Fun Times at Fairmont’s Grand Del Mar
If you are seeking a respite from the chaos of urban life, and in beautiful surrounds desire to play golf, tennis, pickle ball, hang with horses, spa to your heart’s content, or simply chill by a fire pit, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar near San Diego is a very good choice.
Minutes from San Diego International Airport, its downtown, and the tony town of La Jolla with all of its offerings, the Fairmont is a Mediterranean marvel of grand public spaces, and 249 beautifully appointed rooms and suites, set five miles from the beach on a backdrop of 400 dramatic coastal canyon acres. For those of us who are crazy about our canines and love traveling with them, the Fairmont is not only dog-friendly, it’s downright pooch passionate.
The Bed
Arriving to room 132, a spacious deluxe king bedroom with patio and fire pit, it had high ceilings with traditional and classic furnishings, calming hued wallpaper, a four-person corner settee, a large working desk, and a separate, marble-topped make-up table. The bed had high count cotton sheets and happily one of the nightstands had easily accessible multiple standard outlets and USB ports. The separate wet bar area had the all-important Nespresso machine, creamers, and stocked mini fridge.
The gloriously large bathroom had a dual marble vanity, marble floors, a separate, two-person, deep soaking bathtub, and television for when one can’t tear away from the news or one’s stock portfolio. There were gold accents and fixtures, environmentally friendly Rose 31 amenities, and a separately housed WC. The spacious carpeted closet included a good-sized mini safe.
The patio with comfortable seating for four and firepit faced a verdant green space, Just beyond, a lovely water fountain feature graced the grounds.
The property is very dog friendly – it even permits one’s canine companion to remain in the room while guests need to step out to the gym, spa, or enjoy a good meal. So naturally I brought Rerun the Ravishing Royal Retriever with me. Waiting for her in the room there was both a large, comfortable dog bed that she immediately jumped onto, a branded dog toy, and stainless-steel dog dishes. All to which she wholeheartedly pronounced, “Woof.”
The Meals
For serious coffee addicts, or those needing a seriously delicious snack, the Fairmont’s gourmet Cent’Anni has all manner of caffeine, healthy salads, French baguette sandwiches, and naturally, fresh and fabulous, carbo-loading pastries. Did I mention the chocolate Biscotti?
At Amaya Restaurant boasting California cuisine under the direction of the charming and talented Chef de Cuisine Roman Garcia, I started with a marvelous Ketel One Canyon Martini, with Lillet blanc and Grand Marnier that wed perfectly with a half dozen Sea of Cortez King Grant Oysters accompanied by a delightful house-made fermented habanero with serious kick.
The filet was tender and tasty and paired well with a glass of Chateau Neuf de Pape. Ending the evening with Pastry Chef Michael Aguilar’s baked Alaska with a tangy cherry sauce made me swoon.
With Rerun snoring away in her bed, Saturday night brought me to the Lobby Lounge with live, easy listening music. This was made even better with a perfectly dressed Caesar salad and ahi tuna with smoked Yuzu wrapped in sesame leaves.
Since having my fill with eggs Benedict and the following day, an egg white frittata – in a lame attempt to cancel the Benedict’s wonderful hollandaise sauce – sadly, I had no room for the hotel’s afternoon tea with pastries and small bites. However it appeared so divine, it would no doubt have supported the “Let them eat cake” dogmatic statement infamously declared by Napoleon’s better, or lesser other half, depending on one’s historical war time perspective.
The Activities
Since Rerun was a joiner, long walks throughout the property’s lovely paths, adjoining trails, and around the golf course became a thrice daily activity and together we managed to clock in daily15,000 human steps and 30,000 canine steps.
The hotel has a full fitness center with Peleton bikes and TechnoGym treadmills, ellipticals, stairmasters, and all manner of weight machines. Taking place that weekend also were cardio tennis and pickle ball clinics, golf putting and swing clinics, archery, vinyasa, restorative and yoga flow classes, and sound meditation. Though I have yet to teach Rerun to swing a racket or golf club, her inherent talents at downward dog are truly superlative.
My personal pièce de résistance was a trip to the newly remodeled Fairmont Spa with its calming 21,000-square foot space, and its full treatment menu of massages, facials, and hydrotherapy. An avid believe in the healing properties of massage, its contribution to longevity, and partake at every possible opportunity, this treatment experience here was the most therapeutic deep tissue massage I can recall in recent history.
The Lesson Learned
Whether you need to rest and rejuvenate, wish to exercise to your heart’s content, dine well, or enjoy all that the surrounding area has on offer, even or especially with your VIP: very important pooch, the Fairmont Grand Del Mar is a very good choice indeed. Rerun certainly agrees. Happy travels!
Julie L. Kessler is a journalist, attorney, and the author of the award-winning memoir: “Fifty-Fifty, The Clarity of Hindsight.” Her work has appeared in several major publications around the world, including The L.A. Times, The S.F. Examiner, The Asia Times, The Jerusalem Post, The Vancouver Courier, The Honolulu Star-Advertiser, and The Daily Journal, among many, many others. She can be reached at Julie@VagabondLawyer.com
