History of the Hotel del Coronado

The Palace on the Pacific: Royalty at The Del

2010-05-12T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Hotel del Coronado, Southern California’s famed seaside resort, received its first royal visitor just two years after the hotel opened, when Hawaii’s King Kalakaua came to call during his 1890 tour of California. Kalakaua, who was Hawaii’s last king, was the first ruling monarch to visit the United States and a longtime friend of hotel owner, John D. Spreckels

Thirty years later, another royal, England’s Edward, Prince of Wales (later King Edward), was feted at The Del; he would ultimately give up his throne to marry Wallis Simpson, an American divorcée who was living in Coronado at the time of the Prince’s 1920 visit.

In 1938, Akihito, the five-year-old son of Hirohito, the emperor of Japan, visited The Del, where he enjoyed fishing off the resort’s breakwater (today, Akihito is the ruling emperor of Japan).
Princess Pignatelli (country of origin unknown) and daughter Stephanie, who lived in Los Angeles, visited in 1950. According to the hotel’s July 27th guest newsletter, also in residence at that time were some Hollywood royalty, including Jessica Tandy and Hume Cronyn, Mr. and Mrs. William Powell, Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, and Rosalind Russell and her husband.

Nazli, Queen Mother of Egypt, visited in 1955, accompanied by her daughter, Princess Rathia and son-in-law Riad Ghali, as well as Her Imperial Highness Princess Fatima (sister of the Shah of Iran) and Prince David M’Dviani. Nazli (who owned a home in Bel Air) and her entourage had stopped at The Del en route to Mexico when they received word that some of the party’s foreign travelers would not be allowed into Mexico because they were without proper documentation. As a result – according to a San Diego newspaper – “Governor Malonado and other high Mexican dignitaries joined them at Coronado [in the “elegant” Crown Room] and royally entertained them there instead.”

Crown Prince Hassan of Jordan (brother of King Hussein) visited in 1973.

Vittorio Emanuele IV, Italy’s crown prince-in-exile, visited in 1974. As a 1999 magazine reported, “Never mind that they’ve been living in exile for more than half a century, Italy’s flashy royal family still carries some cachet.”

Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia visited c.1980.

Baron and Baroness von Thyssen-Bornemisza visited in 1985. Baron Hans Heinrich (1921-2002) was a Dutch-born Swiss citizen with a Hungarian title who lived in Spain; his wife was a former Miss Spain (1961).

Princess Christina of Sweden visited in 1988. The Princess, who was in the United States in honor of a yearlong celebration of the 350th anniversary of the first Swedish colony in America, was accompanied by her husband and enjoyed a reception and dinner during her stay at The Del.

Prince Frederic Von Anhalt (country of origin unknown) accompanied Zsa Zsa Gabor to the hotel’s centennial celebration in 1988.

Prince Khalik Fiafel al Saud of Saudi Arabia visited in 1994.

Sarah, Duchess of York, visited c.2000.

Celebrating Over 120 Years of Romance at The Del

2010-02-15T16:37:00.000-08:00

Valentine's Day is over, but The Del is still celebrating romance as it has for over 120 years. Even before the Hotel del Coronado debuted in 1888, the spectacular seaside resort showed its romantic promise. In fact, The Del celebrated its first wedding during its construction in 1887, when May Barnes and Harold Scott, daughter and son of two building supervisors, exchanged vows in the seaside Pavilion, a Pacific pergola used in the promotion of the hotel.

With the Del’s fairy-tale architecture, sun-drenched beaches and idyllic island setting, the 19th century hotel has been likened to an “ornate wedding cake” and linked to a number of legendary romances.

Like a great love story, The Del has stood the test to time, recently named “one of the most romantic places in the world” by Travel Channel, as well the “number one place in the United States to get married.”

Today, The Del continues to reign supreme as a premier wedding and honeymoon destination. It’s also a favorite place for popping the question … and celebrating wedding anniversaries.

