries. And our bathroom was stocked with a cleansing bar, body lotion, body was, conditioner and shampoo. The bergamot, jasmine & a hint of cedarwood smelling toiletries were definitely enjoyable.

Dining

There are multiple drink and dining venues at Hotel del Coronado. Whether you are looking for something casual, a quick snack, cocktails at sunset or a romantic dinner setting, you will find it here. One of the best things about this resort is that the majority of bars and restaurants have an ocean view! We only ate breakfast at the Hotel del Coronado but the breakfast buffet at the Sheerwater Restaurant was amazing. And since we booked our room through Virtual Travel Gurus, our breakfast buffet was included! A great value!

It's also worth noting that Hilton Honors Gold & Diamond members receive a free continental breakfast each morning. You can pay a small fee to upgrade to the entire breakfast buffet.

And while we didn't take in any other meals at Hotel del Coronado, we did enjoy ice cream from MooTime Creamery. It's a 1950s style ice cream parlor that serves up sundaes, ice cream cones and frozen yogurt. And the ice cream was delicious!

Amenities

Trust, us, you will not get bored at Hotel del Coronado! There are different types of activities at the resort throughout the day. You can enjoy bike riding from the resort around Coronado Island, partake in a beach spinning class or just relax on the beach or by one of the resort pools.

And The Del has bonfires on the beach that can be reserved for a fee (that come with s'mores kits) in the evening. S'more and a bonfire on the beach....I'm not sure we can think of a better way to finish off the day.

And you can shop till you drop at The Del shops. Definitely check out the 1888 vintage shop. And it's just one of numerous shops located at the resort.

Our favorite thing to do was relax in the spa. The spa has men and women's lounge areas and steam rooms. But the best part of the spa is the private terrace with a vanishing-edge pool overlooking the Pacific.

Overall Impression

The best part of the Hotel del Coronado is that it embodies the beachy California vacation vibe that so many try to replicate but very few hotels and resorts actually achieve. The hotel sits on 28 acres of the number one rated beach in the United States!

And as you would expect at a higher end hotel or resort, we found service at The Del to be top notch. The Hotel del Coronado uses texting and the Hilton Honors app for communicating with guests. That makes it extremely convenient to contact the concierge or guest services.

Our advice, book yourself a room in the Victorian/Historical side of the hotel. These rooms have character and truly make you feel like you staying in a charming, luxurious old world resort.

And remember if you book a room at the Hotel del Coronado through Live Luxe Travel Co., you'll often receive extra perks like free breakfast, spa credits and room upgrades!

Oh, we almost forgot. The Del is also very kid and pet friendly! There is even a store for dogs and a doggy happy hour. So yes, that means Madi will likely come with us when we return this fall!