Story and photos by the author.
Known as “The Jewel” of San Diego, La Jolla is famous for its unique geography that combines rugged sandstone cliffs, hidden sea caves, and pristine beaches. But besides all of its natural beauty, the town is also home to the 113-year-old Grande Colonial, one of the most historic and charming hotels around.
My family and I began a recent visit to the Grande Colonial by checking into a gorgeous suite overlooking the ocean and the round hotel pool. The rooms and suites maintain the same classic sophistication as the rest of the Colonial Revival-styled hotel. Each accommodation is outfitted with warm coastal décor, goose-down comforters, and luxury amenities.
The rooms feature old fashioned windows that open to the sights and sounds of crashing waves just a block away. The windows also provide a perch for friendly seabirds, such as the big white seagull that stopped by our room for some bread crumbs.
Outside the room, the hallways lead to more history, with a central outdoor balcony on each floor overlooking town, and old fire escape ladders on the side of the building. The story of this landmark began in 1913, when it opened as the Colonial Apartments and Hotel. Designed by architect Richard Requa, the original white, wood-framed structure quickly became a community cornerstone, famous for its pristine ocean-view sun parlor.
When owner George Bane completed a massive renovation in 1928, the revamped hotel boasted ornate chandeliers, marble fireplaces, and leaded glass windows alongside groundbreaking infrastructure, including the first sprinkler system west of the Mississippi. Notably, the new design integrated a popular local pharmacy run by the father of a young soon-to-be actor named Gregory Peck.
Following World War II, the property earned a reputation as “Little Hollywood.” When local Gregory Peck co-founded the nearby La Jolla Playhouse in 1947, the hotel became the premier home-away-from-home for performing stars like Groucho Marx, Charlton Heston, David Niven, and Dorothy McGuire well into the late 1950s.
Stepping outside the hotel puts you right in the middle of the Village of La Jolla. During our stay, we grabbed burgers and ice cream for lunch at Burger Lounge, and then explored a myriad of interesting boutique shops throughout town.
After window shopping we headed down to the waterfront. The Grande Colonial sits steps from La Jolla Cove, a spectacular small beach flanked by cliffs. Protected by an ecological preserve, the La Jolla Cove boasts a mild microclimate with comfortable year-round temperatures, making it a haven for swimming, scuba diving, and snorkeling. It is also famously home to resident sea lions and harbor seals that love sunning themselves on the rocks. Just nearby, a walk along the seawall at the Children’s Pool offers gorgeous, sweeping views of the Pacific coastline.
After a day at the beach we returned to the Grande Colonial hungry and ready for dinner at NINE-TEN Restaurant, the property’s signature dining spot. Led by nationally recognized Chef Jason Knibb and Pastry Chef Jose Alonzo III, the MICHELIN Guide Distinction destination delivers an evolving California coastal menu rooted in a farm-to-table philosophy. Utilizing fresh products from local providers like Chino Farms, the daily offerings feature fresh seafood arriving from Hawaii and the North Pacific.
Highlights from our dinner included house-made sourdough country bread; Hamachi sashimi with marinated baby shiitake mushrooms in a scallion vinaigrette; and grilled prime ribeye, with golden thread mushrooms, torpedo onions, mushroom butter, onion flowers, shaved asparagus, and sherry vinaigrette. Other menu standouts include smoked Liberty duck breast, and a Jamaican jerk pork belly served with Swiss chard, plantains, and a spicy jelly.
Because we were hotel guests we enjoyed a 10% discount on food and beverages at the restaurant.
If you are planning your own escape, the hotel is currently running two notable promotional packages:
- Limited-Time Advance Purchase Offer: Save 15% off best available rates on select dates through July 9th when booking ahead. This deal includes a complimentary waiver of the $45 nightly hospitality service charge, covering your valet parking and added guest amenities.
- Suite Land of Liberty Escape: Celebrating America’s 250th anniversary, this package features spacious ocean- or garden-view suites (some equipped with full kitchens and fireplaces). It includes a reduced $25 nightly hospitality charge, a $50 daily dining credit for NINE-TEN or room service, two welcome cocktails, complimentary valet parking, daily fitness club passes, and a self-guided walking tour of the hotel’s rich history. Guests can also enjoy the heated outdoor pool, complimentary beach gear (chairs, umbrellas, towels), and one hour of complimentary electric bicycle rentals to cruise the coastline.
The Grande Colonial Hotel is located at 910 Prospect Street, La Jolla, CA 92037. The hotel also offers 5,000 sq-ft of indoor and outdoor event space, in-room dining and spa treatments, concierge-arranged ocean activities; airport shuttles and more. For more information and reservations, call (888) 828-5498 or visit: www.thegrandecolonial.com
