The Hotel Dell

The Wall Street Journal reports that the Blackstone Group LP is close to a deal with the owners of the historic Hotel Del Coronado near San Diego to become a major owner of the property.

Sally's father was stationed at Coronado for a while during his career in the U.S. Navy, and we love to visit the famed island whenever we can.

We always visit and eat at the famous Hotel del Coronado, also known simply as "the Dell," that was built in 1888 and has long been considered one of the world's top resorts. But staying there is a bit rich for our blood, and we stay across the street at a place I highly recommend that is pictured above, the Glorietta Bay Inn.

This mansion is located immediately across the street from the Dell, and was built by the principal owner and developer of the Dell. Although there are rooms in the historic mansion itself, Sally and I enjoy staying in fairly new and reasonably-priced accommodations in structures build immediately behind the Glorietta Bay Inn and part of Glorietta Bay Inn itself. The Inn has a great Web site, but you need to call well ahead to reserve rooms. You will not be disappointed.