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62 reviews for La Costa Resort and Spa
Great massages, beautiful atmosphere. It's associated with Deepak Chopra's center, which is right next door.
My friend and I stayed at the resort for one week. We were very happy. The prices are steep, but you will love it there.
I went here for the first time to participate in a group meditation, but not just any kind of meditation, but "LAUGHING MEDITATION" !!!HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!
Initially, I really wasn't sure what to expect. The location is simply beautiful. I first heard of the La Costa Resort and Spa through the infamous author/lecturer, Deepak Chopra. Him along with other inspirational speakers hold seminars/talks/meditation/retreats @ this resort. A great place to just get away from the hustle and bustle of life without traveling too far.
It's also a wonderful place to meet like-minded individuals and absorb all the beauty, calmness, and peacfulness the resort has to offer.
Meditation and Hypnotherapist, Sarito Sun led the group meditation and had the most infectious smile and contagious laugh. I couldn't help, but join along as well. Some had some great laughs and others had strange and odd laughs, which made me laugh even more.
Laughing meditation helps release any pent up energy or negativity you have inside. It was such a liberating feeling! Everyone was involved and we even formed a group circle and interacted with each person by not talking, but what else, laughing. Laughing ensued more laughing and it just went on and on for an hour or so. I 've never laughed so hard and for so long in my life. It may seem strange, but it will definitely lift your spirits up! Your mood will change instantly! I walked out of the meditation session so ENTHUSIASTIC and POSITIVE about life x 10000000000000000000!
I enjoyed it so much that I even bought her cd. It consists of a variety of laughing sessions. So if you're having a pretty bad day and just need a little amusement, you can listen to her cd and join in on the laughs or just listen (especially, if you're in the car). You might get strange looks from strangers, but if you aren't self-conscious then shoot..go right on ahead and laugh your @$$ off!
You can never have too much laughter in your life. I recommend attending her sessions whenever she holds it here. It's quite an unforgetttable experience!
For more on Sarito Sun, visit her website:
http://www.saritosun.c...
p.s. I just realized that my review was more about the meditation rather than the resort itself. I say visit this place regardless..it's nice to treat yourself once in awhile.
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The resort was exactly what I needed especially after 3 days of meetings.
Lunch at the cafe was good and the facial and massage were heavenly. The staff was attentive and friendly. Overall a good experience.
If you are coming to relax at the spa or play a little golf and perhaps lay by the pool, you will most likely have a decent time at La Costa. However, if you are well traveled or used to 5-star service, this is not your place. The service is below average in all areas of the resort. I even got some 'tude from the valet, the valet of all people!! The wait staff is a bunch of bumbling inepts (was going to say something much harsher, but there's no need for me to be as bad as the service) who appear to careless whether or not your salad nicoise comes out as it is promised on the menu.
My room was in the 800 building on the first floor. Needless to say, I rarely had peace and quiet; I could hear the people above me, and everyone who walked past my room. For a nearly $300 a night room I expected one with a better view than just a wall. The interior was decorated in dull colors and dated furnishings. In fact, it was kind of shabby. I was surprised by it actually, I expected it to be nicer, fresher, but it wasn't.
One fatal flaw of the resort is putting the "adults only pool" right next to an "anybodies" pool, read kids screaming and blaring music playing while you are trying to read and take in a relaxing afternoon lounge. (Not exactly as tranquil as the tranquility pool claims to be.)
Another downfall is the parking situation. Now if you want to pay $25 a day for valet, no problem, but if you self-park (still $12 a day) you are going to have to walk, and at times, walk quite far.
In brief, it's a good place to stay for a weekend, but if you plan to stay longer, don't stay here! You will regret it. During the high summer season you can't even get pool service during the week at all! Not even a plastic glass of water from a prefilled carafe. BYOB...you've been warned!
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Gorgeous resort, wonderful helpful, attentive staff. The workout room was fantastic. Each elliptical trainer and Lifecycle has it's own little TV hooked up to cable. La Costa supplies you with earphones or you can use your own. Plug into the jack and the workout flies by. Fluffy towels and water are supplied. My only complaint with La Costa is that the entrees at the restaurants are waaaaaaayyyyyyyy over priced and yes, the mattresses were very hard.
Every room has an ethernet connection., 36" flat screen tv,coffee pot and coffee pods,gorgeous marble bathroom with plenty of storage, huge shower stall with 2 shower heads (on overhead, one on the wall), luxurious soaps and lotions... There is a business center where you can make copies and fax. Chopra Center for yoga and meditation.Salads, sandwiches , coffee and sweets to go at the "general store" ( store also has 3 computers for guest use, hooked up to a printer) .
