Lodge at Torrey Pines in La Jolla or Hotel Del in Coronado or ???
 

Hi all,
I am trying to decide where to stay for four nights in July in either La Jolla or Coronado, or maybe even Del Mar. I am looking for a 5 star quality hotel(or close) and am considering the Lodge at Torrey Pines. Had my heart set on the Del, but seems like it has gone downhill from what I have read.

Is the Lodge at Torrey Pines a good lcoation or too far from the town part of La Jolla? Seems like a lovely hotel and very cozy and nice.

Also, what about the L'Auberge Del Mar? Read good and bad about it.
The Hotel Del in Coronado I used to love but fear it is not as great as it used to be.

Thoughts anyone? Love to hear any suggestions? Also any tips for getting a reservation at George at the Cove? Any other restaurants that are wonderful?

Many thanks.
Jennifer

The Lodge at Torrey Pines is lovely, but you will have to drive into La Jolla to the shops and restaurants. Or, I think I read that the hotel has a shuttle, but I'm not sure. It would be a smart thing for them to have.

I think the location and everything about L'Auberge Del Mar is wonderful. It's right in Del Mar, you can walk to shops and restaurants and the beach is one of the best.

Almost forgot, have you tried making reservations for George's and they're full? The Terrace upstairs is my favorite there and they don't reserve all the tables. You can just go and wait, but it could be a long wait.

You don't say when in July you are coming, but if it's after July 16 when the horse racing season begins at Del Mar, you may find that both these hotels are full.

We had a wonderful 3 night stay at the Del in Dec. of 2006. It is an amazing resort, the restaurant 1500 Ocean is very good there, you can book on opentable. You can also book George's California Modern on opentable, we had a great dinner there right before the remodel. :)

Are you set on staying in San Diego? The Montage is a gorgeous resort in Laguna Beach, check out their website. You can get good rates on lagunabeachdotcom. Have fun! ***kim*** ((f))

Coronado would be my first choice. It's a small town with a beautiful beach. It a short hop across the bridge to downtown San Diego, Balboa Park and the Zoo and Padre's baseball park. There are a number of nice hotels in Coronado if you don't want to stay at the Hotel Del.


La Jolla is nice but has more traffic and not as friendly for bicycling and walking. I would recommend the Estancia Hotel in the Torrey Pines area. It is in the same area as the Torrey Pines Lodge which is about 5-10 from the heart of downtown La Jolla.

Have stayed at the Hotel Del and L'Auberge del Mar. It's been about 10 years, so can't comment on current upkeep -- but will give you a few thoughts on each.

Hotel Del is classic, spectacular when at its best. Rooms vary tremendously, so you may be delighted or disappointed depending on your luck of the draw. The beach is far nicer than the beach at Del Mar (and the hotel is beachfront). There is a ton of history and charm that can't be replicated. It's fairly sprawling, with a lot to do. The downside is that it is a tourist mecca, so can feel like Grand Central, and you shouldn't expect the personal attention you might get at a true 5* hotel.

L'Auberge Del Mar is a much smaller, more intimate property. We loved the public areas, and had a wonderful dinner at the small restaurant. I found the location much less appealing than the Hotel Del Coronado. It is right on top of the busy thoroughfare, although fairly well shielded. The beach is a walk down a hillside path -- I found it less attractive than Coronado Beach. There are shops and restaurants across the street and along the main thoroughfare.

Overall, I think Hotel Del Coronado is a more special and interesting place. However, if by "5* quality" you mean highly personalized service and an intimate environment, L'Auberge Del Mar may be more likely to deliver.

Best of luck -- they're all good choices, and I'm jealous.

The Estancia is something to consider. We stayed there a couple years ago and loved it.

The prev posters all did a wonderful job.

My 5 star experience would be to book (you can also buy like a timeshare) the Hotel Del Coronado...and assuming I won the lottery I would book a room on the beach level of the newly opened and very expensive deluxe condo like Beach Village.

The ground level opens right out onto the beach (I would try to get the best possible view with privacy)with a firepit to sit cozy by at night and hear the waves of the ocean, and a lovely private jacuzi also to sit in and hear the ocean...
by day I would sit on my patio and sunbath, leave from my front door and walk miles down the white sand beach.
I would ask the Concierge to stock my full size kitchen with all the amenties (Margaritas etc) and then ask the Butler/Chef to prepare an in room 5* dinner every night.
www.hoteldel.com
Beach Village @ the Del

Rancho Valencia?

Hi,
Thank you all so much for responding. I am having a very hard time deciding still and did not mean to say it HAD to be 5 star, just wanted a more upper end hotel.
Cannot decide whether to go to San Diego, Laguna or Santa Barbara...maybe one now and the others another time...appreciate it.

Jennifer

For location, I'd stay at the Del. I stayed at the Lodge a few years ago, and found the rooms a bit dark and dreary for the high price, though the hotel restaurant was wonderful.

In downtown San Diego, I love the US Grant. Their Landmark Suite is just beautiful.

If you were looking for a resort stay, the new Grand del Mar is nice, but kinda far from anything.