Says Del historian, Christine Donovan, “People love knowing they can return to the hotel a year from now – or even decades from now – to add a new chapter to their own love story.”

Early Wedding and Honeymoon History at The Del: 1887-1917

June 10, 1887
May Barnes married Harry Scott in The Del’s “Pavilion,” an open-air, beachside loft that hosted a number of festive celebrations during the hotel’s construction (the bride and groom were the daughter and son of two of the hotel’s building supervisors). According to a Coronado newspaper, the couple repeated their vows beneath a “beautiful arch of evergreens,” in the company of “nearly every man, woman and child on Coronado Beach.” Serenaded by “the lively music of two violins,” May and Harry were rewarded with a “ripple of applause” after the ceremony, followed by refreshments and “dancing till a late hour.”

September 1892
The earliest honeymoon for which the hotel has information was the visit of Mr. and Mrs. Charles A Fox, who had married in New Mexico on August 25, 1892. Afterwards, the couple traveled from Las Vegas, New Mexico, to San Francisco via the Santa Fe railroad. From there, they went via stagecoach to the Hotel del Monte on the Monterey Peninsula (today the Del Monte is part of the Naval Postgraduate School) and then on to what their daughter later described as “the delightful Del.”

Check back soon for more romantic history at The Del...

World's 1st Electrically Lit Outdoor Christmas Tree Debuted at The Del in 1904

2009-12-04T15:51:00.000-08:00

In 1904, the Hotel del Coronado – already considered a technological marvel – made history when it unveiled the world’s first electrically-lighted, outdoor, living Christmas tree. To accomplish this feat, electric lights (probably made on site) were strung from the hotel (at that time one of the largest buildings in America to have electricity) to a nearby Norfolk Island Pine.

Although indoor Christmas trees had become popularized in America by this time, electric Christmas lights were all but unheard of (candles were still commonplace), and no one had thought to light an outdoor tree.

Other areas didn’t follow suit until later, when the trend seemed to travel from the West Coast to the East Coast as a civic effort: Pasadena in 1909; New York and Boston in 1912; and Philadelphia in 1913.

The Del’s original 1904 Christmas tree, which was planted in 1888 (the year the hotel was built) was modest in size - a reported 50 feet tall. Today it is a stately 140 feet. Still, the idea of an outside Christmas tree – with lights! – captivated all who saw it.

The 1904 Christmas Tree
In a San Diego Union article published on Christmas day that year, the writer was poetic in her appreciation:

A Christmas tree in the open air! A Christmas tree in which birds found shelter for the night; a Christmas tree through which the sea breeze swept. A living, growing tree with its roots embracing Mother Earth and its great branches reaching toward the stars.

The specific process of outfitting the tree (whose branches “stand proudly forth”) with lights was detailed:

All day yesterday electricians were busy fitting it up and by night 250 lights of many colors gave beauty to the fine old pine. Lanterns, great and small, hung from its boughs.

The reporter continued to pay tribute to this wondrous sight:

All evening long, the radiant tree was the object of admiration. All evening long, two barefooted children, a boy and a girl, stood… and gazed upon the beaming tree. The little girl held her brother’s hand close within her own. They spoke scarcely a word. The imprint of their little feet is even yet visible in the rain-softened earth.

When the rain began to come down faster and faster, the children, casting a last long look upon the beauty of the night, sped away home to tell of the wonderful Christmas tree. Little wonder that all the children marveled, for their elders did the same, and now that the open-air Christmas tree has been introduced, it is likely that another Christmas eve will find many California gardens aglow with light scattered from living foliage.

According to the newspaper, the tree was lighted every night from 7 – 10 p.m., starting on Christmas Eve and continuing through December 31st. This, in itself, was impressive given the fact that indoor Christmas trees were usually only illuminated two or three times during the entire holiday season and only for very short periods of time (candle flames had to be watched closely, with buckets of sand and water always nearby). Apparently, the public’s fascination with The Del’s Christmas tree was responsible for the tree’s extended performance. From the December 28, 1904 San Diego Union:

So much interest [was aroused] in the outdoor Christmas tree with its many electric decorations as to have it illuminated each evening for the rest of the year.

