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Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
Rating Details »
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Valet
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- By Appointment Only:
- Yes
40 reviews for Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa
This business is a Yelp Sponsor
6/9/2008
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One of Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa's Favorite Reviews What's This?
Very impressed! Can't go wrong with this place!
There are just too many good things to say about this place that I'm going to put it in list form:
Great Points!
1. everyone addresses you by name! It's been a long time since I've gotten service like that, it's a small thing, but goes a long way.
2. Great room! We got a suite and was impressed with both the location and the room!
3. Pool area was awesome!
4 Very attentive staff everywhere!
5. Great Spa - a little small, but was sufficient.
6. good selection of massages
7. very beautiful venue
8 great cookies and fruit at the front desk
9. wonderful breakfast
cons:
1. valet service is now $25! But they were great, so friendly, professional, fast, and really went the extra mile. Always asked if we wanted some water bottles, addressed us by name, was very helpful in closing, opening doors, and loading and unloading. We barely had to lift a finger.
2. heard mail side of spa was missing some things. Steam room wasn't eucalyptus like our side. Jacuzi had lots of leaves and debri. Didn't have comb or brush. Woman's side was great, just very trafficy. :-)
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We are 2 for 2 bidding on Luxury Link offers. Estancia provided a great value and experience. Smaller, intimate property with great facilities. Mustang's served a great meal and we enjoyed a great wine (Zaca Mesa Syrah) at a reasonable price (didn't have the 3x markup hotels usually charge).
Spa was first rate, easily couldn've enjoyed a day there.
The Luxury Link package was handled flawlessly by the staff (sometimes the staff at a property aren't updated on internet offers).
Would definitely stay here again next time in La Jolla.
This is a review of their meeting services.
Have had several meeting at the Estancia, in their Executive Learning Center. All of them have been great. They have comfortable rooms that don't look worn down, with comfortable chairs that are still comfortable after 8 hours of meeting. They have very good AV. There is a meeting concierge who you can call with any requests. A quick call on the house phone gets you most anything you need. When you first arrive, your AV tech will greet you and help you get set up. Bathrooms are large, well stocked, and very clean. Each meeting room comes with an Executive Box with every kind of office supply from post-its to a rubber band ball. Just in case the CEO forgets his tape flags... again.
The food is very good, and there is plenty of it. We often have it served outside on the grass, buffet style, which is a nice break. But do warn that woman from Marketing who always wears those spike heels. The service staff is good about quietly picking up plates when the slow eaters finish their lunch after the afternoon presentations have already started.
In case the breakfast and lunch aren't enough they have a fabulously stocked snack bar with everything from coffee to soda to juice to fresh fruit to rice crispies bars to gummy bears. My only complaint is they make very strong coffee! Be warned if you're caffeine sensitive.
If you're planning a meeting and need an upscale place that will make everyone feel relaxed and happy, this is your place.
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If you're considering the Estancia for a wedding or a special celebration, read my (long) review!
My husband and I chose the Estancia as the venue for our wedding ceremony and reception, and we're so glad we did for a multitude of reasons. It's been a little over two months since our wedding. We're still hearing about how amazing our wedding was and how good the food was. I think that's a great testament to a successful wedding, and we thank the Estancia for helping make that happen.
We'd initially hoped to do something a bit more unique than yet-another-hotel-ballroom wedding, but the minute we stepped into the grounds of the Estancia for our first meeting and tour of the place, we knew we found our venue. Sure, the ballroom is pretty much like any ballroom - a rectangle room with carpeting you may not have chosen yourself - but the grounds, the landscaping, the architecture of the buildings...something about the place as a whole is so inviting, serene and calming. We were absolutely captivated. We knew this was the kind of environment we wanted to have for our wedding and knew our guests would love it too.
There was something very unique about the feeling one gets when arriving at the Estancia compared to other places. And trust me, we visited many other high-end venues when we were planning, including: The Grand Del Mar, The Four Seasons, the Villas at Rancho Valencia, Hotel Del, Loews Coronado... - and none of these had as special a character as the Estancia.
Another thing that sold us right away was the professionalism of the staff. In catering, we worked with Erica H., who greeted us with her warm and friendly smile. Throughout our planning process, she was very professional and always answered any questions we had in a prompt manner. She and her team were really great to work with and accommodated many of our special requests.
We had a large-ish wedding, just under 300 guests. I will be honest in saying that I wasn't sure how well the Garden Courtyard and the La Jolla Ballroom would accommodate that many guests. First, I wondered - how are they going to fit 300 chairs in the courtyard for the ceremony? They did, and the courtyard was amazing! As I mentioned before, the landscaping was one of the things that caught our attention. It ended up making for such an amazing backdrop for many of our ceremony pictures.
So, with the LJ Ballroom, I was worried our 30 tables would be sandwiched together with very little room to move around. I'm happy that was very far from the case! We and all the guests were able to comfortably move around the room, between tables and onto a HUGE dance floor. Even the size of that didn't have to be sacrificed for the size of our wedding.
