Marco Tabet, the Del’s new general manager takes a moment to enjoy the rocking chairs on the renovated porch.
Now that the historic charm has been restored and the construction dust settled, a new era brings many new happenings to the Hotel del Coronado – starting with the appointment of General Manager Marco Tabet. Having visited here with his family in 2020 and again in 2023, he was familiar with the iconic resort. So when he got the call about the job opening in January, he immediately said yes, and started in April, in the midst of a whirlwind of activities. Hitting the ground running with the completion of the $550 million renovation, the grand reveal festivities, the opening of new restaurants Veranda and Nobu, he has been getting acquainted with The Del staff and so much more in his new role.
“I’m glad that none of the previous owners made dramatic changes to the historic character,” Tabet shares. In his new role, he describes his leadership style: “As general manager I know a little about everything, but I’m not an expert in every area. I thrive on having a team of experts to rely on and motivate them to bring out their best.” He shares that one of his first impressions of The Del is how proud the employees are to be part of this remarkable resort. Employee longevity attests to this, with two employees who have been with the organization for more than fifty years, and more than 90 employees with at least 30-year tenures, who were recently honored.
With a background in luxury resorts, one of his passions is food and beverages. “I’m all about color. Food should be bright and colorful, especially with this amazing backdrop,” he notes. His favorite foods include Italian for comfort, Mexican, and seafood.
Growing up in Lugano, Switzerland, he was a competitive tennis player, a game which he and his family still play today. He started by working in a bank, which he notes is the typical Swiss job, and then completed his army obligation. After spending two winters as a ski instructor at St. Moritz, he took his mother’s advice and went to hotel management school in Geneva, and knew it was the perfect fit.
Throughout his 25-year career with Hilton, he has lived in ten different countries, three of those in Mexico, most recently opening and spending six years at Conrad Punta de Mita in Nayarit.
“Each location has been an experience. I especially loved the history and culture in Lima, Peru,” he comments. His wife and two sons will be joining him here shortly. Down the road, future travel goals include more family road trips, which he loves, and visiting Japan, Hawaii, and Greece. He advocates for taking time to truly experience new places, embrace the culture and not hurry through visits.
“At The Del, we have the perfect backdrop and now plan to create elevated experiences for guests and locals,” he says. The launch of the summer season brings lunch service at Nobu which started on July 1, and Director of Marketing Denise Chapman shared what’s coming up.
Look for the Fork ‘N Film partnership, featuring an immersive dining and cinema experience, pairing iconic films with curated, prix fixe menus inspired by key moments on screen. The first showing will be “Ratatouille,” with select dates in July and August at The Laundry. For details, visit www.hoteldel.com/experiences.
The Del’s porch features a vignette perfect for photos sponsored by Perrier-Jouët Champagne.
Perrier-Jouët Champagne has partnered with The Del to feature picture vignettes through the summer. There’s a darling flower backdrop for photos on the front porch.
New York style Pop-up Bagels will be at The Del on July 12 & 13. (Photo: Hotel del Coronado Facebook page)
On July 12 and 13, Enjoy Not Famous… But Known.® New York-style pop-up bagels and signature schmears at the beach from 8-11 am. Pre-orders and walk-up service will be available.
Watch for dates when GoPro will host a special event where participants can sign out a GoPro and create content. Professional surfer Jamie O’Brien and his team will be on hand to provide inspiration and demonstrate editing techniques.
The ever-popular Roast, featuring s’mores on the beach for up to 10 guests, now use eco-friendly smokeless firepits, and Movies on the Beach continue with a summer and fall line-up www.hoteldel.com/events/movies-on-the-beach.
Marco Tabet has been with Hilton for 25 years in a variety of positions.
The personable Tabet is quickly embracing the history of The Del’s 137-year storied past. He notes that there have been so many culture changing moments therem like at the State Dinner in the 1970s with President Nixon and the President of Mexico when The Del had female servers and was told that only men waiters served at state dinners. The Del stuck with their staff, and it was the first State dinner with female servers.
Hotel del Coronado regularly receives awards for excellence and was pleased to recently be recognized as the Best U.S. Hotel in the 2025 Rolling Stone Travel Awards, a new award for the iconic resort. Check out new happenings at The Del ww.hoteldel.com/experiences.