Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travelers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Dating from 1913, The Grande Colonial is an upscale hotel, it is a 6-minute walk from the ocean at La Jolla Cove and 3 miles from the Birch Aquarium. Elegant rooms with goose-down bedding and bathrobes feature flat-screen TVs, coffeemakers and free Wi-Fi, and some have period features and/or water views. Suites offer extra living space; some have fireplaces and/or full kitchens. In-room massages are available for a fee. Amenities include a heated pool and access to a nearby health club, and a classy restaurant with outdoor seating serves farm-to-table cuisine. Valet parking is available for a fee, and there's 5,300 sq ft of meeting and event space.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travelers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Guests have consistently lauded the Grande Colonial hotel for its exceptional service, noting the staff's friendliness and professionalism. Many find the atmosphere charming and elegant, complemented by clean and comfortable rooms with a touch of historical charm. The hotel's location in La Jolla is highly prized for its convenience to local attractions, despite some noise issues.
While the rooms are celebrated for their amenities and cleanliness, occasional remarks are made about noise, size, and dated features. Overall, the hotel is considered a good value, providing appreciated amenities such as parking and complimentary snacks.
Location
Central
Atmosphere
Charming
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Reasonable
Cleanliness
Mixed
Service
Friendly
Amenities
Well-appointed
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We had a wonderful stay at The Grande Colonial! We were a family traveling with a child, and we found the property to be ideally located for on-foot exploration of the village and beach trips. The hotel also thoughtfully provided a rollaway bed in our room for us.
We did find it tough to properly wash up (and help our child wash up) after beach visits with only the small bar soap provided in the bathroom. For a hotel at this location, particularly for families who may be doing beach time, a liquid hand soap would be much appreciated. We were having to run into the shower repeatedly to get body wash from the stationary bottle to help our child wash his hands more easily.
We also found the housekeeping schedule a little difficult to pin down during our stay. This made it tough to determine when we needed to be out of our room for cleaning, and we missed out on one day of service that would have been appreciated.
Finally, we booked an ocean-view room, and we did have an ocean view when sitting on the bed. The rest of the time, our view was of the dumpster area below. Not ideal, considering the view upgrade price.
All in all, it was a great stay, and we would recommend The Grande Colonial.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: May 2024
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Location
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This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Jun 3, 2024
Dear Noodlesandwich: Thank you very much for sharing feedback about your recent visit. I know firsthand what it is like to travel with children and appreciate your comments about our in-room amenities. I also thank you for bringing to my attention the issues you had with our housekeeping service, as it is only through this type of constructive feedback that we can continue to improve. I do hope you and your family will give us another opportunity should your travels bring you back to La Jolla. Thank you again. Kim Avant, General Manager
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I'm normally super partial to a particular chain hotel, but we ended up doing a small training at the Grand Colonial and I was so impressed. Loved the opportunity to stay at a very well run boutique hotel. What I never get at the chain hotel: THE AMENITIES! I love a cold diet coke and those (along with all the snacks in the room) were included at no charge. Forgot my toothbrush also (you'd think I never traveled before) but the front desk has a great option for free at the front desk (fancier than the ones you get at the chain hotels). The welcome amenity cookie we got from the Nine Ten restaurant was one of the best cookies that I've ever had. The breeze that came through the open windows in the hallways on the way to your rooms was sooooo refreshing. Everyone on their staff was so friendly and helpful, I highly recommend!