Now the food. Initially, I think one of the reasons why we didn't want to have a hotel-ballroom wedding was because we've been underwhelmed by the in-house catering at most hotels. Thankfully, chef Scotty at the Estancia is amazing at what he does and the three-course meal we served our guests was superb. We chose a menu that featured fresh and seasonal ingredients, so that helped. My husband and I were not the typical couple who doesn't eat at their own wedding. No, no, we ATE. And, we loved our meal.
I have to comment about how stress-free I felt the whole day. The staff at the Estancia just made everything EASY. People around me waited and waited for me to have a bridezilla meltdown on my wedding day. Nope. Sorry to disappoint, but there wasn't one. The bridal party was set up with a good-sized suite for preparation the morning of, and it was equipped with a useful "bridal emergency kit." I, the bride, definitely got the better end of the deal. My husband and his groomsmen were given a board room of sorts to get ready in - not exactly the same. It was just all of these little touches and knowing I could have the help of someone from the catering department help us out at any time really made me calm and allowed me to enjoy my entire wedding day.
Finally, our wedding night suite. We were treated to a stay in a HUGE suite the night of our wedding. When we arrived in our room, they had our first dance song playing on continuous loop, rose petals strewn about, and a room service cart featuring our wedding dinner entree, two slices of our cake, chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne. Too bad we were way too tired by the time we came back to our room (2:00 a.m.!) to enjoy any of the treats!
You can't put a price on being able to say you had a perfect wedding day, the kind you hope to have and the kind you know will be very memorable to your guests. Though the price tag that does come with a wedding at the Estancia is high, it definitely worth it if it is within your budget
I loved this place! Went there with my bf for a stay-vacation. Wow, i was in heaven! Great rooms, very new. Loved their breakfast. Great pool. Very nice people. And their Spa was OK, a little small, but great masseuse.
Be prepared, it wasn't cheap here!
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This place is absolutey beautiful. We saw multiple wedding set-ups for the ceremony and it was so romantic and charming. I was telling my fiance that I would have loved to have our wedding at this location if we didnt' have any budget constraints.
The rooms are airy and decent size with a balcony, & the overall service is great. Worth-noting is that the valet service was very quick and efficient during our 2 night stay, even in peak wedding hours.
I love how the driveway entrance greets you with lots of trees and beautiful landscape to give you the extra san diego vacation feeling. And mostly, I couldn't get enough of the spanish, adobe style of the resort. Love it.
Here's a helpful tip: Valet fee is $25/day but if you call and find the right person, they will lower it for you. Now that's customer service!!! =)
We had a flood in our home so had to vacate PRONTO! Wanted to be near home, pre-school, etc. Never thought a flood could be such a blessing!
Love this resort! Found it on Expedia -- 1/2 off. Yep, still a lil' investment, even at half-price. Worth it. Really worth it.
The room was nice. Nice balcony with a view of the pool. The grounds of this hotel are very rustic. Understated. It's a hidden gem. There are two restaurants. Mustangs and Burros and Adobe El Restaurante. Both are fabulous! The pool is a paradise with cabana's open to first come, first served. The spa - can you say SPA-ahhhhhhhhhh?
What I cannot say enough about is the staff. The staff was impeccable. They didn't miss a beat. Not one missed 'beat' in 5 days of our stay. Gracious. Polite. Conscientious. Competent. Knowledgable. Yes .. Yes .. Yes. I didn't hear the word NO ... not even once during our stay. Ahhhh-mazing!
I didn't want to go home. Not ever. I even applied to work at this resort after my stay. I believe in the property, staff and company. Still waiting on them to call me for an interview, though! Got any pull?
Note: Would have liked a fridge.
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My brother and new Sister-in-Law decided to have their wedding at Estancia this last May. I was extremely impressed with the grounds and the service at the hotel. The ceremony was held on a lawn with neat landscaping surrounding. The only thing that could've been better here was more shade. After about 30 minutes, the party was moved into one of the reception rooms. I can't remember which one, but it was moderately sized, perfectly fit for the wedding party and guests. The drinks were flowing and the music was chill.
The accommodations were great as well. Nice rooms with very comfortable bedding. The bathrooms were well equipped with nice spa quality soaps.
I'd love to stay here on my next visit to SD, but I don't think I can afford $240 a night. However, if I decide to be a baller for a weekend, then I'll definitely be back.
Just got back from a girlie spa weekend at Estancia. Our rooms were bright and clean and we were really impressed with how efficient, accommodating and friendly the staff were.
The pool area is large and well kept with several private cabanas for rent. We spent a lot of time in the outdoor bar area which had a great fireplace and live music. The buffet breakfast was above average. The highlight of our stay was the spa. We all raved about how good our treatments were and took full advantage of the cosy relaxation room and outdoor hot tub. Although I usually go for a more contemporary vibe a a hotel, I really enjoyed the rustic feel at Estancia.
Recently hosted an event at the Estancia, and everything was top notch. Their catering manager, spa director, banquet hall manager, A/V department, front desk staff, etc., made everything really easy and streamlined. Each person was professional, knowledgeable and a pleasure to work with. The food was delicious, the ambiance was fabulous, and they literally catered to our every need. I didn't worry about a thing. Five-star all the way! Thank you!!
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Attending weddings can sometimes be boring, tiresome, or a bother. When I found out the wedding we had to attend was held here, my hopes went up.
