Exploring La Jolla at the Grande Colonial Hotel

La Jolla Cove San Diego - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise
Hotels to Stay in La Jolla San Diego - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

I can safely say that San Diego was one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever been to in the U.S. The beach, the food, the West Coast pace…I ended up extending my trip. Boy, do I miss those beautiful sunsets!

I was in San Diego for 6 days, and we stayed in a few different neighborhoods in town while we visited. We kicked off our trip with a stay at the Grande Colonial Hotel in La Jolla, and it did not disappoint. I couldn’t believe how charming our hotel was, and how picture-perfect the La Jolla Cove is.
 
La Jolla Cove Oceanfront - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

La Jolla Cove Children's Beach - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Location, Location, Location: Why La Jolla?

Out of all of the neighborhoods and towns to stay in and around San Diego, why did we pick La Jolla? For starters, it’s absolutely stunning — as you can see from the photos above. It’s an adorable, walkable seaside town that’s only 20 minutes away from the Gaslamp Quarter in San Diego. It has incredible restaurants, high-end shopping, and there are the most adorable seals and sea lions that roam around the beach (note: they’re protected, so you won’t be able to take selfies with them or be able to touch them!) The Grande Colonial Hotel is only steps away from the La Jolla Cove and all of the shopping at the Village, and we had a blast exploring the neighborhood. 

Grande Colonial Hotel Oceanfront Guest Room - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Grande Colonial Hotel Guest Suite San Diego La Jolla - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Oceanfront Hotels in La Jolla - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Grande Colonial Hotel Pool - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Grande Colonial Hotel: The Rooms

One of the coolest thing about this hotel? How spacious the guest rooms are! We stayed at a few other hotels while we were in the San Diego area, but it was hard to find another guest room with that much room. My boyfriend and I were on an 11-day trip, so between the two of us, we had a lot of luggage to work with. Each room at the Grande Colonial Hotel is a little different, but our oceanfront room had a pretty large closet where we could tuck away all of our luggage and camera gear.

We didn’t spend too much time inside of the hotel room since there was so much to explore in La Jolla, but we loved that it had a pool, free Internet, evening turn-down service, and delicious room service options. The service we received at the hotel was also incredible — everyone at the staff was incredibly friendly and eager to help us out with anything we needed. No wonder why this hotel is a consistent AAA Four Diamond Award recipient!

Grande Colonial Hotel Lobby - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Palm Trees La Jolla Cove - Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Grande Colonial Hotel: The Charm

One of the most unique aspects of this hotel is its history: it was built in 1913 and is La Jolla’s oldest original hotel. Despite a few renovations, there are still a few original details of the hotel intact — like the fire doors, colonial fireplaces, and the gorgeous mahogany trim. Allegedly, the hotel is haunted, but you didn’t hear this from me!

Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise
Grande Colonial Hotel La Jolla review by popular DC travel blogger Alicia Tenise

Ready to book your La Jolla getaway? Check out the best deals on Expedia and Hotels.com!

Photos by Tom McGovern

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