Pictured: The Loews Crown Isle Marina has 80 slips to accommodate vessels up to 140 feet in length. It’s also the hub for sailing activities for guests.
Southern California, with its beaches and endless sunshine, screams “family vacation.” But if you want to know where the locals here go for astaycation, it’s the Loews Coronado Bay Resort & Spa, packed with swimming pools, tennis courts and boating options. Bonus: The world-famous Silver Strand Beach is just across the street.
For a full-on splurge, take the Vice Presidential Parlor (No. 2321); when combined with Room No. 2320 or 2323, the one-bedroom suite is 1,750 square feet in size. We loved the floor-to-ceiling windows to stare out at the harbor and the three accompanying balconies. The suite has two oversized bathrooms, one with a shower, one with shower and tub. Nice Touch: The parlor area has a wet bar with a fridge, ideal for family snacks; there’s even a baby grand piano. These are great digs for those who want to spread out; it also works well for couples used to having plenty of personal space at home, and who want to live large on a San Diego break. Similar connecting configurations are also available.
“Bayside” rooms are considered the tops for large families, since they are comprised of three segments that can be sold separately or together, i.e., a guest room, a parlor and a king suite. Many of the hotel’s rooms connect, specifically the Marina View Rooms and the Partial Bay View Rooms. Nice Touch: All suites also have a connecting guest room and all guest rooms have bathtubs, except for ADA rooms, which have a roll-in shower.
The hotel’s concierge team ([email protected]; 619-424-4000, ext. 6300) can reserve a spot at the hotel’s Kids’ Club or at one of Silver Strand Beach’s educational programs, such as Junior Rangers or a campfire program. The hotel also partners with Suzie’s Farm and Living Coast Discover Center to provide educational activities for children and families. Local attractions are world class—there’s the San Diego Zoo, SeaWorld San Diego, and Legoland. The hotel offers a useful package called “Pick Your Park” that includes admission for two adults to the theme park of their choice.
Pictured: The Pool Scene is major at Loews. There’s one pool for adults only, plus cabanas for rent.
We say there’s plenty of reason to stay on property, however. Loews has a marina with water sport options, such as kayaking and sailing. We took a sunset cruise on a cozy 27-foot sailboat with three young women on a girlfriend getaway. The captain of the boat was filled with knowledge of the local area (he took us past the fleet of the U.S. Navy’s Pacific Fleet ships and gave each of us the chance to sail the boat, under strict guidance of course). Note: Bikes can also be rented at the marina, and there are plenty of jogging and walking paths around the hotel.
Coming back to the hotel after our boating excursion that evening was a treat since the lobby bar scene at Cays Lounge was active and extended outside on a lovely cool evening to a patio area with fire pits, which, of course, overlooked the water. This area was a great spot to grab lunch earlier in the day after we’d arrived; we sat in the sun and absorbed the peacefulness that comes from being in the middle of a wonderful waterway.
Pictured: The Kids’ Club has supervised activities for children four to 12, including magic tricks, sandcastle building, and GPS-led scavenger hunts.
In true family fashion, Loews is a pet-friendly hotel company and we saw plenty of doggies on vacation; the waitress joyfully brought one golden retriever a shiny metal bowl of cool water while his owners enjoyed lunch. For a fun, upscale family dinner, try Mistral, which is upstairs at the hotel. The revamped menu (we can vouch for the BLT Panzanella Salad, the Carslbad Mussels, Seafood Paella, and Sizzling Beef or Shrimp) provides great fare in an unpretentious setting with a great view of the bay (think sunsets and the San Diego skyline). During the day, kids will love dropping in on the Market café for snacks or casual meals.
Luxury travel advisors can contact Revenue Analyst Eileen Chang ([email protected]; 619-628-8721) for special arrangements at the hotel, which is run by General Manager Brian Johnson.