As a footnote, the newspaper added that “several professional photographers were over last night.”

Later Years at The Del
Follow-up San Diego Union newspaper reports recorded the ever-enhanced hotel Christmas tree:

1909: “A large tree ablaze with lights and glittering ornaments.”

1913: “This year it will be lighted with colored electric lights. Every year the tree is a trifle taller and consequently each year the wiring has to be a little longer. A large star or light will grace the top of the tree while hundreds of small lights will gleam from its many branches.”

1920: “For many years, the immense tree, roped with numberless electric light globes of red, blue, green and yellow, has been lighted Christmas eve, the great star in electric globes at the topmost point sending out the joyful greetings of Yuletide blessings. The tree will remain lighted every evening until after the New Year and can be seen for many miles around.”

1954 (the 50th anniversary celebration): “The tree now towers at 62 feet.”

And, in 1912, Coronado’s Strand newspaper reported:

‘The Out-of-Door Christmas Tree’ will shed its multi-colored rays each night throughout the Christmas season. The tree is a work of electrical art, and the idea is original at Coronado.

Tree-lighting continued at The Del for many years, except during World War II when blackout laws were in effect. The long-running tradition was discontinued entirely during the energy crisis of the 1970s, ultimately replaced with the lighting of a magnificent lobby tree (a Ballroom Christmas tree also dates back to The Del’s earliest days).

American Christmas Tree History
Early 1880s: Christmas trees were such a rarity that they were sometimes put on display with tickets sold to view them (often as a church fundraiser).

Late 1800s:
* In Germany (where Christmas trees originated) and England (where
Christmas trees proliferated), trees tended to be tabletop size. Americans popularized the idea of room-size Christmas trees.
* A Victorian rule of thumb recommended thirty candles for every foot of tree; Christmas “lanterns” were also available as were miniature oil lamps.
* Christmas trees were usually put up on Christmas Eve, after children were asleep (children were brought up to believe that parents supplied the decorations, but Santa provided the tree and did all the work himself).

c. 1880: The first Christmas tree stands were patented.

1882: Electric Christmas lights were invented by Edward Johnson, a partner of Thomas Edison. Johnson, who resided in New York in the first square mile of the first city to have electricity, illuminated his own tree that year.

1889: President Benjamin Harrison, who visited the Hotel del Coronado in 1891, had the first White House Christmas tree in the Oval Office.

1892: The first electrically-lighted Christmas tree was featured at the White House during President Cleveland’s tenure.

1900: Only one-fifth of American families had their own Christmas trees (although there were oftentimes community trees to enjoy).

1901: Even so, Christmas trees had grown in popularity to the point that President Theodore Roosevelt worried about the country’s ability to maintain its forests. As a result, conservation-minded Roosevelt refused to have a Christmas tree in the White House (reportedly his son kept one in a closet that year). By 1902, Christmas tree farms had come into existence, and Roosevelt was willing to resume the White House Christmas tree tradition.

1901: General Electric printed an instruction booklet on how to hand-wire Christmas tree lights.

1903: The first mass-produced Christmas tree lights became available.

1920s: In this country, electric Christmas tree lights all but replaced the use of Christmas tree candles.

Ghostly Goings-On at the Hotel del Coronado

2009-10-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

The venerable Hotel del Coronado, San Diego’s landmark Pacific resort, has been experiencing paranormal activity for as long as anyone can remember — and with good reason. With more than 120 years of history behind her, it’s no surprise that this Victorian masterpiece has had its share of ghostly guests.

