THE DEL

I recently went to a wedding of a dear friend's son. I had never been to San Diego and looked forward to the wedding and the trip. I didn't have a clue as to where we were staying until I arrived. A close friend of mine had booked the reservations so I didn't know anything about the hotel. Imagine my surprise when we pulled up to the Hotel Del Coronado in Coronado, CA, or The Del as it is called. The Del opened in 1888. This grand dame has quite a history. The Grand Floridian Hotel at Disney World is fashioned after The Del. Thomas Edison stayed here as did Charles Lindbergh. Charlie Chaplin played polo here and 10 U.S. presidents have stayed also. Movies have been filmed at The Del. SOME LIKE IT HOT with Marilyn Monroe filmed here and it is reported that Wallis Simpson met her future husband, King Edward, here. They stayed off and on at The Del for years. L. Frank Baum wintered at The Del; he loved the place so much he mentioned it in many of his books and wrote part of THE WIZARD OF OZ at The Del. Probably one of the most famous guests checked into The Del in 1891, but never checked out. Kate Morgan and her ex-husband were grifters, gamblers and con artists. The last time she checked in to rendezvous with her ex, he didn't show and she took her life. That was the official story as The Del didn't want their name synonymous with murder. She was shot in room 3327, which you can still rent today. Her ghost has been sighted many times and has been studied by paranormal researchers. Oh, and her handmaid was found hanged a week later adding to the murder plot. I must add that the chandelier in the entry was massive and stunning. The brass cage is an elevator and when it opens, out steps an elderly man, who has to be one of the original bellhops, in uniform with the little pillbox hat. This place is enchanting. One forgets the rest of the world (part of its charm) and with all the shops and restaurants and pools, along with 28 acres of pristine beaches, you would never have to leave the grounds. In fact, I think the Hotel Del is my favorite place I have ever stayed.