Arriving the night before for the rehearsal dinner, I was instantly impressed by the calm, serene feel of the place. The staff was accommodating and friendly. A fire flickered in the fire place and the warm scent of candles filled the air. I loved the sound of my high heels on the Spanish tiled floors.
Our room was lovely, comfy, and romantic. We got into the Wedding mood quite easy. The rehearsal dinner was held in the Library bar. The wedding fare was all vegan and so I was surprised by how yummy the food was! The bar was calm, quiet, and romantic.
After a good nights rest we partook of room sercive for breakfast. It was some of the most delicious room service I have ever had. The food was hot, fresh, expertly prepared, and reasonably priced. Massages, lunch, and lying around the Hotel grounds followed. The spa was breathtaking, tranquil, and impressive.
The wedding was quite beautiful. The Hotel grounds set a perfect backdrop for the ceremony. The cocktail hour was my favorite. Delicious homemade Sangria was offered with scrumptious little bites.
The reception hall was pretty, although a little stale in its decor.
Overall even though the weekend was not about us, my boyfriend and I felt totally taken care of, special, and totally emerged in the oasis of relaxation that is the Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa.
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this place is amazing - gorgeous - an oasis.
the landscaping and variety of plants is breathtaking. your arrival is refreshing and inviting.
the staff are friendly, helpful, cheery and southern-californian at it's best.
the room very comfortable, clean, stylish and sophisticated.
we got some champagne at the outdoor bar one night - big, roaring fire and a singer-songwriter taking requests. very nice.
easy walk to la jolla shores for breakfast. we walked in the mornings in the neighborhood behind the hotel - and walked down to black's beach - GORGEOUS.
a couple things were not so great but not dealbreakers :
you have to park your car with valet. there is no other parking and no street parking. it is $25 PER DAY and if you need your car multiple times a day - $5 tip every time. can get super expensive.
HOWEVER the estancia credited us with a $20 per day hotel-friendly-fee to have been applied toward any expenditure of our choice so we applied it toward the parking. which helped alot and we appreciated it alot.
the last morning, after walking very early, we went to swim in the pool and the pool and hot tub were quite dirty - not appealing at all. we didn't get in and were kinda bummed.
lastly, the eco-keys are annoying. they are great in concept but made of hardened paper ... so if in a wallet or pocket or loose in a bag - will get bent, not work and you have to return to the front desk for re-keying.
this happened to us once - we got replacement plastic card keys but then the front desk didn't enter in our length of stay so the key expired and we had to call security to come let us in.
they handled it very well but it was a hassle.
overall - i LOVE this place. can't say enough about how lovely our stay was and how gorgeous it is.
HIGHLY RECOMMENDED and i will return to this property.
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We wanted to take a vacation out to San Diego... having been to/grew up near San Diego, I decided to stay away from the busy nature of the city and stay in La Jolla, we ended up staying here.
Like many others before me, yes this place is beautiful (we witnessed two weddings in one weekend) and it makes you feel like you're in an oasis somewhere far, far away. Even though you're located right by the dorms/halls of a huge university, once you drive into the valet area of the hotel, all of that disappears due to the trees and plants that they have surrounding the hotel.
When we checked in, the front desk people were extremely friendly, they didn't offer us or do anything special that a four or five star hotel would, but they were friendly and very accommodating as long as you make a request (they're shipping a HUGE stuffed animal Shamu that we won at SeaWorld to us). The baggage guy carried our bags to our room (room # 255, nothing special), which was located by the pool and spa but a mile hike to the front lobby, we proceeded to settle in.
We got the king bed deluxe room, it was a decent size room, but for the price we paid for it, I was expecting a grand bathroom with marble sink and granite everything, but no, the bathroom was extremely disappointing, it was mediocre.
On the second day of our stay, we decided to get a massage; after some kayaking, we headed to the spa. We were greeted quickly, but not in the cheery manners that I would expect for a "high end" spa to be. The receptionist gave my other half his locker key and just told him , "the guy's locker room is this way", pointed and handed him the key, no tour or anything and we told her it was our first time there. There should had been a male receptionist there to give my other half a tour! Disappointing! For me, I guess since she's a she, she gave me a five second tour of the spa area, where my locker was, where the steam room was, where the relaxation room was, etc.
I'm short and when I say I'm short, I mean, I'm only 4'11 and she should had known better than to give me a top locker, I had the hardest time getting my key into the lock! I was happy to find a pair of slipper in my locker with my robe, my other half on the other hand, wasn't so lucky, he walked around bare, all those gems...!!
Right at 4 pm (when our appointment was) two ladies greeted us, took us into a couple's room and had us get ready for our massages. I asked for a Swedish massage, my other half got a deep tissue massage. My other half throughly enjoyed his and thought 50 minutes was too short of a massage session. I enjoyed mine as well, I won't say that she's one of the best that's worked on me, but she was good. I would go back to her again, too bad I didn't ask for her name. Oh well...
On to more about the hotel...
Room service was very nice, when we had our DND sign up, house keeping would call and confirm that we didn't want our room service and when we're ready for them to come, just let them know. I totally appreciated their follow-up.
We didn't eat at any of their restaurants, but from the look of things, they looked promising.