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Jul 22, 2024
Dear Lauren: We couldn't have written a finer review ourselves. Thank you very much for providing such comprehensive feedback about your recent visit. I'm delighted to hear how much you enjoyed our hotel and, particularly, the amenities and service you received from our team. We take great pride in our service delivery at all touch points and I'm happy to see that reflected positively in your review. Lastly, thank you for mentioning the fact that you can open the windows to enjoy the fresh ocean breezes and sounds of the Pacific. This is certainly an amenity you can't do at most "cookie-cutter-style" hotels. (I will also be sure to share your NINE-TEN cookie comment with our pastry chef.) We look forward to seeing you again, for business or for pleasure. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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My wife and I enjoyed our stay at the Grand Colonial. It is a beautiful cozy hotel and the location was perfect with the beach and many shops and restaurants within walking distance. Everyone was very friendly and the service was excellent. We had a 5th floor ocean view and it was very enjoyable although it was overcast most of the time. The shower was open with only one door and we would have preferred that it was enclosed. The carpet felt a little musty and damp to walk on but they did supply slippers so we did take advantage of those. We did not eat or the restaurant or have a drink at the bar but both looked very nice. The complimentary snacks and drinks are a nice touch. Overall this is a great hotel and because it's La Jolla if you have the means to pay close to $500 a night, the Grand Colonial is a great choice.
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Date of stay: October 2024
Value
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Cleanliness
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Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Oct 17, 2024
Dear Michael: Thank you so much for sharing your experience about staying at the Grande Colonial! I am delighted to hear that you and your wife enjoyed your stay and found the hotel so comfortable. While our location speaks for itself, thank you for the recognition of the service our team provided, as well as mentioning the complimentary in-room refreshments we provide for every stay. I hope you'll consider returning in the future, as we'd love to host you both again. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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This is a very beautiful hotel in a great location to enjoy La Jolla shores. It’s a short walk down the hill to the beach where sea lions and wildlife are abundant. The town is very quaint with lots of shops and restaurant. The property is older but has been well kept. The rooms are brightly decorated, well lit and very clean.
However, mechanically my room (514) suffered and showed its age my first time taking a shower the handle literally fell off the wall. I told the staff and it was repaired that day. But how can the cleaning crew not notice this when cleaning the bathroom? Also, while there was plenty of hot water in the sink, there was mostly no hot water in the shower, even when I waited 5 minutes to warm up. Every day was a cold shower. Finally, the AC unit had serious mechanical issues. While it kept the air cool in July, every time the fan turned on it was every loud. So loud that people on a Zoom call could hear it kick on in the background and asked where I was. It made for a terrible nights sleep as it constantly woke me up when it would abruptly kick on in the middle of the night.
I really wanted to live the property but the mechanical issues with my room just made my 3 night stay too uncomfortable.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Jul 30, 2024
Dear Toddfather7: Please accept my sincere apologies for the less than satisfactory experience you had during your recent visit. As the General Manager for the Grande Colonial, I can assure you that providing a very high level of cleanliness and service standards are among our highest priorities. The issues you reference are an extreme departure from our standards, and I do thank you for bringing them to my attention. I understand a member of my senior leadership team has reached out to you directly, and I do hope you will give us another opportunity to earn back your future trust and loyalty. In the meantime, thank you again for taking the time to share this candid feedback. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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I am a regular customer to Grande colonial and travel every month. I had been given a extreme small room where the bathroom toilet does not have leg room and difficult to use. After repeated appeals to change room, the lady manager was very inflexible and she said thats what you get for govt rate. This is a sad reason. Be flexible and accommodative and provide options when your customers are having genuine issues.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Traveled on business
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded 1 week ago
Dear solomonk217: I sincerely apologize for the disappointing experience you had during your recent stay at the Grande Colonial. It is truly disheartening to hear that we did not meet your expectations, especially as a loyal guest who visits us frequently. Your comfort is extremely important to us, and I regret that the room assigned to you did not provide the space you needed. I am especially sorry for any inconvenience caused by our response to your request for a room change. Please know that your feedback is taken very seriously, and I will personally review this situation with our team to ensure that we handle such requests with greater flexibility and care in the future. I hope we can welcome you back for a much-improved experience. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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It was in a great location, I was able to ride their complimentary bikes to the beach and walk to brunch in 5 mins. It was walking distance to quite a few places which is always great. The staff was very accommodating as well, would definitely recommend.