If you play tennis, you will be happy here. There are clay and hard courts, all lit up at night.
Family movie night is cool, with the movie projected on a humongous screen over one of the swimming pool areas. There are many pools and a very twisty high water slide for the kids. Lots of kid and teen activities are offered so this is a great place for families!
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I really like this place. Was here for my 2nd conference in one week and what a great way to end a busy week of conferences.
The grounds are manicured and gorgeous. The lobby was very relaxing. The fountains they have scattered around the resort have awesome flames that burn on top. They had live music out by the restaurant we ate at in the courtyard. The rooms are very large, modern, and luxurious. Free wireless in the rooms (part of resort charge though).
If you are not with kids I would highly suggest going to the serenity pool as it is much more relaxed.
I really have no complaints other than the cost of everything at the resort was inflated (starbucks, drinks at lobby bar, meal at Bluefire, etc).
Would have loved to golf here, but really enjoyed my stay. It was a slice of Paradise in a hectic business week.
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This review only applies to the golf course. The resort itself is solid.
The golf course is in horrid shape, the area is suffering from a drought and tight water controls has taken its toll on this course.
The layout is interesting but the course conditions are horrid and I would wait until the drought lifts maybe they can water the fairways and greens.
SPA REVIEW:
Wow! This place is great! I had my first facial ever and it was amazing. I'm very please with the outcome (skin is sensitive and I was little concerned). I booked the early bird special (9am) and received $50 off my treatment. Not a bad deal for waking up kind of early on the weekend.
After the facial I spent the day pool side which was lovely.
The only downside was the crowd waiting for their cars at valet. If you can go on a weekday, I'd recommend it!
We spent three days here, mainly to visit nearby Legoland. The hotel is not cheap, but we had a package deal via Southwest Airlines and that made it affordable. We had a nice large room with two twins in a quiet remote area of the resort (of which the buildings alone cover many acres).
Outside our door were a lap pool and a jacuzzi that were almost deserted, so perfect for our boy to practice cannonballs. The main building has several more pools, with one giant waterslide (which he didn't feel like trying) and a kids slide (which we couldn't get him away from :-).
There's a golf range in back for those who care about that.
It was a short (5 min.) and pleasant walk from our room to the main building. The meals in the main restaurant are expensive but very good. (The cheaper alternative was shut down for the days we were there -- you see the economic downturn everywhere.) The staff is very kid-friendly. plus kids eat free (at least with our package deal). The view is gorgeous -- try dinner on the patio near the fireplace, overlooking the golf course and the hills behind.
We tried foraging outside but the nearest two strip malls have very little choice apart from a huge Albertson store (one of the malls was completely dead on Sunday evening, not a single parked car). For breakfast and lunch the Broken Yolk is okay. Several other places had just gone out of business it seemed. A bit farther north on the main road (El Camino) are more and larger malls where you can still find all the usual chains (blah).
The entire environment is somewhat pretty (hills and a laguna) but super suburban (more blah). I guess that's why I'm giving it only four stars.
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I'm writing this for a trip we took a little while ago to see BF's friends R and V and their kids who live Carlsbad. It was a beautiful weekend getaway, and it is really nice when you can visit friends who know the ins and outs of a town. Turns out, we had actually stayed here before when my brother and his family were visiting, and we liked it then too.
There was a great deal going on a 2 bdr villa with a full kitchen and sitting room. It was huge. Unfortunately, it didn't really have a view and it was too much space for just the two of us -- but we wanted the extra space to be able to have people over.
The Spa was a total treat. I had the Spanish Spanish Herbal Body Rub which is La Costa's 100 minute signature spa treatment. "Native Spanish herbs - fragrant sage, lavender, rosemary - combined with moisturizing olive oils anoint your body while your therapist exfoliates and polishes your skin. Your hair will receive a deep conditioning, while your scalp and body is massaged and you slip into a state of deep relaxation."
I heard that they also have something called the Hero Deal (or something like that) whereby people in the military, nurses, etc. get a discount. I don't qualify, but I think that is a great way for this hotel to acknowledge great work AND address the downturn in the economy.
Other things on this trip itinerary: Go Kart racing for the guys while we hit the spa, Dinner at Charthouse at Cardiff-by-the-sea, Lunch at Poseidon in Del Rey, Dinner at La Passage in downtown Carlsbad, hiking Torrey Pines, driving back to LA along the Coast with a stop off in Laguna for lunch.
