Welcome to the first in a series of reports about San Diego’s finest hotels . . . from the viewpoint of the hotel childcare provider! Our reporter, Heather, takes on the Loews Coronado Bay Resort this time, pointing out the best activities for kids and families (and babysitters!) to enjoy when visiting the Loews. Look forward to more reports in this series as we feature other great San Diego locations!
The Loews Coronado Bay Resort is ranked one of Parents magazines “10 best beach resorts for families.” I can tell you from personal experience that is definitely a fitting moniker. It is located just steps from the Silver Strand state beach, which recently has been ranked as second best in the country by the Travel Channel. The location is absolutely gorgeous, and there is no shortage of activities when it comes to making sure your family has a memorable vacation.
The hotel itself offers an awesome beach-going experience. There is a shuttle that will take you directly from the front doors of the hotel over to the Silver Strand. The shuttle ride alone is a joyride for kids of all ages. I found myself wearing a large grin as the wind blew on my face in the open air riding experience. The children were having a great time, laughing and saying hi to everyone. The shuttle took us under a pedestrian walkway filled with jovial paintings of sea creatures and then landed us almost on the sand itself. There is a restroom located within feet of the shuttle exit.
There is also an area provided by the hotel which generously allows lending of any and all beach equipment you will possibly need. They have towels, chairs, boogie boards, and sand toys for the little ones. When you are ready to head back, simply let the hotel employee know and they will send for the shuttle to pick you up.
Once back at the hotel, the kids all wanted to go to the pool. The pool also provided a grand time. We walked out into the pool area and there were families playing ping pong and having a great time in the sun. There were plenty of well padded lounge chairs to choose from and another place to get towels. Once seated, I had a clear view of the children both in the pool and in the Jacuzzi. It didn’t take long for us to be greeted by a friendly hotel employee with a delicious offering of frozen grapes. The kids jumped out of the pool and enjoyed the grapes together. There is also a service through which you can order delicious poolside snacks or meals right from the comfort of your chair!
If you are in town for business or any other reason you can’t take the kids along, the hotel has a teacher supervised kids camp, which is offered in half day or full day lengths. The activities are age appropriate and do include lunch. For your older children, there is a very cool teen lounge, which was designed by Pottery Barn's PBteen. It features Guitar Hero World Tour, comfy loungers, iPod-friendly chairs, and other video games.
I was highly impressed with both the service and the amenities offered by the Loews Coronado Bay Resort. I would recommend this hotel to anyone traveling with children. You’ll have a hard time running out of things to do with your kids while staying at the Loews. The location of the hotel also provides a perfect summation of San Diego’s beauty and world renowned climate.
– Heather de Castro