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Date of stay: November 2023Trip type: Traveled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Nov 8, 2023
Dear Alexthatmediagurl: Delighted that you enjoyed your time in La Jolla and your stay with us. While our prime location speaks for itself, I appreciate very much your recognition of our staff. We strive to provide a team that is warm, gracious and genuinely-friendly and it sounds as if that came through during your visit. I’m also glad you were able to utilize our custom bikes. They are a fun way to explore the local Village and surrounding neighborhoods. Please do come back and see us again soon. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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After reading so many glowing reviews of this hotel, I was so excited to stay here. I booked a deluxe, ocean view room. The room was very small, nothing deluxe about it, and had a very obstructed view of the ocean (there’s a huge condominium building between the hotel and the ocean; it was smack dab in the middle of our view). The windows were so dirty, you could only see the ocean well if you opened the window. My biggest challenge with this hotel is the noise. The first night we were there, there was a wedding in the restaurant. Even though we were on the third floor, you could hear every word of the music being played and the bass shook the walls and floor - for over three hours. I finally complained to the front desk around 9:15 pm and complained about the noise. I was informed it was a wedding that was supposed to have ended at 9pm and the front desk clerk said she’d speak to the event planner to ask them to wrap it up. It finally ended between 9:30-9:45. I don’t understand why they would think any guest who isn’t part of the wedding would want to listen to that in their room for over three hours. After the wedding ended, there was a lot of noise above and below our room, with tweens pounding on doors and running up and down the creaky, wood stairs. The hotel clerk had to go speak with all of them. I’ve never stayed in such a loud hotel. If you value peace and quiet, avoid staying in the part of the hotel that is over/near the restaurant and the loud, creaky stairs.
Beyond that, there was no functioning bathroom ventilation fan in the bathroom. There was one in the ceiling, but nothing turned it on. My husband called the front desk to ask that maintenance come fix it. Nothing was ever done and no one bothered to follow up with us.
Otherwise, the staff was friendly and accommodating. The housekeeping staff was great to text each day to see if our room needed servicing or any refreshing of amenities.
The best part of this hotel is the location!! It can’t be beat. If you love visiting the ocean and watching sea lions, this hotel is a short walk to both of these things and that was my favorite part. It’s also conveniently located near many restaurants.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: October 2021
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Nov 19, 2021
Dear Simpletraveler401: Allow me to apologize for the service and noise issues you experienced during your recent visit to the Grande Colonial. We strive for excellence at every opportunity and clearly this did not happen during your stay. I appreciate very much you bringing these comments to my attention so that I may ensure that our service and maintenance standards are being implemented consistently. I understand a member of my team has attempted to reach out to you directly and I do hope you will give us another opportunity in the future. I know we can do a much better job. Thank you very much for your support and, again, for the candid feedback. Sincerely, Terrence Underwood, General Manager
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We had the most amazing time staying at the Grande Colonial for a long weekend. The location was everything we hoped it would be for our stay in La Jolla. From the time we arrived at the hotel to the time we left ever member of staff that we came in contact with was welcoming, friendly and helpful. Check in and out was efficient and easy! Our double queen room with ocean view was lovely. The room was extremely comfortable, clean and well appointed and had: two queen beds, armchair, desk with chair, TV, ensuite bathroom with toiletries, large walk in robe, bar fridge, room safe, coffee machine, bottles of waters, snacks, bathrobes for our stay, iron and ironing board, along with suitcase racks, ceiling fan and AC. The beds were comfortable, the room quiet and a good temperature. We really appreciated the daily housekeeping. We used the pool which is small but lovely and clean. The Grande Colonial is super close to the beach and coastal walks, shops, restaurants and about a 20 minute Uber drive from the airport, and Westfield mall. We were also able to easily walk to and from La Jolla Shores (about a 1.6 mile walk in one direction). Absolutely loved our stay and we will definitely be returning to the Grand Colonial for another vacation down the track!!
