Hotel del Coronado – Facade, Veranda and Lobby Restoration

The beloved seaside Victorian Hotel del Coronado has hosted vacationers, presidents and Hollywood icons since it opened in 1888. This National Historic Landmark recently underwent a meticulous $14 million restoration. Significant alterations had been made to The Del over the years, including the complete loss of the front veranda. This project has restored the historic front facade and the entire open-air veranda.

The historic wood railings were short and had oversized openings, so frameless glass was added behind them to comply with code. A new ADA ramp was located between the two historic stairs. On the upper floors 114 new replica wood windows were fabricated to replace non-historic units. Original colors were restored, including the red window sashes and pale blue veranda ceilings.

In the lobby, workers spent months stripping away the non-historic wood finishes and restoring the 1888 stain and shellac. The hotel’s largest stained-glass window was carefully removed and its 700 pieces were dismantled, cleaned and reassembled. Also, 21 missing stained-glass windows were designed and fabricated from old photos.

After five years of research, design and construction the restored Hotel del Coronado has been transformed back to its 1888 glory.