Sigh - back to work now.
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Dirty, old, run-down, poor customer service, bland food - all for the price of a 5 star hotel. Don't let me forget the 20 minute wait for check-in and check-out.
PLEASE don't waste your time and money on this overrated has-been.
If you truly know and appreciate a 5 star experience, you will be sorely disappointed. The only people who gave this hotel high ratings are people who haven't ever experienced a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton. This place is terrible.
I spent a beautiful afternoon at the spa! I have been to spas before to get a massage and pedicures but this place takes the cake and puts them all to shame. No matter what type of service you are getting you are treated like royalty! You can arrive 2 hours before your scheduled time and utilize the pool or various other services they have. Women and men have separate quarters of course and there are private areas that only each can use. It is a great place to relax and pamper yourself.
My massage was top notch as was the service. I would go back in a heart beat. Everyone should!
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I've been to the spa twice and it's probably my favorite. First time was a work event (even better since it didn't cost me a penny) and second time was with my husband. We actually had a couples massage package and it was so nice to stay in the jacuzzi suite after our side by side massages. I love the outdoor pool and all the extra amenities the spa resort offered. I'm actually planning my upcoming 30th birthday girls spa day event here. I can't wait!!!
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I love this resort, especially the spa. The staff is very welcoming, the rooms are clean, comfortable, and spacious (mine had an amazing walk out patio that seemed to be right on the golf course). The spa is wonderful. The women's area was immaculate, with fresh tea, water, and fruit around ever corner. They offered complementary body scrubs on one of my visits. The pool area is quiet and offers food service from the spa cafe (which is delicious, of course). There are also two roman showers in the pool area for a relaxing massage. Every inch of the property is well kept and beautiful. Cannot wait until my next visit!
Had a massage and hung out at the spa all day this past weekend. The service was great, food was quite good and the massage was above average for a typical "spa" massage. The facilities are really well kept, the staff is attentive but not overly so. You must try the Roman Shower-it's really great and kind of like a free massage! Yes it's expensive but if you make a day of it, it's well worth the price.
I went to the Spa here for the first time a couple weeks back, and it was great. The Hotel itself was a bit daunting to navigate through as it is large and very spread out. But the signage is done very well, so you won't be steered wrong.
Like at any other spa you are greeted by a spa employee who issues you filp flops, and a quick tour of the spa facility. Lastly you are led to your spa locker where your robe awaits you. I like how they had the electronic lock systems on their lockers, as I hate carrying around keys. I went with someone who was a regular at this place so she suggested we lay out by the pool while we waitied for our massage treatments. The neat thing about this, is you are granted access to a pool area where only spa guests are allowed . This was fabulous since the regular hotel pool was crazy packed (as it should be in the summer). I waited only about 5 minutes over my appointment time for my therapist to retrieve me, so not too bad considering they seemed pretty booked. The massage itself was good, they even let you pick out your preference of massage oil. I had the deep tissue massage, and they were serious about the heavy hands!! Which was good since thats why I picked the deep tissue. They have the typical spa amenities, the steam room, the sauna, the indoor hot tub. What I really liked was that in addition to the spa restaturant, they also serve their food in the outdoor pool area. If you eat here, be sure to ask for their cookies, they are not the the menu but they are worth asking for. Also, I tried their bellini and it was pretty good as well. To top off the experience the spa gives you a complimentary body exfoliation for free! Which is a nice treat because I always want to have more than one treatment at the spa, but who can afford that?! Overall my exeprince was good, and I would love to com eback. If you live in Carlsbad, this should be on your favorite spa's list.
Gone are the days when certain underworld figures owned and operated this resort, gone are the days when you would see Donald Trump, Bobby Riggs and owners of fortune 5 companies smoking cigars on the greens. I miss those nostalgic days, being able to walk on with some notable names.
Still a great course and if your a cat gut guy, one of the few places you can actually play on a clay court.
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This place is breathtaking. The days I spent here that I wasn't too busy participating in our annual company retreat, I spent wandering the grounds. The lawns are manicured, the palm trees make you just want to lay on the ground and look up at their beauty. The pools were well maintained, and I was well taken care of.
I was lucky enough to get a massage at the spa, and it was phenomenal. Mine was booked for a few hours before my flight, and I slept like a baby on the way home. My muscles have never been more relaxed.
