This palatial Mediterranean-style resort truly offers something for everyone. The Grand Del Mar is a  Five-Star hotel, tucked on a hillside just outside downtown San Diego, has a mind-boggling array of amenities, including world-class golf at the Tom Fazio-designed course and a Five-Star spa.

Foodies can indulge in everything from afternoon tea to gourmet dining at six different venues, and there are four beautiful pools to lounge by, complete with underwater speakers and luxurious cabanas.

Even kids can relax in style; the Explorer’s Club keeps them busy with crafts and educational activities. The classically decorated rooms (dark wood furnishing, crown moldings) have European-style soaking tubs, feather beds and oversized flat-screen televisions.

Each of the 249 lavishly appointed guestrooms, including 31 expansive suites highlighted by a pair of 2,840-square-foot Presidential Suites, features a marble bathroom with deep European-style soaking tub, dual sinks, a separate shower, and 13-inch LCD television; plush feather-top beds with Italian linens and 100% goose down pillows; and commanding views of the golf course or the serene nature preserve.

Decorated in an elegant, yet inviting turn-of-the-century style with dark wood furnishings, crown moldings, stylish fixtures, and a jewel-toned color scheme, rooms also offer modern comforts: 40-inch LCD television, iPod docking station, complimentary wireless and wired high-speed Internet access, three dual-line phones (one cordless), in-room safe large enough to hold laptop computers, 24-hour in-room dining, an honor bar with wet bar area, and complimentary bottled water.

The vibe is modern California, especially around the pool area with its white sand beach, on the velveteen golf course, and in the gardens, a Wi-Fi hotspot where guests are glued to laptops. Even the smallest of the 249 rooms are spacious and extravagant, outfitted with gilt mirrors and Empire-style furnishings.