Kate Morgan, The Del’s Resident GhostThough supernatural stories abound, most have to do with Kate Morgan, a beautiful young woman who checked into the hotel in 1892 — and never checked out. After spending five lonely and lovesick days waiting for a man who never arrived, Kate was found dead on an exterior staircase leading to the beach. Kate had a gunshot wound to her head, which the San Diego County Coroner later determined was self-inflicted (some skepticism still surrounds this finding).

Today, Kate’s spirit seems to have remained at The Del, where she tends to occupy her former guestroom. But her beautiful vision – and ghostly pranks – can be experienced throughout the rambling resort and grounds.

According to Christine Donovan, The Del’s historian and author of the book Beautiful Stranger: The Ghost of Kate Morgan and the Hotel del Coronado, Kate is a relatively harmless ghost. “She generally limits her activity to fleeting appearances and inexplicable antics,” says Donovan. “Guests in Kate’s room report everything from breezes that come from nowhere to having to deal with a television set that turns on and off by itself.”

But, more dramatic tales have also been told. Such as the time a young couple – away for a romantic Valentine weekend – experienced a string of supernatural occurrences, culminating in their covers being ripped off in the middle of the night by a ghostly apparition.

Kate’s presence isn’t limited to her own guestroom; another room also records a lot of paranormal activity, and Kate has also been seen walking down the hallways, through the garden and along the beach.

Latest Ghost SightingsOne of the most “active” areas of the Hotel del Coronado is the resort’s gift shop, Established 1888. Originally located in the lower lobby level, this specialty store – which showcases the hotel’s vintage history – has a hard time keeping glassware from “flying” off shelves or pictures from falling off walls.

When Established 1888 relocated (now adjoining the lobby), it was thought that the ghostly pranks would cease, but this has not been the case. Instead, the new space is as active as the store’s former residence. Because memorabilia related to Marilyn Monroe’s 1958 hotel filming of Some Like It Hot seems to be the most prone to tumbling, some long-time shop employees speculate that The Del’s resident ghost doesn’t like sharing the spotlight with Hollywood’s biggest star.

Donovan, who keeps files on guests’ paranormal experiences, received this one from a visiting business executive. “At about 2am, I was awakened by exceedingly cold temperatures and the ceiling fan working at high speed. The fan remained on for about 30 seconds and then stopped. Later, I awoke to find that all of the bed pillows had been stacked pyramid style on top of my computer.”

This gentleman took his first paranormal experience in stride: “I learned that ceiling fans have a mind of their own and pillows are best placed on a computer,” ultimately concluding that Kate Morgan “is a great addition to your housekeeping staff.”

Other paranormal encounters are more subtle, for instance, when one visitor heard “soft rustling footsteps go past the bed,” along with a “very strong flower scent which came on fast and then dissipated as quickly as it appeared.”

One of Donovan’s odder stories was recently received from a British psychic who reported a circa-1912 vision involving men “not unlike miners” who were busily engaged in a tunnel near the hotel (there actually is a tunnel that connects the hotel’s remote infrastructure to the hotel itself, but it is not related to mining and was built well before 1912).

Guests also send Donovan mysterious photos taken at the hotel, some of which feature inexplicable transparent “globes” of light, sometimes with multiple patterns that arch across an entire image.

Beautiful Stranger
In October 2002, The Del released a book titled Beautiful Stranger – The Ghost of Kate Morgan and the Hotel del Coronado. Researched and published by the Hotel del Coronado Heritage Department, the book reflects the most accurate report of the legendary story to date. Look for the book in The Del’s Signature Shop or online at http://www.delshop.com/.

Some Like It Hot Filmed at the Hotel del Coronado: Part III

2009-08-13T13:54:00.000-07:00

Fun Film Facts
Writers Wilder and co-author I.A Diamond were inspired by another cross-dressing comedy, the 1932 German musical Fanfare of Love, and they deliberately set the story in the past because, as Diamond put it, “When all the costumes look peculiar to us, a guy in drag looks no more peculiar than anybody else.”

Much like The Del itself – which was designed as it was being built – the last 15 minutes of Some Like It Hot was being written and rewritten as it was being filmed.