Before we checked out, we thought that the hotel was great...a little over priced, but otherwise, great. HOWEVER when we got the bill for it, I was like WTF!?!?!?
They charged us $25 for valet service, it was forced valet service. If you're not going to have a self parking lot for your guests, then don't charge $25 for the valet service. It was a pain having to wait for our keys each time we went somewhere and trust me, we were popping in and out of our room nonstop. Anyways, for those of you that only had to pay $17 for your parking service, be glad...$25! I believe this is a record. I stayed at a 5 star hotel in Hawaii and they didn't even charge us $25, it was $10 there!
WTF!!??!!??!!??
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We had our wedding at Estancia last year and our guests and relatives are still talking about it. Everyone fell in love with the amazing hotel grounds and helpful staff.
We only had about 3 months to organize the event. The wedding coordinator Erica M. was extremely helpful! She was always on top of everything and helped us to make decisions when we were not sure what is the best for our party. Everyone at the hotel was very and very helpful, kind and polite.
As part of the wedding package we've received a suite to stay overnight at the hotel. When we got back to our room exhausted after the reception and dancing, we found many little surprises and presents that the thoughtful staff gave us - music disks, chocolate dipped strawberries and champagne, etc. Such a nice touch!
There are 2 restaurants at Estancia and the food, drinks, and service are wonderful at both places.
I highly recommend this hotel to anybody. This is a hidden gem in Torrey Pines. Every time I go there for drinks, dinner with the friends or other events, I leave feeling calm and relaxed. I wish I could stay and live there permanently. :)
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My mom and I came for a mini spa day here on a recommendation. They seemed a little disorganized with the check-in and it took awhile for them to actually pay attention to us (and we came early).
We were finally given our lockers and the robes were just yummy. I got lost in mine it was so soft. I went into their steam room, but was actually a bit disappointed with it. It was an "herbal" steam supposedly, but spelled kinda bad and not herbally as expected.
We got our feet and hands done first. The girl was so sweet and we chatted the whole way through, but the job she did wasn't great. Just mediocre.
After that I got a quick facial which was wonderful. I loved their cranberry scrub. It smelled yummy.
Then, a quick backrub. The guy's hands were great. Perfect pressure.
The nice thing is that we used valet (but weren't charged because we were using the spa) and then they drove us to the spa and when we finished brought the car to us! Nice service.
I didn't like that when we were paying for our services they asked if we wanted to add 20% (gratuity was already included with our packages). I thought that was a bit sneaky of them. I only noticed because I had read through the package.
For a weekend, it was busy, but nothing horrible. I'll probably try other spas around SD before going back to this one though. It was nice, but nothing special.
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I found a great online deal on the Estancia Resort so decided to try it, because I would not have otherwise spent so much on a getaway. From the minute you get there, you can feel that it is a relaxing atmosphere. I love that they have oranges at the front desk...most places have apples, I thought oranges were a cute and fresh touch. Anyway, I diverge. As I was saying, we had a very relaxing couple of days here, it felt like a home away from home. The 100% valet was a nice amenity, albeit mandatory. But I guess if you can get past the seeming overindulgence of having someone get your car when you come and go a few times a day, its quite a convenient and relaxing. Kinda like pedicures.
The grounds were beautifully maintained, and being inset from the hustle of La Jolla, it is the perfect resort to go when you want to be incognito for a few days. Other than the people you see at the restaurants during meal times, there aren't a lot of guests roaming around, and the rooms and facilities (namely the gym and hot tub) were nicely maintained.
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I got married at Estancia, and they did an AMAZING job with everything... from start to finish there was nothing that couldn't be accommodated, taken care of, etc. The food was phenomenal, the service was outstanding, and my coordinator, Erica, was a dream. So sweet. We were comped a suite the night of the wedding, and the bed was hands-down the most comfortable I have ever slept in (better than the Four Seasons, InterContinental, etc).
Many of our guests had never been to the site prior to our wedding, and all commented on how beautiful the grounds were and how delicious the brunch was.
I have been back to Estancia on several occasions for Sunday brunch or for drinks at Mustangs and Burros, and will continue to visit the hotel for food and drink, but I won't go back to the spa....
...which is too bad, because they are a SPA in addition to a hotel, after all. With all of the sentimental feelings I have for the place, it actually pains me to say something negative, but here t'is:
When my maid of honor and I checked in the evening before my wedding, we went straight to the spa in order to relax. We checked in and were not shown around at all, even after informing them it was our first visit. We were taken to the women's area, which was REALLY wide open-- there was no privacy to change. There were no slippers for us, either, and when we went exploring, an employee chastised us for not wearing any (but there weren't any!)
Overall their spa facilities are small, cramped, and the "lounge" was overcrowded and not the least bit relaxing.
Consider the Estancia if you like Spanish style architecture, live music at happy hour, yummy food and drinks, nice people, and free valet parking. Do not consider Estancia for their spa.
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Estancia is one of the most beautiful hotels in southern CA. The rooms are big and lovely, the grounds just amazing, and the food at the restaurants fantastic. The little outdoor fireplace with cozy couches at Mustang's is impossible to resist. And a bonus, the pool is chlorine free!
