An icon in Southern California, the Hotel Del Coronado was historical in its contributions to the San Diego area and even considered a “technological marvel” for it’s time. “The Del,” as it has come to be known, debuted in 1888, with features uncommon for a hotel such as plumbing, furnaces, and electrical lighting through the whole building. The hotel was seen as a luxury, with amenities and activities to partake in throughout your stay.
The Del has seen many owners in its time, all of whom provided ideas, funding, and resources to continue to grow its success. The hotel has seen many exciting and modern ideas that propelled it forward such as the “Tent City,” which was a campground filled with luxurious tents to help individuals experience the Del if they couldn’t afford to stay inside the hotel. Inviting members of the film industry helped to provide national acknowledgment, as the hotel was often a location site for many films and celebrities. Many prominent leaders in the U.S. also visited the hotel, and the reputation of the hotel grew to be quite prestigious in the beginning of it’s time.
The architecture of the Hotel Del Coronado was envisioned by the architectural firm Reid and Reid, who were given “free reign” on the design of the hotel.
Per the history of the hotel and architect James Reid, the architecture was to be:
“Built around a court (with a garden of tropical trees, shrubs and flowers with pleasant paths…balconies should look down on this court from every story. From the south end, the foyer should open to Glorietta Bay with verandas for rest and promenade. On the ocean corner there should be a pavilion tower, and northward along the ocean, a colonnade, terraced in grass on the beach. Th dining wing should project at an angle from the south-east corner of the court and be almost detached, to give full value to the view of the ocean, bay and city.”
And in most cases, the structure and architectural elements of the hotel have remained, providing insight to all who visit the extravagance of the hotel, especially for it’s time. The modern appliances and components of the building, like the furnace and sprinkler system, were a luxury for the time. Part of what makes the hotel so famous is that so much of the beauty and original architectural aspects of the hotel are intact, all while continuing to update and modernize for the times.
Part of these updates were the KLIK LEDpod on the outdoor patio. This area is utilized for private events, happy hours and other gatherings at the hotel. The LEDpod provides a well-lit solution that needed to provide subtle lighting for guidance through the hotel patio area. It quietly accents the patio, the lighting and architecture that was designed so intricately all those years ago.
Sources: https://hoteldel.com/history/ https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/hotel-del-coronado/history.php
