Pool of the Hotel del Coronado
The Hotel del Coronado, a wooden Victorian beach resort, is a national historic landmark. The luxury resort spreads over 28 acres, featuring everything the spoiled guests expect. The large, wooden hotel played host to 14 US Presidents, Hollywood celebrities, significant foreign personalities, and allegedly even ghosts. Touted as a romantic getaway, I wonder if the prices, which can easily exceed $600 for a weekend night in summer, are any indication of the expected romantic pleasure a guest will derive from a stay. Apparently, that is the case, considering the full parking lots and hotel availability statistics.
For those of us working for a living, a brief visit to “The Del” is nonetheless rewarding. The beachside location, grandiose architecture and rich history should put the hotel on your list of places to see if you happen to visit Coronado Island.
How to get there
Coronado Map
Take the San Diego / Coronado Bridge from San Diego. Follow it along Pomona Avenue and turn left on Orange Avenue. Follow Orange Avenue all the way to the main entrance of the Hotel.
Metered parking is available on the streets.
GPS position
32°40’52.90″N 117°10’41.41″W
How to photograph the Hotel del Coronado
Lobby with Chandelier
A hotel stay will give you the location advantage. Unless your client is willing to foot the tab, stay at a cheaper room in one of the nearby ugly concrete towers that also belong to the hotel. Even if you are not a hotel guest, you can still explore the property, but you will encounter some restrictions using the side doors and gaining access to upper level floors. Unless you have the overwhelming desire to feel like royalty for one day, making up for it the rest of your vacation exchanging steak for burgers, I recommend a short visit instead and to stay in an only moderately overpriced hotel in Downtown San Diego.
The giant chandelier that graces the opulent lobby of the hotel and the dark wooden stairs and front desk are in stark contrast to the bright colored sun lit exterior of the hotel. Don’t use the camera flash and turn up the ISO sensitivity instead. The natural light will create an even illumination and bring out distant detail in this photograph, where flash creates unnaturally flat looking images. Use a wide-angle lens or image stabilized lens to allow handheld shooting.
Hotel del Coronad
Exit toward the courtyard and hunt for good compositions in the expertly designed garden.
Continue through the courtyard and exit in the direction of the beach! Most classic photographs were taken from the beach, including a famous photo of Marilyn Monroe, shot during the filming of her unforgettable movie “Some Like it Hot.” Use a wide-angle lens and stand up, to include the entire hotel without introducing distortion. Pay attention to your foreground and shift position to avoid cutting people in half and to place spectators where you want them in your frame.
From the beach, walk up to the pool patio and down to the pool area (image at the top of the article). Make sure you do not offend the hotel guest with long photography sessions. Most people are very sensitive about photographs taken of them in bathing suits. Keep your time here to a minimum and exit the way you came, unless you are a hotel guest with a key card to any of the doors leading back into the hotel.
Use a circular polarizing filter on your outdoor photographs! This cuts glare from the water, the windows, and the palm leaves. Don’t always use the filter at its full strength! CP filters can lead to unnatural looking skies, especially when you try to boost contrast in the editing process.
Best Time of the Day and Best Season
Afternoon provides better light from the beach and pool area, while morning light is better for the front entrance.
Time required
This location is a perfect time filler location. If you happen to find yourself in the neighborhood with spare time, fill it with a visit to the historic Hotel del Cornodao!
Equipment
Use only the necessary equipment on your way through the hotel. Less is more, especially when you photograph around people who may feel uncomfortable in the presence of cameras.
- Wide-angle lens
- Normal Lens
- CP filter
Close Locations
- Coronado Island
- Night Photography in San Diego
- Santa Fe Depot
- San Diego Maritime Museum
- Aircraft Carrier USS Midway
- Balboa Park
- Seaport Village
- Old Town
- Shelter Island
- Harbor Island
- Point Loma and Cabrillo NM
- Mission Bay and Mission Beach
Useful Resources
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2 Comments
It’s so pretty even though pretentious. My boss stayed there last summer for a week or so. She’s got considerably more $$ than me. She did bring me a souvenir from the Del, though
Another great post, Andre. This is a case where you made it look even better than it does in real life. Your picture of the chandelier is perfectly exposed and YAAY for telling people not to use flash!
One room that you might have missed is very impressive – the crown room. Here’s a link with a picture: http://www.hoteldel.com/crown-room.aspx
I was fortunate enough to be at an event in this room. It’s like being in an upside down ship. Numerous presidents have held events there. A special place. See, there’s more for your next visit!