We stayed there with our two young children, one of whom got sick during our visit. The hotel staff called their physician on call who came to our room on a Sunday night and cared for our little one!
The only thing about Estancia I don't love is the location (one can't walk from the hotel to much), but then again, its so lovely and relaxing at the hotel its hard to find a reason to leave.
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My teenage daughter (yes, I DO start every review with that statement, thank you very much) and I stayed here last night, and it was OK. I made the reservation with a great deal of apprehension, because I scoured the internet to read reviews about this place, and they varied wildly. Over at http://tripadvisor.com, someone gave the **GREAT TIP OF PARKING ACROSS THE STREET AT UC SAN DIEGO BECAUSE IT'S FREE OF THE WEEKENDS**, and that was a superb idea. It was a very short walk, and I loved saving $25 that would have otherwise been spent on the mandatory valet they have at Estancia. I made the reservation through Expedia, but http://hotels.com has the same discounted rate right now, so it's the same 50% off rate either way. I never would've paid $200+ for the room we stayed in, and if I had, I would have been severely pissed. It was well-appointed enough, I guess, but not extravagantly so. The bathroom was actually kind of strange because the toilet looked like it was in a closet, and it was very drab. I have to say, everything was immaculate. I looked everywhere just trying to find a little bit of dust and couldn't find any ANYWHERE, not on the top of the dresser, not on the lampshade, nada. That was very impressive. I liked the fact that they had a very cool Homedics alarm clock that provided "soothing sounds" to go to sleep to (like rain forest, ocean, etc.). That was a nice touch. The robes that were in the closet were uncomfortable at best. They had a tag on them that said, "If you would like to purchase one of these robes, please inform the front desk, and we will add the price of one to your bill," and I could not IMAGINE anyone ever doing that! It was laughable. They were NOT plush by any stretch of the imagination. Why I am deducting points/stars for Estancia:
I told the girl at the front desk that I would not be parking my car with their valet service but I still got charged for it when I checked out. A high-class hotel should have a way better system in place to track such charges, and they shouldn't nickel and dime you at every turn.
Also, we ordered room service and the prices in the menu said that a cheese pizza was $12 and a can of coke was (gulp) $3, but when the guy brought our food up, the price magically changed to over $20.00. That was not a fun surprise cuz I barely had enough cash on me to afford it. How did the price change so drastically?! There was absolutely no "fine print" anywhere in the hotel's literature that said I would be charged a "delivery fee" or whatever they ended up calling it. I guess the food was OK but it was not great. The surroundings are beautiful, which lends to the ambiance of the place, but atmosphere can only count for so much. The hallways smelled like "something bad," but I couldn't quite put my finger on what the smell was. It was raining, and it was kind of a musty smell. The heating/cooling system in the room was horrible. We just couldn't seem to get the temperature right, and we kept getting up during the night to adjust it (even though the adjustments didn't seem to do much good). Neither of us slept well, even though the bed looked like it was gonna be dreamy. We had a king bed which we both kept falling into the middle of, as if a fat person had slept right in the middle of it and busted all the springs.
**Don't bother to pay the extra $20+ bucks for a veranda room unless you specifically state that you want a room with a NICE view of the garden. I paid for a veranda room which gave us a great view of um, the parking lot. Absolutely not worth the extra cost. Also, the signage around the hotel could be improved. We were in room 359 which is quite a walk from the lobby, and that wasn't a problem, but the signs kept turning us around in circles. We had a map (worthless) from the front desk, but it was impossible to understand. I remember laughing at one of the signs because it said, "Rooms 300-350: to the right; Rooms 370-400something: to the left," and I was like, "Where the hell did Rooms 351-369 go?!" Thank god I just kept walking straight ahead cuz that's where we eventually found the room, but it wasn't easy. The hallways are very easy to get lost in.
I'll post pictures later . . .
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"The spa experience here was absolutely unreal! We went late on a Sunday, so there was no one else there. I soaked in the outdoor jacuzzi, lounged around in the comfy robe, sipped on lemon water, sweated it out in the sauna, and then got the most amazing rub-down of my life! My friend got a body scrub and we were both like melted butter by the end. I have no idea how I drove home. Next time we'll have to stay the night ( : My only complaint is that the front desk attendants were walking around with heels making lots of noise. Other than that it was peeaaceful!!!!!!!"
I was here almost exactly a year ago for a quick getaway.
Luckily I got a corporate discount, because how much they wanted to charge me per night was outrageous. And even then the corporate discounted price was still steep.
It was an average "hotel" experience, but definitely not a "resort" like other resorts I've stayed in across the country.
Everything was spread out and the had different bungalows of rooms, but fortunately my room was close to the pool and that made it all the worthwhile.
The staff was less than enthusiastic to be working here, and unfortunately, it really showed.
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4 stars for the pool area and 1 star for the spa facilities. The two star rating is a weighted average. I visited Estancia with 7 girlfriends for a spa day and we hung out at the pool between treatments.
We came to the consensus that:
- renting a cabana for half a day for $75 was soooo worth the money. (We actually rented two.) The rental included soft drinks, a fruit plate and snacks. The pool bar menu was pretty limited and service was not as attentive as I would have expected, but overall it was a lovely way to spend the afternoon. The pool area is kid friendly but there weren't so many kids that it was noisy.
