December 13, 2019
Stories of the celebrities, heads of state and famous guests who have roamed the halls of the 131-year-old Hotel Del Coronado were colorfully shared by a hotel historian this week with future residents of Silvergate San Marcos, a premier senior living community that places a strong focus on lifestyle enrichment for seniors.
Surrounded by the grandeur and beauty of the Hotel Del Coronado at the holiday season, attendees were treated to an hour-long historical overview of the hotel after meandering through an array of giant, snowy “White Christmas” holiday decorations in the grand courtyard during Silvergate’s Hotel Del Coronado excursion. While dining in the hotel’s historic Garden Room, Silvergate’s guests were enraptured by the stories imparted by Historian and Heritage Manager, Gina Petrone. In her talk, Petrone recounted the history of the hotel’s colorful owners, including “Sugar King,” John D. Spreckels in 1888. She told of the escapades of celebrities like Charlie Chaplin, Marilyn Monroe, Joan Crawford, Thomas Edison and Liberace, who was first discovered at The Del. Petrone spoke of the many visits by heads of state and dignitaries like President Franklin D. Roosevelt, The Prince of Wales and Ronald Reagan. She also described the unexplainable activity of the hotel’s ghostly inhabitants whose eerie antics are still reported by guests to this day.
“We have people come from all over the world to enjoy the Hotel Del,” said Petrone, who has lead the Hotel’s heritage team for more than nine years. “When senior communities come to visit, they often step off the busses and are given time to walk the hotel and shop the Del Shops, but Silvergate really went all out by treating their future residents to our world renowned cuisine, like our famous lobster bisque and adding our historical program to their visit. Their guests now walk away with a better understanding of the majesty of this national treasure we all share here on the West Coast.”
The excursion to the Hotel Del Coronado was one of many enrichment activities and outings offered to residents and those considering a move to Silvergate San Marcos.
“I wanted to be a part of this outing today because of my memories of how beautiful this old Victorian hotel is, but I’ve never seen it at Christmas time before,” said Kay Fields, who has attended many of Silvergate San Marcos’ activities and said she would highly recommend the community to any of her friends. “Every time I attend one of Silvergate’s spectacular events, their staff goes above and beyond they call. They always have such beautiful raffle prizes, and to my surprise, it was my turn to win this time. It warms my heart that they make the holiday season such a special time for all the residents of this community.”
“There’s nothing like seeing people, especially seniors, light up with excitement and joy at Christmas time,” said David Nelson, Marketing Director for Silvergate San Marcos. “The Hotel Del is such an iconic Southern California destination and visiting it evokes memories of times gone by for so many of our seniors. This unique excursion, like so many others to come, is part of why Silvergate San Marcos is such a special golden-years-experience for seniors who have chosen our one-of-a-kind senior living community.”
Those interested in seeing a Silvergate San Marcos apartment home or to inquire about availability in the Memory Care Suites of the community, call David Nelson, Marketing Director, to arrange a private luncheon and tour of the property, at 760-744-4484. One bedrooms and studios are currently available at Silvergate San Marcos, with a special “All Inclusive Care” offering applicable through the end of 2019. The community is located at 1550 Security Place, San Marcos, CA 92078.
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