Fairmont Grand Del Mar: Paradise Found

The Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a luxury resort at its finest complete with five-star amenities all in one picturesque location!

This is a sponsored post with Fairmont Grand Del Mar where I received a complimentary stay.  I do not earn commission from any bookings or affiliate sales.  As always, my reviews remain honest, and all opinions are my own.

All photos by Kim Belverud of Andora Photography. Kim, a former Maryland resident turned San Diego local, is a visual storyteller, talented photographer, and warm-hearted individual! You can follow her on Instagram @andoraphotography or go to her website.

About the Fairmont Grand Del Mar

Inspired by old-world Mediterranean architecture gleaning from Morocco, Spain, and France and surrounded by swaying palm trees and beautiful canyons, Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a luxury oasis located in the Los
Peñasquitos Canyon Reserve in Del Mar, CA (a suburb of San Diego) and is only five minutes away from the California coast.

This first-class golf resort and spa is surrounded by 400 acres of lush greens, four heated swimming pools, a Tom Fazio designed golf course, tennis courts, and Addison restaurant.    From honeymoons, special occasion getaways to even wedding ceremonies, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar is an incredible facility to stay in or host your next event. 

You immediately feel the quality of the resort as you drive through the guarded gate to the long, scenic driveway taking you up to the main lobby.  You’ll see homes beautifully perched on bluffs overlooking the ravines.  The road is lined with trees, impeccably managed lawns including the fairways of the golf course, and other shrubs adding color and character to the property.

Fairmont Grand Del Mar has earned numerous awards including Forbes five-star rating and AAA Five Diamond luxury San Diego resort.  Both Forbes and AAA have also awarded the spa and Addison restaurant five-star ratings.

The guest room

The bedrooms are spacious and range anywhere from 550 sq. feet to 4,500 sq. feet.   We stayed in the Signature Terrace King guestroom which backed into the adult-only pool area and has a small terrace with a sitting area for two.  It is separated by tall evergreens for privacy but still allows direct access to the pool from your room.

The beautiful bedroom includes an elevated pillow-top king-size bed which has the most luxurious Pratesi Italian cotton sheets with goose-down pillows.  The furniture has cherry wood finishes, staying true to its traditional style carried throughout the hotel. You can immediately tell you are in a place with high class yet staying incredibly comfortable.  

The sizeable stunning bathroom comes with a 13-in TV, a giant deep soaking tub, double vanity with his and her sinks with gold finishes, a floor-to-ceiling walk-in shower with glass door, a closet, and a small sitting area.  The bathroom has marble floors and countertops accented with crown molding.

Basic room amenities include 40-in flat-screen HDTV, Nespresso coffee maker, and a mini-bar with wet bar.

Hotel Amenities

It wouldn’t be the Fairmont “Grand” Del Mar if it didn’t live up to that name!   This triple five-star property has plenty of activities on site. The site itself is an activity as it has walkways and hiking trails through the canyon area. But just walking the property is a treat to see the grounds with such great architecture, sculptures, fountains, heated outdoor seating areas, golf course, pools, tennis courts, etc.   Allow me to tell you more about some of them.  

Spa

Their spa is one of the 60 spas worldwide that have been awarded the Forbes five-star award!  It has 11 spacious treatment rooms.  They offer facials, massages, reflexology, body wraps, salt scrubs, manicures, pedicures, hair, and makeup.  They even offer Gentlemen’s spa and salon services!  For more information on their services, packages, and availability, please find them here.

Fitness Center

The fitness center is open 24/7 and comes fully equipped with Life Fitness treadmills, Elliptical machines, a stepper, and a lineup of weight machines, free weights, stretching devices, and exercise balls. It has plenty of equipment, and we had access to anything we needed during our stay.

They offer complimentary Yoga and fitness classes for guests.  Personal training is available by appointment only (fee applies).

Swimming pools

As mentioned earlier, there are four heated pools on site (one of which is an adult-only pool) featuring vanishing edges, underwater speakers, private cabanas, outdoor Pool Bar, flat-screen televisions, to name a few. The pool area is staffed, and they assist with providing towels or getting you any food or beverage you desire.  What an excellent way to lounge at the pool knowing anything you need is just a request away!

