San Diego’s north coast promises 70 miles of silky white beaches, enthralling vistas, secluded parks and gardens, intimate cafes, and enticing restaurants. The Fairmont Grand Del Mar houses everything needed for a perfect weekend getaway.
Grand is an understatement when describing this luxury resort. Located 20 miles north of San Diego in the Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve, the Mediterranean style hotel offers a Tom Fazio-designed golf course, tennis courts, fitness center, hiking and walking trails, four heated swimming pools and a Center for Well Being. The beautiful 21,000 square foot spa features lounges with fireplaces, serene patios and indoor Jacuzzis. There is also a quiet relaxation pool and salon. For guests who want to head to the beach, the resort offers free transportation and chairs, umbrellas and water for the day.
Inspired by the villas of Spain and France, the resort’s 249 rooms are lavishly decorated with golf brocaded chairs and loveseats, separate soaking tubs and showers, crystal lamps, antique furniture and Pratesi linens. Some rooms also feature patios and fireplaces. For a truly luxurious stay, guests can reserve the Prado, Toscana or Palazzo suites for 1,000 to 1,500 square feet of comfort.
I was lucky enough to be upgraded to the Prado suite for my visit which included huge separate living and sleeping spaces, both beautifully furnished; two flat screen televisions plus tv’s in the two bathrooms, dual master bathrooms with expansive spaces and deep soaking tubs with marble finishings and cotton Italian woven towels, bathrobes and slippers. There’s also a Nespresso coffee machine with plenty of capsules for afternoon cappuccinos by the fire, a private wet bar area and a huge pillow-top bed with goose-down pillows and comfy linens.
I would have been happy lounging in my suite all weekend, but the resort has so much to offer and the grounds are beautiful any time of year, so I ventured out to explore.
The resort also offers yoga, fitness and Floatfit classes at their Center for Wellbeing. The Fitness Center has state-of-the-art workout equipment and weights, complimentary to all resort guests 16 years of age and older.
Guests can also head to the Grand Golf Club which houses San Diego’s only Tom Fazio-designed 18-hole course. Golfers at all levels can enjoy the private golf course and learn tips from PGA-certified instructors, try out the latest golf clubs and gear or relax at the expansive 50,000 square-foot Clubhouse. The resort is offering a Grand Golf Getaway package including two rounds of golf daily with preferred pricing, a luxury guestroom or suite accommodation, complimentary one level upgrade based on availability at check-in from $1,249 per night based on double occupancy, through December 31, 2021.
I opted for a tennis lesson from resort coach Lynne Lewis. The path to the courts led me through two beautiful empty pools with adjacent whirlpools, lots of comfy pool chairs and lounging areas and a big bar offering tasty afternoon cocktails. Looking over the 7,160-yard rolling greens of the golf course, it was a perfect San Diego day to hit a few balls.
Down the grand staircase of the tennis pavilion, offering picturesque views of the nature preserve, are the two pro-style tennis courts. On Saturdays the resort hosts an adult cardio tennis clinic from 10am to 11am. I enjoyed an hour lesson that greatly improved both my serve and backhand.
In the afternoon I headed to The Center for Wellbeing, one of only 60 Forbes Five-Star spas in the world. After lounging in the opulent ladies lounge and enjoying the spacious hot tub and sauna, I was led to one of 11 spacious treatment rooms for a massage. The Center for Wellbeing offers a bevy of restorative treatments including lymph drainage, herbal reflexology, connective tissue manipulations, aroma-reflex therapy, scrubs, massages, facials, wraps, peels and specialized hand and foot treatments. The Center also offers guided meditation, mindfulness classes and water therapy experiences. Guests can also take guided hikes and reserve private workout sessions.
