Lauren Donoho
Director of Public Relations
619.522.8041
ldonoho@hoteldel.com

NEWS RELEASE

HOTEL DEL CORONADO RELEASES NEW POSTCARD BOOK:
WISH YOU WERE HERE

Coronado, CA – The historic Hotel del Coronado recently published its fifth book, Wish You Were Here, a charming collection of postcards that chronicles the resort’s 123-year history through pictures and personal messages.

“We had a day of sea-fog yesterday, but to-day is coming out lovely and I long to be out sketching. Doesn’t this hotel look jolly?”
February 25, 1904
To: Ms. M.F. Smith
Hungerford, Berks, England

The vintage postcards date back to the late 1890s and feature both exterior and interior views, showcasing the ways the hotel has changed – or, in many cases, remained the same. For instance, aerial photos of Coronado illustrate how the uninhabited island was transformed into a vacation paradise, while the hotel’s famed Victorian framework and interior paneling have remained intact.

“This is as beautiful a spot as I care to be in.”
November 21, 1909
To: Mr. and Mrs. E.T. Collins
Toledo, Ohio

Christine Donovan, The Del’s historian and author of all five of the resort’s history books, explains, “When the hotel opened in 1888, picture postcards were a way for travelers to share the many extravagances of their Coronado vacation – showing off beautiful beaches, spectacular architecture and a jaw-dropping dining room. Postcards also allowed visitors to easily keep in touch with folks back home, sidestepping the time-consuming demands of formal letter writing.”

“We often go over to Coronado. 15 cents round trip. Just over the bay. Fine over there.”
Circa 1915
To: Mr. Tom Prather
[undecipherable], Kansas

Wish You Were Here also includes an overview of postcard history. According to Donovan’s research, postcards originated in the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1869. At that time, the cards were plain (no pictures), intended as an inexpensive way to send short messages. Before long, this convenient and cost-efficient method of communication spread to America. Eventually, photos and other artwork were added, as postcard collecting became a national and international pastime (it was reported that even Queen Victoria kept postcard albums).

By including correspondents’ messages, Wish You Were Here also captures the sentiments of hotel vacationers along with details about their activities, while the variety of addresses included speaks to The Del’s national – and often international – appeal.

“This was a busy week-end…The girls found lots of shells at the beach. The boys had their baseball games.”
May 22, 1967
To: Miss Janie Koch
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Today, the Hotel del Coronado stands as a tribute to its Victorian past, while reflecting current innovation and modern times. Its renowned status is preserved in its newest publication, with postcard images that tell the story of a grand idea that became a living legend.

Wish You Were Here, Vintage Postcards from the Hotel del Coronado, along with Hotel del Coronado: An American Treasure with a Storybook Past; Beautiful Stranger: The Ghost of Kate Morgan and the Hotel del Coronado; The Loveliest Hotel You Can Imagine; and Building the Dream: The Design and Construction of The Del are available for purchase at the resort in The Signature Shop and Est. 1888 or online at www.delshop.com.

PHOTOS AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

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