- the actual spa treatments were very nice. The therapists were good. Some girls had treatments outdoors; those with indoor treatments were envious. I had a prenatal massage with Cynthia; it was good but I had to do it laying on my side. They don't have the belly cut-out.
- the women's spa is small and borders on unsanitary. There were only 2 stall showers and 2 toilets. No one saw a spa attendant cleaning the showers or toilet stalls, and we were there for over 5 hours. By the end of the afternoon I noticed they had run out of toilet paper in the bathrooms. Absolutely shocking. The line for the showers was so long that a couple of ultimately decided to shower back at the hotel we were staying at.
Oh, and the first robe I was given had a huge gaping hole in the side. The replacement robe was better; it only had a small hole by the belt loop.
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I had seen this place many times while running across the street on my way home from karate. I always thought it was an old person home for some reason...maybe it was because of the little security gate.
My parents got a room here on their trip to collect me from school. As we drove up to it, I screamed, "Ah! you booked us into a geriatric home?!"
This place is pretty nice. It's not my style, but I can see how one could take a liking to it if one were interested in wrangling things and ranching and whatnot.
On the map, there is a section called, "Mustangs and Burros." I got all excited because I thought they kept horses and donkeys on the premises, but was sorely disappointed when it turned out to be just a restaurant.
The service was great, the room was beautiful, and the grounds immaculate. My dad got all inspired by the landscaping. Great. Now we can add Southwest to our Chinese/Japanese/English/Vegetable backyard.
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I don't like to be ripped off and in the short 16 hours I've been here, that has happened several times:
1. My travel agent booked my king room for $199. When I registered, the sign in card said $211. Why? Because there's a $25 'resort fee. Oh, and they had run out of King rooms and had to put me in a handicapped room."
2. $25 to valet park my car. Oh, and you are forced to valet since there's no self parking.
3. Mediorce food at their expensive restaurants
4. Room service this morning.....I ordered their egg white scamble which was part of a complete "spa breakfast" that included juice, coffee, bran muffin and a smoothie for $18..... not a bad deal considering that it's room service. But all I wanted was the scramble so when I asked how much they would charge, they came back with $17!!! They took off a dollar for items that if purchased seperately would have cost $20 - Smoothies are $12 a la carte, coffee is $5 and so is the juice. I mentioned that I didn't think this was reasonable, but guess what? They still charged me $17 because they said it was the same as an omlette. But guess what again? There aren't any omlette's on the menu. And it didn't even come with toast or potatoes! I just have a shitty vibe about this place.
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Went here for a christmas party for Mike's company. It's dark at night, and the hor deurves and drinks outside was cold and dark. The food was good though. My heels kept sinking into the grass which pissed me off.
The bartender wasn't stingy with my jack and diet. :-) Once we were seated, the food was great. I didn't have the prime rib, but the turkey was good. The salads were interesting and the sides we chose from included mashed potatoes, stuffing, polenta, and veggies. I wish this place was better lit- It was difficult seeing my plate. The desserts were yummy too- try the homemade icecream.
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my wife and I spent 2 days here to get away and relax. our overall experience is positive, but not without reservations, concerns, and disappointments.
estancia is a spanish style hotel and spa located right across the street from ucsd. once you drive into the grounds, you've driven into another world. the hotel grounds are beautiful and we were initially impressed with our choice for the weekend. the valet attendants and hotel staff were very pleasant, courteous, and helpful throughout our entire stay. their hospitality is one of the highlights of our stay in addition to the serene ambiance of the hotel. our hotel room faced the inner courtyard and we were glad that it did. the alternative is to face a wall of bushes. what makes estancia nice is that it attempts to seclude you from the outside world with high hedges and buildings. what detracted from our experience was realizing that we're not enclosed and the "outer" world is just on the other side of the hedges.
we really loved the spanish style architecture of the grounds and the maze-like paths between our room and the lobby/restaurants. the room we had was the middle-type offered. its nothing really too fancy. its about the same size of typical rooms at other hotels, but the decor made it really nice.
we stayed during the end of the week and the beginning of a weekend and enjoyed the lack of hotel guests during our stay. during the weekday, i think about 25% of the rooms were filled which was a good thing. less people meant more space at the pool and dinner. this place would have sucked if all the rooms were close to filled. the pool is nice, but small for the number of guests it can accommodate and same goes for the work out room and spa. had more guest been there, we would have hated it.
it was my first time to do the spa thing and I loved it. the place is small, but hardly anyone was there,when we did it. the robes we used feel so good and the ambiance of the spa is so serene and relaxing. our masseuse were awesome. They provided excellent service and we left extremely relaxed. what took away from our experience was that we did the massage outside. at first we thought a massage outside would be nice to enjoy the great weather, but the spa is right next to the parking lot and salk institute. the repetitive beeping sound of a large truck backing up and a car with a loud exhaust really detracts from your experience.
