Catch the Spirit, then catch some rays at what has been long considered one of North Americas most beautiful resorts. Located fifteen minutes from downtown San Diego, on twenty-six acres of beachfront island property lies Hotel del Coronado. This Victorian Style building was built in 1888 and was designated as a National Historic Landmark in 1997.

For over 100 years the hotel has played host to Presidents, dignitaries and movie stars, but it is the ghosts that reside in the luxury resort that make 'The Del' unique among other fine resorts. The tragic history of the hotel and the Spirits that go along with it extend back to the early years when E.S Babcock owned the hotel. It is said that Room 502, later renumbered Room 3502 served as the love nest for Mr. Babcock and his young lover. Their relationship ended when the ill-fated mistress took her life and the life of her unborn child while staying in that same room.

It has been said the body of the dead woman was secretly removed to avoid a scandal. Today the room is rumored to be haunted by the woman's spirit. Lights flicker and icy chills have been felt outside the doorway. In 1983, a Secret Service agent for then Vice-President Bush was given room 3502. He didn't make it through the night. His account of the experience includes blowing drapes on closed windows, gurgling sounds and an eerie glow that lit up the entire room.

Unfortunately, Babcock's mistress was not the only childbearing woman found dead on the grounds of Hotel Del Coronado. In November of 1892, Kate Morgan checked into Room 312 (Now Room 3312) under the name Lottie Anderson Bernard and waited patently for husband Tom to join her. Thanksgiving came and and went and throughout Kate looked pale and complained to various staff members that she was feeling ill. It was suspected by some that she self-terminated her pregnancy. Five days into her stay, Mrs. Morgan was found dead on the steps leading down to the beach. A 0.44 caliber handgun lay at her side.

At the time it was speculated that the grief-stricken Kate took life, but 1990 Alan May (a lawyer who specializes in murder cases) stated in his book The Legend of Kate Morgan: The Search for the Ghost of the Hotel del Coronado, that the evidence points to the contrary and that Kate was murdered that night by her husband. Regardless of whether Kate's fate was her own or caused by the hand of her spouse, many guests have reported that when they pass down the same stairs where Mrs. Morgan was found, they are beseeched with feelings of despair and anguish. In Room 3312 where she stayed, it is said that Kate watches for her husband. The drapes are seen moving, screens fall off the windows, objects move on their own and a strange glow has been seen coming from the room even though the room is vacant.

Other spirits include the ghosts of a boy and girl that race through the halls, the spirit of old caretaker has been seen walking through the dining room and a lady dressed in Victorian clothes has been witnessed moving across the dance floor. Though the moans of the hotel may in part be a result of old wood in a humid climate, hotel staff report the feeling of being watched and often work in pairs to avoid being alone in the empty halls.

Ghosts aside, the Hotel Del Coronado caters to a wide variety of vacationers and was called by USA Today as one of the top ten resort in the world. Each room is elegant and stylish and exudes the oceanfront setting with tranquil themed colors and fabrics. For the hunter with a romantic side, what better place for a romantic getaway than the beachfront resort on elegant Coronado Island and with an abundance of recreational options both available on the island and in San Diego there is no shortage of things to do and experience.