The film was shot in black and white because Wilder thought that male actors in female make-up would look too ridiculous in color. The black-and-white format – which also suited the period style of the film – did not appeal at all to Monroe, who contractually insisted that all her films be shot in color. Wilder was able to convince her that the 1920s setting would look more authentic in black-and-white. Interestingly, Wilder (who chose to make many of his movies in black and white) later said that Some Like It Hot was the one movie that would have benefited from color.

Although Wilder hired one of the world’s most famous female impersonators to teach Lemmon and Curtis how to walk in high heels, Lemmon refused the help – he didn’t want his character to be that adept as a woman.

Monroe’s character, “Sugar Kane,” is supposed to be 25 years old, although Monroe was 32 when the movie was made.

After Some Like It Hot, Monroe and Curtis never worked with Billy Wilder again, but Jack Lemmon remained one of the director’s favorite actors, and they made six more films together.

What to Look For
At one of the previews, the first shot of Lemmon and Curtis dressed as women was such a crowd-pleaser that Wilder added in every other shot he had for that scene (and, if you look carefully, you’ll be able to see them walking by the same railroad car again and again). In addition, Wilder deliberately didn’t show the characters as they transformed themselves from men to women because he knew the comic impact would be greater if audiences were introduced to “the ladies” all at once.

Monroe was displeased at her initial entrance – also at the train station – and Wilder and Diamond concurred. They rewrote the scene so that Monroe's entrance was punctuated by steam blasts from the train.

The film clearly shows The Del’s two original front entrances. When the resort opened in 1888, the hotel offered a combined men’s and women’s entrance and a separate “unaccompanied” women’s entrance, which afforded lone women travelers a discreet way to check in. Though the two entrances survived past the 1958 filming of Some Like It Hot, only one remains today.

In the scene where Curtis and Monroe run out to the yacht, it is supposed to be night, but it’s obviously not dark; Monroe’s frequent tardiness made it impossible to shoot the scene at night.

In the role of gangster Spats Colombo, George Raft parodies the gangster role he played in the 1932 film Scarface, in which his character repeatedly flipped a coin. In Some Like It Hot, Spats Colombo is very irritated when he sees someone else flipping a coin, demanding, “Where did you pick up that cheap trick?” Raft – who didn’t accompany the cast to Coronado – was at The Del in 1936, during the filming of Yours for the Asking.

When Lemmon’s female character is telling Curtis’ male character about his engagement to a real millionaire, he punctuates ever line with a flourish of maracas. Wilder anticipated the scene being so successfully funny that he wanted to allow “space” for the audience laughter, and the maracas were added to provide the appropriate pauses.

There were two scenes that supposedly gave Monroe the most trouble: The scene where she knocks on the door and says, “It’s me, Sugar” required 47 takes; another scene, where Monroe had to rummage through a dresser drawer for a bottle of bourbon, proved even more challenging, requiring 59 takes. In fact, Wilder claimed that after he put the cue inside one of the dresser drawers, Monroe couldn’t remember which drawer it was in.

The last line – uttered by Joe E. Brown when he says to Jack Lemmon, “Nobody’s perfect” – was never intended to remain the last line, but Wilder and Diamond couldn’t come up with anything they liked better, so it stayed. Ironically, it has become a classic last line.

In some publicity photos, including the film’s poster, Monroe just doesn’t look like herself. That’s because a body double was used for several publicity shots; it was Sandra Warren, an actress who appeared as one of Sweet Sue’s Society Syncopators. Her body was uncannily like Monroe’s, although Monroe face was ultimately superimposed.

###

Some Like It Hot Filmed at the Hotel del Coronado: Part II

2009-05-28T09:33:00.000-07:00

ONLY AT THE DEL: THE STARS ALIGN
During filming, Marilyn Monroe was accompanied by her husband, esteemed playwright Arthur Miller (he made two special trips from the East Coast to join her at The Del). Also in Monroe’s entourage was acting coach Paula Strasberg, along with Monroe’s secretary and press agent. Coronado police officers were assigned to guard Monroe throughout her stay.

