Loews has all the good things you’d expect from a luxury resort – comfortable beds, attractive and well-maintained décor, polite staff. But my favorite thing about the Loews Coronado Bay Resort is how easy it is to make active and healthy choices there, even when traveling. As soon as I arrived for the International Food, Wine and Travel Writers Association conference, the front desk person handed me a list of the resort’s activities. I spent the next few days trying to figure out how I could fit in exercise classes, rent a kayak, and still make it to all the conference events.
Classes at Loews
Getting ready for Marina spinning
Most of the classes happen in the morning. I braved the early hours for a 7 am Marina Spinning class two days in a row. Staff members line up the exercise bikes outdoors, on the theory that a view of boats will make a grueling class more palatable. It worked! To keep the noise down, we all wore headphones so we wouldn’t wake the slumbering guests with pounding top 40 hits. This worked awfully well, as each person could control his or her own volume knob. The resort sells gym memberships to folks who live nearby, so this is a chance to meet sweaty locals.
Yoga by the water
I also made it to dockside yoga one morning for a gentler beginning to the day. A yoga teacher named Rosie led us through a nice flow. The thrill of doing yoga on a dock is that you just might get wet if your balance pose goes awry. However, nobody fell in the bay.
Other Fitness Opportunities
What a nice, flat path!
Loews has a good-sized, well-equipped gym. I dropped by to do 20 minutes of weight exercises. But who wants to plod away on a cardio machine inside when you have Coronado’s weather? Loews is on the skinny seven-mile strip of land called the Silver Strand, which connects Coronado to Imperial Beach. An excellent, perfectly-paved, flat path beckons to runners and cyclists. And it passes right by the entrance to Loews. Or, if you’re in the mood for sand and bare feet, you can take the short underpass to the ocean side of the Strand and beach walk all the way to the Imperial Beach Pier.
Onsite Rentals
Unfortunately, I ran out of time before I got around to using this service. But you can rent a kayak and take it out in the bay, or hire a bike and ride the aforementioned path to Coronado, Imperial Beach, or downtown San Diego.
Thank You, Banquet Staff
My breakfast that inspired quinoa envy.
When I arrived at the Loews and realized it was in the middle of the Silver Strand – and I had no car – my first thought was oh, no, I should have brought more food with me. It’s true that the Loew’s restaurants don’t offer much for vegans. The market has smoothies, hummus and pita chips, but even the prepackaged salads all have cheese and/or meat. However, I’d mentioned on my registration form that I preferred vegan meals. And the staff took it to heart. Every time the vegan showed up for breakfast, a member of the banquet staff approached with a covered silver tray containing some combination of potatoes, tofu and vegetables. One morning my quinoa with Brussels sprouts and cauliflower was the envy of all. So if you’re attending an event here and you have a special diet, let them know ahead of time. The banquet staff will take care good of you.