The main resort pool section has a children’s pool wading area, white sand seating areas, and glowing fire pits, which makes it comfortable to sit around to enjoy time with family and friends.

Cabanas are also available for a fee (includes bottled water, snack platter, and fresh fruit).

Tennis

Want to do cardio other than running on a treadmill?  Get your heart racing in a fun game of tennis on one of their two pro-style courts! 

Don’t know how to play but want to learn how?  They have clinics and professional lessons available for single, two people, or group (lessons available on an hourly fee).

Golf

The Fairmount Grand Del Mar also has an 18-hole championship golf course by Tom Fazio (famous for designing golf courses).  Having the Los Peñasquitos Canyon as his background, this golf course boasts of spectacular views, terrains, and lush greenways.  Together with the year-round mild Southern California weather, this premier resort golf course is something to be seen and enjoyed. A must do for those wanting to experience the best venues for golf!

For those interested, they offer one-on-one lessons with PGA-certified instructors (fee applies). 

Restaurants

There are plenty of options for your on-site dining at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar. 

Addison – This is the only five-star rated restaurant in San Diego!  A friend of mine recently celebrated their anniversary here and told me “it’s the best dining experience all around – food, wine pairings, and service”!  Under the helm of Chef William Bradley, Addison serves contemporary French cuisine while using local ingredients.  It is worth noting, you’ll find nearly 3,500 wines to select from the list, so if you love wine, this is the place for you.

Amaya – This restaurant Serves “California cuisine with Italian influence” for breakfast, lunch, and dinner in an elegant setting.  Enjoy stunning outdoor views as you sit outside on the covered terrace and drink in one of the best views at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar or inside the sophisticated yet comfortable dining room.

Lobby Lounge – Sit back and enjoy a drink by one of the cozy fireplaces and take in the beauty of this hotel’s well-designed lobby including their Library where antique books surround you and comfortable sitting is available.  I ordered a red Sangria (which is not on their menu, but true to the Fairmont, they find a way to make things happen), and it’s seriously THE best sangria I’ve ever had!

Clubhouse Grill – Casual dining serving classic favorites for breakfast and lunch such as sandwiches, burgers, and salads, plus more specialties like their Southern California-inspired tapas menu.

Cent’Anni Café – For a quick bite, stop by and grab your coffee or tea, sandwiches, or salads on the go

Club M

Join them on the weekends for live music and dancing at Club M, a fun night club, where they have guest DJs every Friday and Saturday night. 

Children’s activities

The Explorer’s Club is available for kids between the ages of 5 to 12 and is a program intended for them also to relax and have fun!  Activities include (but not limited to) arts and crafts, movies, games (like air hockey, foosball, board games, Xbox One, PlayStation, etc.) and includes lunch or dinner.  There are also outdoor activities but subject to weather.

There are also private toddler and babysitting services available.

the review

This resort is just a heavenly escape!  While it may be a bit pricey, it’s an experience like no other.  If you want a top shelf, picture-perfect resort stay, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar will exceed your expectations!  Even when I left the room with my phone charging, when I returned, I found my phone charger wires neatly folded and wrapped with a beautiful gold bow! The level of detail of their service, wherever you go, is simply unbeatable!  You appreciate what it takes to be a five-star resort and to be acknowledged by Forbes.

The front desk, the valet, the concierge, the restaurant, the cleaning crew, the gym, even others you meet walking the grounds, each one made you feel special. The experience of being entirely taken care of and pampered is one I will not soon forget. If you want to experience that or have a truly special event coming up that needs to be extraordinary, then head over to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego. Perfection awaits you!

The address is 5300 Grand Del Mar Ct, San Diego, CA 92130.  Book your stay by going online or calling them at (858) 314-2000.

Things to Know

• There is a resort fee of $45 per room per stay.  This covers in-room coffee, tea, and bottled water, daily yoga and fitness class, internet access, self-parking, shoe shine service, daily digital newspaper, access to golf practice and tennis court facilities, and guided Saturday morning nature walk in Los Peñasquitos Canyon Preserve
• Parking: Self-parking is covered by resort fee.  Valet is $40/day.