Meanwhile, Tony Curtis’ wife, Janet Leigh, was also on hand (Leigh was pregnant with their second child, Jamie Lee Curtis, at the time). Jack Lemmon’s future wife, Felicia Farr, also joined the troupe.

By almost everyone’s account, Monroe was very difficult to work with throughout the film’s production – her tardiness and inability to remember lines have become legendary. Interestingly, however, quite a few reports confirm that Monroe was “on her mettle” during the entire Coronado portion of filming.

In fact, in his book Conversations with Wilder (1999), writer/director Cameron Crowe addressed Billy Wilder about this aspect of the film, saying, “I grew up in San Diego [and] the legend is that the hotel was the most magical part of the filming … that Marilyn felt relaxed there.”

To which, Wilder replied, “Yeah, that was fun. We had a good time there. Marilyn remembered her lines … everything was going according to schedule.” Added Crowe: “Marilyn seems fully engaged in those scenes.”

According to another source, Wilder speculated that Monroe was inspired at The Del, where adoring spectators were plentiful because she preferred a live audience. Wilder later told Crowe that the Coronado fans were “screaming and yelling,” and then added that when he wanted the crowd to quiet down, he had her say, “‘Shhh’ … they listened to her.” In the end, Wilder probably characterized Monroe the best, calling her “a calendar girl with warmth, with charm.”

And a last bit of Del trivia: During her stay, a hotel chef reported that Marilyn fancied his cold soufflé vanilla pudding with egg-white decoration, which she requested daily.

FAVORED BY THE FANS, OVERLOOKED BY THE OSCARS
The movie was a box office success, grossing over $8 million initially and earning several million more over the next few years – somewhere between $10 and $15 million.

Monroe’s financial deal – she received between $100,000 and $300,000, as well as 10 percent of the film’s gross profits – was a very lucrative arrangement in its day, and Some Like It Hot turned out to be her most profitable venture.

The movie was also a critical success. Variety called it the biggest hit of 1959; Monroe received a Golden Globe for her performance, as did Jack Lemmon. The film itself also won a Golden Globe for “best comedy.”

In spite of its financial success and public accolades, the film received only one minor Academy Award for “Best Black and White Costume Design.” Today it is thought that Some Like It Hot was just too risqué for 1959, when the big winner that year was Ben-Hur (also in the running for various Academy Awards were the likes of Diary of Anne Frank, Room at the Top, Pillow Talk and Porgy and Bess).

The Some Like It Hot story line is racy, and Monroe’s costumes are incredibly revealing, even by today’s standards (though, according to Wilder, Marilyn was not interested in fashion … as long as the costumes revealed “something,” she was satisfied). Ahead of its time perhaps, present-day reviewers marvel that the movie still comes across as such a wholesome film; this was Monroe’s forte: she was sexy, but childlike.

Although this is the Monroe film most shown on television today, the actress reportedly never liked her performance.

Some Like It Hot Filmed at the Hotel del Coronado: Part I

2009-05-07T09:13:00.000-07:00

Regarded by critics as one of the finest American movies ever made, Some Like It Hot continues to delight audiences 50 years after it debuted in 1959; in fact, the American Film Institute named it No. 1 on their list of the 100 best comedies of all time.

Filmed in 1958, the United Artists movie was shot on location at the Hotel del Coronado, Southern California’s landmark Pacific resort. The Del’s iconic Victorian architecture made it the perfect backdrop for the film’s 1929 setting, along with acting icons Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis.

Says author and scholar Laurence Maslon, who will release Some Like It Hot: The Official 50th Anniversary Companion in September (published by Collins Design, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers in the US and Anova Books in the UK), “There have been a lot of movies shot on a lot of locations, but only a few marriages of celluloid and place can be considered truly legendary. Chief among those magical moments is the sight of Marilyn Monroe cavorting on the beautiful beach at the footsteps of the Hotel del Coronado.”

