We recently did a little staycation down in San Diego and had the pleasure of staying at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. I’d been stalking the hotel since we lived in Chicago and was dying to see it in person. Take one look at their Instagram or Pinterest and you’ll see what I mean. It took all of 3 seconds upon arriving at the gate on Friday night to know this hotel would be every bit as dreamy as it looked in pictures! It definitely earns the title of the #1 luxury hotel in California!
LOCATION.
Being that Fairmont Grand Del Mar is in Southern California, you have the incredible weather year round. It’s nestled in the San Diego area right outside of the city so it’s extremely peaceful and quiet with very expansive grounds. It’s also easily accessible from any of the Southern California airports (SAN, SNA, LAX, ONT, BUR) which gives you the option to find the best flight. You will likely want a car if you’re traveling in from any airport aside from SAN. San Diego also makes for a great stop along a Southern California road trip. I’d highly recommend ending with the highlight: the Fairmont Grand Del Mar!
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ROOMS.
The rooms at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar were so luxurious. They were spacious with the classic charm of the Fairmont brand and had every amenity you could want – a mini bar, high end toiletries, a full length mirror!! There was a grand tub in the bathroom and double vanities that looked out into the room too!
Our room was on the first floor right by the adults only pool and had a patio where you could walk right out to the pool! It was the perfect location for us but I think every room had a perk of it’s own! I’m sure it would be amazing to have a room overlooking the gazebo or the courtyard too! See the photo above for how gorgeous it was!
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AMENITIES.
One of the things that struck me most was how the hotel catered to every guest. Whether you were there for a romantic weekend, on a baby moon, or with a family, it felt like the Fairmont Grand Del Mar truly created an experience for you. For example, we spent a few hours at the adult pool enjoying the babbling water, top notch service and staff, and sunshine. Later in the day, we took a walk around the property to the other pools and saw the sand pit for kids to play in and a wading pool for small children. Everything about the resort was extremely family friendly yet also felt perfect for couples. It’s truly incredible how they make this experience work!!
I also have to acknowledge the architecture of the hotel. It looks like something from another country! It made it really easy on me to capture photos because every way you turned, there was another picture perfect spot. I still ogle over these photos (keep scrolling!).
One of the things Matt enjoyed most about the weekend was the Fairmont Grand Del Mar golf course. It was absolutely stunning. It’s a short 5 minute walk from the lobby of the hotel but they shuttle guests back and forth. I opted to walk back after sending Matt off on the first hole and got a taste of the grounds’ beauty! They supplied a complimentary forecaddie who really helped the group understand the course and provided really meaningful tips to improve their game which Matt raved about! Even the golf balls at the driving range during warm up were stacked in the most perfect pyramid. On logistics, the staff took such great care of getting Matt’s golf clubs from the car to the clubhouse and had the ready and waiting for his tee time. They also stored his clubs until we checked out. It was perfectly executed. No detail was forgotten.
If you’re looking for a little relaxation, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar’s spa is exquisite. It is one of Forbes’ 60 Five-Star spas in the entire world. If you’re just looking to squeeze in a workout, their fitness center is also incredible. They also have an outdoor gym in between 2 tennis courts on the other side of the property. It looked heavenly and I wished we had more time to play a match! Instead, we watched from this beautiful arched structure which looks like something straight out of Europe.
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DINE.
If you follow me on Instagram, you might already now what the highlight of my weekend at Fairmont Del Mar was. Truthfully, it was the highlight of my last year! We had the pleasure of enjoying the brand new Fireside Lounge on Saturday night. It’s an open air dining experience with fire pits and cabanas where you can order cocktails, appetizers, a full meal – whatever you want. The best part? You can order a s’mores experience!!! And it was incredible! Everything comes perfectly packaged for you and we had the best time sitting around the fire pit roasting s’mores with live music playing on the stage. Even if you’re in San Diego staying somewhere else, I’d highly recommend this experience. It was unforgettable.
We had breakfast the next morning at Amaya. Amaya is open for all meals of the day so fit it in wherever you can! We all really enjoyed our meals and got to enjoy the view of the courtyard from our table. It truly felt like we were in Positano or some far off place. The ambiance was incredible and so was the food and service.
Cent’ Anni was a cute little grab-and-go shop on the property we visited a few times too! I have to say, their quiche sandwich was absolutely fantastic. They also carry Pressed Juicery juices along with a slew of curated little bites and souvenirs in the gift shop next door. They also carry Goop products!!
NEARBY.
You’ll want to spend as much time as possible on the property but the location itself makes it ideal to enjoy canyon hikes, the beach, and the city of San Diego itself. Since the hotel is tucked away from the hustle and bustle, it’s a great little escape that is still close to neighboring towns of La Jolla, Del Mar (where the horse races are), and of course, downtown San Diego. There is a lot to do nearby too!
All in all, our stay was absolutely perfect. The staff was so thoughtful and friendly, every amenity you could want was available, and the food and beverages were delicious (not to mention the s’mores). Nothing is overlooked! Have you been to Fairmont Grand Del Mar before? Or another Fairmont property?
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Let me know what you think!