One of San Diego's best-known sites, the hotel has been a national historic landmark since 1977. It has a colorful history, integrally connected with that of Coronado itself. The Hotel Del, as natives call it, was the brainchild of financiers Elisha Spurr Babcock Jr. and H. L. Story, who saw the potential of Coronado's virgin beaches and its view of San Diego's emerging harbor. They purchased a 4,100-acre parcel of land in 1885 for $110,000 and threw a lavish July 4 bash for prospective investors in their hunting and fishing resort. By the end of the year they had roused public interest -- and had an ample return on their investment. The hotel opened in 1888, although it wasn't actually completed for another six years.

The Del's distinctive red-tile peaks and Victorian gingerbread architecture has served as a set for many movies, political meetings, and extravagant social happenings. It's said that the Duke of Windsor first met Wallis Simpson here. Fourteen presidents have been guests of the Del, and the film Some Like It Hot -- starring Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis -- was filmed here.

Broad steps lead up to the main, balconied lobby, which is adorned with grand oak pillars and ceiling and opens out onto a central courtyard and gazebo. To the right is the cavernous Crown Room, whose arched ceiling of notched sugar pine was constructed without nails. You can tell by looking at this space that the hotel's architect, James Reed, had previously designed railroad stations. A lavish Sunday brunch is served here 9-2.

The patio surrounding the swimming pool is a great place to sit back and imagine what the bathers looked like during the 1920s, when the hotel rocked with the good times. To its right, the new Windsor Lawn provides a green oasis between the hotel and the beach. To the pool's left are the seven-story Ocean Towers accommodations, built in the 1970s. The History Gallery displays photos from the Del's early days, and books elaborating on its history and that of Kate Morgan, the hotel's resident ghost, are sold along with logo apparel and gifts in the hotel's 12-plus shops. Note that this historic property increasingly concentrates on hosting large groups, and while it remains charming, some of the graciousness of the past has been lost.