PLOT
The Prohibition-era story follows the exploits of Lemmon and Curtis, out-of-work Chicago musicians who accidentally witness a gangland slaying. Making a run for their lives, the men disguise themselves as women and join an all-girl band traveling by train to Florida. Here, a ukulele-strumming singer, played by Monroe, catches the eyes of both men, but it is Curtis’ character who assumes still another identity – an unlucky-in-love millionaire – to successfully woo and win Monroe.

Lemmon’s cross-dressed character, meanwhile, is vigorously pursued by a bona fide millionaire, played by Joe E. Brown. The hilarious gender-shifting romantic romp is played out at California’s famed Hotel del Coronado, which director Billy Wilder found to be the perfect substitute for Florida in the Roaring Twenties.

SUNSHINE … CALIFORNIA-STYLE
At least one Floridian was less than happy about Wilder’s decision to shoot the movie in San Diego. Miami Mayor Robert King High reportedly said it was “a sacrilege” to let Southern California play the role of Florida’s “Sunshine State.” This sour criticism was ably met by Coronado’s mayor, who wired back, “Some like it hot, but not as hot as Miami in September.” The mayor’s rebuttal also referenced Florida’s gnats, mosquitoes and hurricanes, none of which plagued the temperate island of Coronado.

AN “UPROARIOUSLY IMPROBABLE SET”
Like all American resorts, the Hotel del Coronado had endured some tough years during the Depression and World War II, but it was this period of benign neglect that helped preserve the resort, making it the perfect setting for Wilder’s 1929 story, which he co-wrote with I.A. Diamond. Said Wilder, “We looked far and wide, but this was the only place we could find that hadn’t changed in thirty years. People who have never see this beautiful hotel will never believe we didn’t make these scenes on a movie lot. It’s like the past come to life.”

Although at least one critic didn’t believe the hotel was real, describing The Del as “an uproariously improbable set.” The hotel’s 1888 Queen Anne Revival-style architecture does tend toward the fanciful, with rambling white clapboard, lazy verandas and red-turreted roofs, which an earlier writer had characterized as a cross between an ornate wedding cake and a well-trimmed ship.

Although only exterior scenes were filmed at hotel, the interior scenes do look very Del-like (right down to the placement of the lobby elevator and stairs). This probably explains why so many Some Like It Hot devotees – even after seeing the Hotel del Coronado for themselves – absolutely refuse to believe that the movie’s interior scenes were not filmed at The Del.

To be continued...

The Hotel del Coronado and L. Frank Baum (author of the Wizard of Oz)

2009-04-20T12:01:00.000-07:00

Although L. Frank Baum hailed from the Midwest, he preferred to winter the warm and welcoming sunshine of Coronado, California, a picturesque community on the Pacific coast, across the bay from San Diego. In 1904, during Baum’s first visit, he stayed at the Hotel del Coronado, which was then – and still is today - a magnificent turn-of-the-century seaside resort. In fact, between 1904 and 1910, Baum traveled to Coronado repeatedly, where he usually resided at the hotel for months at a time (although in later years he would sometimes rent a house nearby).

According to the Heritage Department at the Hotel del Coronado, a newspaper article published during those years reported that “the noted author has long ago discovered that he can do his best work in the sunny clime of ... Coronado.” The article goes on to say that Baum’s habit was to work from early morning until noon. “In the afternoon he generally spends in realizing that he is truly again at Coronado.”

Baum’s love of Coronado ran deep. In a 1905 poem about Coronado (“scratched off,” Baum said, in a half-hour while he and his wife were waiting for some friends to join them for dinner), Baum wrote, “And every day her loveliness, shines pure, without a flaw; new charms entrance our every glance, and fill our souls with awe!”

