Anthony goes to the 678-room Del Coronado in San Diego, with 78 luxury cottages, which opened back in 1888. Thomas Edison set it up for electricity, and at one time it was the world's largest resort. Anthony takes his dog Red since the hotel is pet-friendly, A valet greets Anthony, and whisks away Red for special treatment. Anthony enters the audience and admires the wood-carved décor, and then talks to the concierge Eddie. Eddie explains about the original Otis brass-cage elevator, and they take a ride up. The concierge then shows Anthony two chairs custom-built for President Taft.
Next, Anthony goes to the Dragon Tree that was featured in Some Like It Hot. He then goes to his room with Tyler, the hots of the exclusive section where Anthony is staying. Red is already there, and the cottage has three bedrooms, a private oceanfront balcony, two Jacuzzis, and its own firepit. A personal chef comes to the fully-stocked kitchen to make personal meals. There are gourmet treats for Red and Anthony thanks for Tyler for bringing him there. He then calls Pet Services and a woman, Madison, comes to walk Red.
Behind the scenes, Anthony checks out the laundry room and meets with laundry manager Irma. She says that she's in a good mood because she's in paradise, and has been working in laundry for 12 years. The facility washes 25,000 pounds of laundry per day during busy season, and one dryer holds 475 pounds. Irma then demonstrates how they unload a 750-pound washer, and says that they're the heart of the hotel.
Digging deeper, Anthony meets with Bob, the facilities manager. Bob shows him an underground tunnel that leads to the facility beneath the Coronado. They go to the engineering shop with a display case of items they've found during renovations. Anthony finds one of the original chandeliers designed by L. Frank Baum. Baum worked on the Oz series at the Coronado and then helped them design the place. When the engineers found it in storage, they hung it up in the shop.
Anthony meets up with Melinda and Red on the rooftop deck for the resort's pet-friendly Yappy Hour. Madison describes what she did with Red, impressing Anthony. He sets down with a couple and their dog Parker, and a waitress brings over treats for the two dogs. Anthony takes Red back to the suite, and Eddie invites Anthony to the most secret spot in the hotel. It's the hotel turret above the ballroom, and employees and select visitors have written their names on the wood. They then go outside and admire the ocean view.
Finally, Anthony goes to the laundry to give Irma his $5,000 tip for his five-star favorite. Irma turns it down, and Anthony tells her to smile and say "thank you." She then tries to give it back, thinking it's a prop for part of the show, and Anthony assures her that it's real.
Written by Gadfly on Dec 28, 2016