what really annoyed us was all the freakin fees and taxes. valet was $25 a day with the alternative of $22 a day for self park. we got charged a $24 a day "hospitality fee." wtf is that? does that mean we don't have to tip anyone? we booked our hotel on expedia and were charged approximately $35 of taxes from them and about $10 in taxes from estancia. again...wtf? we didn't fight the fees b/c 1. we got a 35% discount from expedia on the rooms and 2. we ate at their restaurant and they forgot to charge us for the food on our bill. no complaints there since we threw down about $100 on dinner. what also annoyed us is the 20% gratuity fee for the spa. i think the customer should decide what the gratuity is, not the spa. they did clearly inform us of the gratuity, but still.....what happens if you have crappy masseuse? do you really want to give them a 20% tip for their shitty service?
overall, we enjoyed our stay mainly due to hospitality and circumstance. we mostly likely won't be returning though mostly due to the wonderful fees and we want to try other hotel and spa places to compare. if money is no object to you, then you'll enjoy this place.
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Got married at the Estancia--I would not recommend the Estancia for a wedding. The food came out extremely late, the last meal was served at 10:00 pm. Over priced and the service was terrible. Our wedding coordinator said they are known for this... The staff was extremely RUDE!!!!!
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When I lived near UCSD, I used to walk here for a late night drink. This resort is in a weird location - with rooms overlooking the busy Torrey Pines and UCSD's student housing. I wouldn't want to stay with a view of the parking lot. But the wedding biz seemed to be doing pretty well... the ballrooms are nice but unremarkable. And they replaced their annoying gravel driveway with a nice paved deal. Kudos. But the smell of the vanilla candles in the lobby is fabulous.
Mustangs & Burros is their bar. They have a live flamenco guitarist or a tape of a guitarist playing, a fire place, lots of outdoor seating (with heaters), two tv's at the bar, and a cozy lounge. There's plenty of space so it's a good place for a group, although I usually saw cozy hotel couples.
I also had wine at their wine bar (more like a bar and three tables) and Thanksgiving dinner at their restaurant. The thanksgiving was hysterical - my brother and I found sushi, roast beef... and one turkey. We were actually afraid there was going to be NO turkey. Very strange. But good. If you're going to spend the money you can find better food elsewhere.
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Pros:
- Beautiful rooms and amenities
- the grounds are so lovely!
- spa and pool are definitely highest in class
- Food at the hotel is also very tasty. the spa special breakfast was a definitely delighter
Cons:
-$17 parking fee, not mentioned at check-in
-My room had a virtually non-existent wireless signal which made me extremely unproductive (Room 322)
My review is limited to the bar area. The atmosphere was quite good with an expansive outdoor patio and large fireplace. The cocktail I ordered was horrible though, and tasted like sea water. Not what I would expect from such a high quality establishment. Their wine and beer selection was decent, but could improve.
I would like to clarify something stated below. The hotel and spa are ADA compliant and all staff, not just managers, are more than willing to go out of their way to help any and all special needs guests.
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We just stayed here for the 2nd time, and this was even better than the first. We got a deluxe room with 2 queen beds (we have a young child), and they were pretty comfy, although the sheets werent super soft, as you might expect (a minus). The room itself is awesome though--nicely styled, and comes with a coffee maker and mini-fridge. Our room had a little balcony with a table and chair, which was nice, with the slider door to go out there. I also enjoyed the clock radio that plays ambient sounds, as it was great for getting our 3-year old to sleep after a long day.
The pool is pretty fab here as well--its saltwater and very nice. Dont know who you have to be or what you have to pay to reserve a cabana, but no one was using any of them, and they were roped off, which was lame, IMO. It would have been nice to have one, even if only for a little while.
The grounds here are beautiful and you actually feel like you are on vacation. Reminds me a lot of a few hotels in the Sonoma/ Napa Valley area. Restaurant and wine bar are both very enticing, and ambient. If I didnt have a kiddo I would have gone for a drink or three ;)
A huge con is the $12/day fee they impose for things that not everyone uses (like internet, fitness center, etc). Its not cool! Also, ALL parking is valet-only now, and its $25/day (dont forget to tip, either!)--whatever happened to the self-park that I loved? They took that away. Anyway, aside from that stuff, this place is a wonderful place to stay--ust be prepared for the "extras". You definitely dont feel like you are at your run-of-the-mill hotel though--and that makes it all worth while.
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I have been to Estancia twice, the first time was in March 2007 and the second time was July 14, 2007. My total star rating is a 3 because I am averaging my first visit (4 stars) and my second visit (2 stars). My first visit was excellent, I had the 50 minute Swedish massage ($115) and used all amenities including the jacuzzi, shower, relaxation room, and enjoyed lunch there. Estancia is well maintained, clean, and has beautiful gardens.
My second visit however was not so great. I got a traditional pedicure, which is SUPPOSED to be a 35 minute pedicure for $45. Well, I was out of there in about 20 minutes. Granted I have nice feet, however, if I am paying $45 + tip for a 35 minute pedicure at Estancia, I would expect a longer massage or some additional moisturizing of my feet. Not only was I shortchanged on the time of the service, but I wasn't introduced to any of the other Spa amenities ( I was not planning on using them that day, but on behalf of all paying customers, you would expect a brief overview/welcome/introduction in the case that someone wanted to use them). I am not sure if the reason for the difference in my experience was because I paid more the first time versus the second time ($115 versus $45), but I strongly believe that since I paid for a 35 minute service, I should have received it, and I should have been introduced to all spa amenities in the case that I wanted to use them. Oh, and my polish slightly chipped on Sunday.