During his years in Coronado, Baum wrote at least three books in the Oz series: Dorothy and the Wizard of Oz (1908); The Road to Oz (1909); and, The Emerald City (1910).

Not only was Baum fond of Coronado, Coronado was fond of Baum. In an article written about Baum for a student newspaper, he was described as “kind, genial, gentle-voiced, as true and fine a gentleman as I have ever met or expect to.”

Although some sources conjecture that the author based his design of Emerald City on the design of the Hotel del Coronado, Baum had already written about the fictitious setting before ever visiting the hotel. Still, one can see why Baum found the hotel so entrancing. With its whimsical design, fanciful red roofs, magical spires and one-of-a-kind setting, The Del is as close to Emerald City as one can get.

About That Turret: The Del's Crowning Glory

2009-03-18T14:42:00.000-07:00

The Del has over 120 years of history to share, so let's begin with the architectural feature that has become recognized the world-over ... its famous turret.

Have you ever wondered what’s beneath the The Del's soaring, red-roofed signature turret? For over 120 years – ever since the hotel opened in 1888 – the resort’s Ballroom has enjoyed this oceanfront seat of honor. Outfitted with a stage and a panoramic Pacific view, this grand and sweeping space has enjoyed a lifetime of fabulous parties and first-class performances.

Capped with an enormous American flag and an exterior walkway, the shingled tower also features a row of double-hung windows, along with two tiers of windowed dormers. In the early days, the underside of the roof formed the interior ceiling of the Ballroom, and the windows provided light and ventilation for visitors below. But, by the mid-20th century, fashion and technology dictated a less cavernous interior space (among other things, acoustics was a problem), and the ceiling was lowered.

Today, the area hidden between the ceiling and the roof contains many of the remnants of days gone by, including an interior balcony and ancient movie projectors that were used in the early 1900s, but are, today, too mammoth to move.

Although it is possible to climb – via a narrow, circular staircase – to the top of the turret and access the exterior walkway 150 feet above ground, this area was never meant for public use. It is an intriguing climb, however, and those lucky enough to make the trip (mostly media and photographers) are rewarded with a fantastic, 360-degree view of Coronado, San Diego and points beyond.

Through the Years: A Turret Resume
* An incredibly strong superstructure supports the top of the turret from within, and in the early days, gravity flow water tanks were installed here.

* Originally called the “theatre,” the commodious Ballroom once featured a raised oceanfront seating area for those guests who wanted to while away the hours in restful wicker rockers.

* In Victorian times, the turret was referred to as the “observatory” because it offered a view of the outside via double-hung windows in its balcony.

* Almost ten stories tall, The Del’s turret is featured on navigation charts and has served as a nautical and aeronautical landmark for decades.

* During World War II, it was reported that armed sentries sometimes patrolled the beaches from the hotel’s lofty lookout.

* Look for The Del’s famous turret as a backdrop in Some Like It Hot, America’s award-winning comedy starring Marilyn Monroe, or in The Stunt Man, which features a dramatic battle atop the Del’s red roof.

*Today the Hotel del Coronado turret is famous for its Christmas decorations, which contractors – brave enough to tackle its steep incline – attach to its complex roofline every year.

THE HOTEL DEL CORONADO BLOG MAKES HISTORY

2008-10-27T11:48:00.000-07:00

The ever-enchanting 19th century Hotel del Coronado will add a new chapter to its 120-year history with a 21st century Web Log (blog) which will debut on November 5, 2008.

The blog will showcase the very latest in historic research as provided by The Del’s own Heritage Department. Look for future updates on:

• The hotel’s romantic history (the first Del wedding took place in 1887, even before the resort’s official 1888 opening);
• The Del’s Some Like It Hot history (a new book is in the works);
• And, our ghost history (our go-to paranormal/genealogist has uncovered some intriguing new Kate Morgan connections).

Ultimately, the blog will offer an opportunity for you to share your own Del memories, family photos, etc. Check back for future updates!