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Traveled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Aug 29, 2024
Dear LarsieB: We couldn't have written a finer review ourselves. Thank you very much for providing such comprehensive feedback about your visit. I'm delighted to hear how much you enjoyed our hotel and our location. I also appreciate you mentioning our staff. We take great pride in our service delivery at all touch points and I'm happy to see that reflected positively in your review. We are excited to welcome you back for another visit the next time your travels bring you to La Jolla. Until then, thanks again for sharing your review on TripAdvisor. Sincerely, Kim Avant, General Manager
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The Grande Colonial is one of our favorite hotels, and we were really excited to return for another visit. We enjoyed everything about our stay. Even though the hotel is over a hundred years old, it's been completely modernized while still retaining its historical charm. Loved our cheery, beautiful room decorated in crisp navy and white with touches of yellow. Loved our incredibly comfortable bed. Had a very pretty view of the pool and the Pacific Ocean, and the location was fantastic - many good restaurants in walking distance and very close to the Children's Pool. All service was very warm and friendly without being pretentious. I really liked that the sink and vanity was separate from the shower/tub area - made it very easy to get ready. And they provided robes and complimentary bottled water in the room which was much appreciated. One note - I didn't realize when I booked over the phone that there are rooms outside the main building located in small buildings around the property. We asked if we could be moved into the main building, and they were so nice and gracious about it, and luckily they had rooms in the main building available. The new room had a bathtub which was a bonus and was very quiet. The hotel is located on a busy street, but we never heard any traffic noise. Just something to note when you make your reservation if being in the main building is your preference. I feel like this hotel pays attention to the details and goes out of their way to make their guests happy. We left feeling relaxed and refreshed and are already looking forward to coming back.
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Date of stay: September 2021
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
Room Tip:I'd recommend booking a room in the main building.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Sep 29, 2021
Dear Volcanogirl: Welcome back! It is always a pleasure to hear from our repeat guests, especially those who have been so loyal and supportive of us over the years. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your sentiment with others here on TripAdvisor. As you mention, we are indeed a historic hotel, committed to keeping the property updated and modernized, while staying true to our long-term roots here in the La Jolla community. Thank you for recognizing that. And while our location certainly speaks for itself, our true hallmark is our warm, gracious, and genuinely friendly service. I am delighted to see that reflected in your comments. Lastly, thank you for mentioning the rooms in our adjacent all-suite wings. I can certainly appreciate you preferring to stay in our main building. I will follow up with our reservations team to ensure this is mentioned for those booking a suite in one of those buildings. Meanwhile, thank you again for sharing feedback. We look forward to welcoming you back for yet another stay! Sincerely, Terrence Underwood, General Manager
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My husband and I just completed a 3 day stay in the Garden Suite vacation rental room 137 and could not have been more pleased with our visit. The location can't be beat steps from Children's Beach and the hotel hospitality was second to none. Each day I received a text asking if we wanted our room serviced and amenities replaced and was able to conveniently schedule this while we were out of the room. The vacation rental suites had a keurig and snacks, water and sodas delivered daily. The room was spacious and had a fully stocked kitchen with plates, glasses and silverware and Vons grocery is just up the street, which enabled us to enjoy two evening meals at "home." The beds are very comfortable and rooms are quiet with windows that open to receive a cool ocean breeze. I can't say enough great things about this hotel and will most definitely be visiting again soon.
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Date of stay: August 2021Trip type: Traveled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Grande Colonial , General Manager at Grande Colonial
Responded Aug 25, 2021
Dear Dgettler: What a lovely and certainly very comprehensive review about your recent visit. I am so happy to hear how much you enjoyed your suite in our adjacent Garden Terrace wing. The 10 suites in that building (adjacent to the main hotel) provide a more residential-feel with full kitchens and some even with fireplaces. They are ideal for families traveling with children or those seeing a little more space and privacy. We hope you'll have the opportunity to stay with us again. Until then, thank you again. Sincerely, Terrence Underwood, General Manager
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valet has a rate. self park is free but its on street parking and you have to find a non metered spot. i never had a problem after our first night finding a spot. awesome hotel. we wish we were there right now.
There are more places to choose from in the La Jolla area.
PRICE RANGE
$318 - $456 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
the grande colonial la jolla hotel la jolla, grande colonial la jolla, grande colonial hotel la jolla
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaSan DiegoLa Jolla
NUMBER OF ROOMS
97
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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