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I am only writing about the hotel bar. We didn't stay here when we came in town for our friends' wedding. The place is beautiful and has a great hotel bar. The bar is well accommodated and has a nice loungey outdoor portion. The drinks are expensive, however, be ready to put in 18-20 dollars for a couple of glasses of wine.
expedia was featuring this hotel so we decided to try it... since we usually stay downtown, we thought la jolla would be a nice change.... and it was conveniently located next to the birch aquarium where we took our 19 month old.
the hotel is GORGEOUS! the lobby is so nice and cozy ... not crowded like other places ..... it feels like youre entering a hacienda that you rented for YOURSELF .... you dont even see other guests!! we checked into the Estate King room and it was located right smack on the courtyard....so perfect because we would let our soon run around without having to take escalators. beddings were ultra comfy , rooms so clean, service was excellent! we were there 2 days and we barely saw the other guests ..... it really doesnt feel like a hotel .... more like you rented a cabin or something ...............
downside?? there are a few mandatory valet/hospitality charges that may total up to $50 or more ...... but granting that it was such a luxurious hotel, you might not mind it at all.
we are definitely going back :)
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Havn't eaten here, but have gone to their salsa club on Sunday nights. It is a fancier venue than some of the other salsa venues out there (Seville, etc) and people usually dress to the nines, although there is no dress code enforced.. Only have a few minor gripes.. Dance floor is pretty small and the lighting is too bright.. Also there isn't a live salsa band, just a DJ. But the music they choose is good. They also play some merengue and machata. Other than that its an excellent venue and the latest salsa "hot spot" so you'll see some of the best SD salseros and salseras here. There is a free salsa lesson at 8:00 before the club starts up.
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Let's start with a little note: I haven't stayed at Estancia, I just was there for a friend's wedding, and that's what my review will be about.
The scenery at the hotel are magnificent. A large lawn...a tiny intimate lawn...a very nice restaurant with a fire place and cozy armchairs in which I simply wanted to be sunk... The wedding ceremony was held at a smaller lawn, and the set-up was quite good. Even now I'm still sentimental when thinking about the gorgeous location. Someone told me that hotel Estancia was named the best wedding spot in San Diego, but I don't know how true it is.
What I know is that their catering is a bit flawed. Right after the ceremony a reception was held with dinner to follow. What can be said about the reception?.. I was not impressed with the appetizers and even more with the way they have been served: the waiters disappeared and then appeared all at once (it was like "either take it all or you'll get nothing").
The dinner was ok. Nothing exceptional. You would expect good food to be served at such a place, and the presentation can't be bad (simply by default). But, honestly, I was not impressed to the "wow" stage. :)
Overall, the evening was nice. Three stars, though - because they were "on the level", no more, no less.
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We went to a pool birthday party here and drank until the wee hours and almost crashed if it weren't for a reservation at another hotel. The courtyard here is immaculate, with almost all native California plants. The pool area has a big screen playing a children's movies while it has a soft salted water without clorine. The rooms are spacious, beautifully appointed in that Mexican Spanish Southwest decor and the vibe is like a spruced up modern Spanish ranch. We had a terrific time, but don't expect to get out of here without emptying your pockets. What I didn't like was the nickel and diming of your pocketbook: $9 amenities charge? $17 for parking? You can park across the street at UCSD for free on the weekends.
I think Lou Dobbs of CNN's Moneyline (?) must think I was stalking him, but it was the other way around. First he asked me what the scores were during Sunday's football games...I gave him all the ones I knew, (hmmm that guy sure looks familiar). Then I bumped into him in the lobby, (me, "ok you look a lot like Lou Dobbs", he, "that's because I am Lou Dobbs"). Then later, I stalked him again in the Lobby, (I was having my 3rd or 4th free glass of champagne) when I asked him if he'd gotten his wedding party married off, (there must have been 3 or 4 weddings that weekend), when he told me, "oh, no I'm here to give a speech". Then we traded witticisms about speeches etc.
Oh wait this review is about Estancia, not Lou Dobbs. Talk about digressing. Ok. Room was standard resort spa'ish in nature. Pretty quiet which is always a big plus in my book. There were the grounds....nice little lawns with wooden benches, mild little fountains, outdoor fireplaces all nice touches. The conference room was nice with tiered seating and indirect lighting and VERY comfy chairs made sitting inside more tolerable. Then there was the free champagne at the reception....which I had way too much of. The Estancia sits directly across Torrey Pines Blvd. from UCSD (The Nation's 8th Best Public University it touts!). So that is a plus for that connection too. The beaches, Sea World and Legoland are but a short drive away. I guess I'd stay here again to see those places and use the Estancia as a base. I wouldn't probably stay here as a 'destination resort' though. A little small and for me a little boring.
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Stayed here for a couple of nights, didn't really make use of the restaurants/bars/spa, but the hotel itself and the rooms were very nice. The staff were very friendly, and the free champagne by the fireplace at night was a nice touch. I'd stay here again.
