I can't believe I actually thought about cancelling my reservations at the Del when I read all the negative comments being said. Boy am I glad that I didn't.

You must understand that this resort is not your typical resort. It invokes an old world charm and to think about those who have stayed there before you makes the experience worth even more.

I went expecting the worst and was pleasantly surprised. We had a Resort room no view in the California Cabanas building (not the old building, but not the new towers) and loved it. We had a large L-shaped balcony that looked out upon the original building and the pool. We could also see the ocean in the horizon. We had to spend a lot of time there as it rained our entire trip (6 months with no rain and it starts the day we arrive).

My only complaint was the food selections. The Sheerwater breakfast buffet was very disappointing. It cost $60 for the 3 of us as our 3 year old was free - a little steep when you have two more meals to pay for each day. Our service there was excellent though! May I suggest the market down in the Shops at Del for a less inexpensive breakfast. They have pre-made sandwiches and wraps and drinks, snacks, hot dogs, etc.

We were talking about returning before we had even left. If you're looking to be right on the beach, this is the place for you. You're paying five star prices for charm, nostalgia and beach front access.

If you're looking for a deal - sign up for the Del Discover Club emails and they email out special deals. We got a cheaper than average room rate and free Sea World tickets for our October booking. We couldn't go to Sea World since it was raining, but the tickets are good through 04/2005 so we plan to return before then - and definitely to the Del.

My girlfriend and I just went to the hotel for a romantic getaway. When we first got there we were amazed at how beautiful the hotel was. Then we got to our room which was amazing ! The room service we had was great and our mini-vacation turned out to be worth every dime we paid ! We loved that hotel and can't wait to go back again.

Just spent 9/24-27 at the Hotel Del. The only reason I ranked this as "above normal" is because of the romantic, old world charm of the hotel building and grounds themselves.

While the physical property and its facilities were wonderful, service was hit or miss. Visiting four and five-star properties brings a certain expectation of staff courtesy, and this was missing often from our experience at the Del. Front desk personnel were welcoming, and the evening hostesses at the Sheerwater restaurant were warm and hospitable, but they were almost the only ones who made us feel like valued guests.

We paid $21 per day for valet parking, and they lost our car. My husband had to go with them in the golf cart, driving up and down the aisles, before finding our car. Not an auspicious start to that day, certainly.

We were not blessed with good service at the Babcock & Story bar, either. Saturday night, when the terrace area was crowded, we scooted to a table as soon as it was vacated. It took at least ten minutes for the waitress to appear to take our drink orders. Although she cleared the glasses from the previous occupants, she didn't wipe the table; it was filthy. When she returned with our drinks, my husband had to ask her to wipe the table, since it was obvious she was going to set the drinks down and leave. (His drink was wrong, and she had to replace it, by the way.) He also had to ask her for a bowl of peanuts. She said no more to us than was absolutely necessary to take our drink and appetizer orders -- absolutely no personality. And she didn't check on our satisfaction with the appetizers until we were almost finished with them.

Sunday night, when the bar was practically empty, we were sitting in a nearby lounge area, and my husband and I separately approached the bar for drinks. Both times we were ignored and had to specifically ask them for service; one bartender actually turned his back on my husband, leaned up against the bar, crossed his arms and proceeded to watch TV.

Similarly, after leaving the terrace area Saturday night, we went to the Palm Court lounge near the front desk, and ordered two drinks, including a martini on the rocks. The martini was served in a chilled glass, not over ice. Instead of taking it back to the bar, the waitress told us she'd get us a glass of ice. We waited 10 minutes, and then my husband went and got a glass of ice, which was shoved at him in a churlish fashion by the bartender. When the waitress finally arrived with the ice, she said she had a hard time getting it from the bartender because he was so busy flirting with the girls in the lounge.

The food was wonderful, Saturday dinner at the Sheerwater, Sunday brunch in the Crown Room and the Monday Sheerwater breakfast buffet. Service at Saturday dinner and Sunday brunch was extraordinary, but the hostess Monday morning couldn't have appeared more bored and uninterested. Luckily, breakfast was saved by a very personable waitress.

Although we used our inhouse charge card exclusively throughout our stay, only one time did a staff person attempt to use our name at the conclusion of the transaction.

Courtesies and "service mindedness" that are drummed into staff at other top end resorts are sadly missing here by the vast majority of personnel.

Visited the Del for a quick weekend getaway. Our Junior Suite was on the first floor, faced the ocean, tennis courts and walkway. Noise from tennis courts and walkway woke us up each morning.
If you love grand, old, historic hotels then the Del is worth the expense. Otherwise, the amenities are not equal to the price. There is no service on the beach (you can carry chairs, towels, and umbrellas from the hotel pool to the beach). The pool is busy and there was a band playing classic rock hits in the outdoor bar area so it was never quiet. The hotel hosts lots of functions, so it's busy. If you desire a quiet, romantic location, the Del is not it. If you don't mind crowds, it's a fun weekend.