Del Mar Beach Hotel

My elderly parents loved relaxing on the patio and watching the waves, and the free boogie board rental was a great perk. The hotel is clean, the staff are kind, the beach access is good, and the water-facing view at sunset is incredible. We had a minor parking hassle with our second car and used metered parking for a while. Also, the room coffee makers don’t heat water, so you have to go to the lobby. They only had orange tea, not plain black tea, so bring your own bags if you don’t drink coffee. One thing to know: rooms listed as partial ocean view don’t actually have an ocean view from inside. You have to step into the hallway to see the water. The good parts still outweigh those inconveniences. Thanks for a lovely stay. We hope to return soon.

Parking was our biggest headache. The lot is small, so you might not find a space. Metered parking is available beside the hotel, but if you forget to top up before 8 a.m., you can get a $54 ticket. It happened to us once, and another day we had to pay for an all-day meter because of our second car. The location is great, right by the beach and some good restaurants. Downtown Del Mar is about half a mile up a moderate hill, with more excellent places to eat. Our room was clean, a decent size, and had very comfortable beds. The back patio has a nice beach and ocean view with chairs for sitting out. My only other small complaint was the ceiling-mounted shower head, which you can’t adjust.

The rooms are spacious, and the hotel has been recently renovated. There are paths on both sides of the building down to the beach, plus a covered patio with lounge chairs facing the ocean. It’s an easy walk to Del Mar’s main street for restaurants and cafes, and parking is free, which is a big plus. We had friendly service and a great location. At check-in we got sparkling rosé, and in the morning there’s an espresso machine with lots of options, along with locally made pastries for sale. The lobby is open 24 hours, with fresh filtered water available. This is the only oceanfront Hotel in Del Mar, and I’d highly recommend it.

The place is awesome, right on the beach, and the people who work here are great. But the bathroom barn door leaves about two inches of space, so your wife, girlfriend, or boyfriend can hear everything. That can take the romance out of an evening. I’ve been married 28 years, and some things should stay private. I got up early once and turned the TV up loud. I’d recommend going number two in the office. For that bathroom door, one star. Barn doors don’t work well for restrooms.