The Grand Del Mar is Truly Spectacular

I stayed at this hotel with my husband and two of our four kids. It was a last minute getaway, and it worked out great because we got to take advantage of the "buy two nights get a third night free" special they were offering that weekend. Also, very nice to only have our 5 and 7 year olds with us, and leave the 2 and 3 year olds at home!

The location was fantastic and just what we needed. In the 3 days we were there we spent one at Disneyland (a bit over an hour away), one at Sea World (10 minutes) and one at the coast (5-10 minutes). 

The Grand Del Mar, of course, lives up to its name. The architecture is absolutely stunning and not a detail was wasted in its design. The rooms are beautiful and well kept. The service is perhaps some of the best in the country, and I am basing this on the fact that we travel and stay in several high end hotels each year. Most importantly, the staff is friendly! I had the feeling that they all enjoyed being there and really wanted to make it a great experience for myself and my family. 

Unfortunately, we were not around long enough to sample all the fantastic food offered at the hotel. The meals we did have at the hotel were very good. We ordered room service for breakfast. The only thing we were disappointed in was the pancakes, which had a strange aftertaste. We also ordered smoothies every day from the cafe on the main floor. We ate at Amaya for dinner as well. The Roasted Butternut Squash soup and the Shrimp Appetizer were very tasty. For dinner I had the Lobster and Crab Pappardelle, which was wonderful. My husband had the short rib, which he commented was 'melt in your mouth'. 

It was too cold to swim, but we were able to explore the trails that surround the property. It was beautiful and we got some great pictures. We also had my kids stay in the explorers club for an hour or so each day so my husband and I could enjoy the spa and gym. The explorers club is a parents dream: a babysitting service that your kids will actually want to go to and not want to leave! They offer anything/ everything hour kids could desire from Xbox to wii to colored sand to pour into bottles, to air hockey. My kids had a blast and begged to stay! 

Overall, we had a great stay. Short, but very enjoyable. We will definitely be back!

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