Hotel del Coronado

approximately $15,000 in charges that cannot be reconciled with what occurred at our events. The hotel offered a $2,500 credit without providing the detailed consumption records requested. We are now pursuing credit card disputes and legal remedies. Mathematically Implausible Drink Counts: The final bill includes charges for 50 glasses of wine during the after-party. Fewer than 5–10 glasses were consumed at the after-party. We have video documentation confirming minimal wine consumption. When asked to explain the discrepancy, the hotel stated that “wine glasses in use” justified billing for 50 glasses as consumed. No consumption records were provided to support this quantity. Based on the hotel’s invoices: After-party (2 hours, ~20–30 guests): 230+ drinks billed (≈9–11 drinks per person in 2 hours) • Reception (87 guests, ~30% non-drinkers): 300+ drinks billed beyond a 4-hour open bar • Combined total: 530+ drinks = 16+ drinks per guest over the full day This implies every guest—including non-drinkers, elderly relatives, and designated drivers—consumed more than 16 drinks. This volume did not occur. Notably, specific drinks we know were consumed do not appear on the bill, yet the hotel maintains all billed drinks were accurately tracked. Prepayment Reconciliation Concern We prepaid >$100,000 to the Del, including more than $15,000 allocated for variable, consumption-based charges. The final invoice matched our prepayment almost to the penny, despite consumption being inherently variable. No point-of-sale records or consumption logs have been provided to explain how totals were calculated or why variable costs matched prepayment to the penny. Timeline of Resolution Attempts • Nov 7: Submitted detailed written discrepancy questions • Nov 24: Hotel cited “heavy drinking” without supporting documentation • Dec–Jan: Multiple promised follow-ups missed • Jan 6: Contract access disabled when requested • Jan 14: Offered $2,500 credit without supporting records Current Status • Credit card dispute filed (American Express) • Legal counsel retained for potential civil claims regarding billing practices • Complaints prepared to submit to California Attorney General (Consumer Protection) and Better Business Bureau • Escalated to Hilton corporate leadership Guidance for Future Couples If booking Hotel del Coronado: • Avoid consumption-based billing  • Request detailed point-of-sale records immediately after events • Review invoices line-by-line • Independently document bar service • Budget for potential legal costs to dispute charges Bottom Line The venue itself is exceptional and our wedding day was beautiful. The billing practices following our event were not. Charges were applied that the hotel has been unable or unwilling to substantiate with documentation after three months of requests. We invested a lot in our wedding day and expected accurate billing based on actual consumption, not charges that appear structured to exhaust prepayment rather than reflect actual usage. This review is based on documented invoices, emails, and video evidence corroborated by guest testimonials. The hotel is welcome to provide the detailed consumption records that have been requested since November 2025. Will update when/if resolved through settlement or legal proceedings.