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This place is not as pretentious as one might think. Beautiful grounds, Lobby, Pools, Golf Course and Restaurants. Great Clothing shops!
These Restaurants vary from the Fine Dining Blue Fin to a Bistro to a Poolside Cafe to a Spa Cafe.
They do have entertainment for the kiddies, if you must! Like a very large slip, slide and water area. Child Care services, hint, hint.
Food is outstanding and healthy, of course. La Costa is simply gorgeous and relaxing!
35 minutes from downtown San Diego. A real treat!
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Wow! Wow! and Wow! I had an absolutely great experience. As soon as the valet opened the door of the car, I felt relaxed and rejuvenated. Is that possible without even being pampered? The grounds are beautiful with flowers, fountains and...a Starbucks?? Heavenly is the appropriate descriptor. But heaven comes with a large price tag. When I am rich and famous I plan to spend massive amounts of time here.
I had a 90 minute deep-tissue massage and it was one of the top three I have had. We had lunch and it was tasty, healthy and just the right serving size. I could have spent the entire day between the pool, the loungers, the hot tub and the cabana boys.
I would give it five stars if: a) my massage would have been the best ever, b) every candle in the shop didn't smell horrendous and c) If it didn't have a Starbucks (it just took away from my "escape" mentality).
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My husband and I went this past weekend to celebrate our wedding anniversary. We wanted to go to the JW Marriott in Palm Springs like we did last year, but there's just too much going on in October to go out of town again this month.
We checked in Friday afternoon and were given a room in one of the buildings. What we liked about the resort was the grounds. They're beautiful and it's nice to not be stuck inside a huge building, with nothing but rooms. This was broken up into clusters of rooms in several buildings. We were on the ground floor and there was a hammock in the courtyard that our patio opened up to. Very nice! Our bathroom was great too, there's a huge tub and glass shower combo, which was very luxurious and romantic for an anniversary.
The pool was fun too, they have 2 water slides that are for kids 48" tall and up, so if you're an adult but still a kid at heart, you can ride the slides! We went on them several times on Saturday, we even came back to the pool later in the afternoon to go on them. We only stayed at the main pool for the slide fun, because there are many kids around. Earlier on Saturday morning we went for a stroll through the property and found other places to hang out. There are 2 other pools areas and one that is for adults only. One has a fire place and the other has a fire pit w/ a hammock.
Needless to say, there were tons of things to do and plenty of places to relax. We took some food with us to have a picnic. We sat on our patio and drank wine, listened to some tunes, and relaxed.
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First of all, ignore the Mapquest directions - they dump you off at the wrong end of the resort. Call the front desk to confirm directions - the main lobby is a bit tricky to find - especially at night.
The grounds are beautiful - you feel as though you have just been transported to a tropical island. And for the price of EVERYTHING in this place you deserve to have that feeling...non-stop! Valet parking - 25.00 a night. Mixed drinks pool-side 15.00 each (can of beer 7.00). Daycare services 16.00 per hour or from 9:00am-12:00pm for a 45.00 flat fee. I was planning to have a spa service until I saw the prices. A 50-min massage for almost 200.00! No thanks...I'll pass. (bad girl moment - we were tired of the hike to self parking - we started parking in the valet lot. No tow away signs. Go for it!)
We requested that our room was next to the new kids pool area "Splash".
Our request was granted. We stayed in rm. 807 - it was the perfect location. Next to the kiddie pool and resort lobby/restaurants. If you are traveling with kids be sure to ask for a room in the 800 wing. I highly suggest you review the online resort map before checking in. The resort is huge! But, at every turn someone of the staff is sure to ask "Do you need help?" "Enjoying your stay?" Two thumbs up for happy shiny people.
The "Splash" zone is amazing - for kids under the age of 12 - you can easily spend an entire day at the family pool area, water slides, game room, yummy food, Wi-fi hot spot and very comfy lounge chairs!
Our room was nice with a flat screen television and a cute patio next to a huge woodsy lawn area. The kids had a chance to feed the bunny family that lived outside our patio. Cuteness alert! Which came crashing to a halt each morning by the rude, noisy family on the second floor...UGH! Warning the walls and floors in this place are very thin. I mean VERY. Every phone ring, door slam, toddler sprint, cough, burp, fart, giggle that takes place above you or next door- you will hear it. I was totally irate with the free sound effects. I called the front desk - they took care of it. They called security to the room above us and the family of assholes did a Riverdance across the floor as soon as security left. Bitches! UGH! The front desk offered to change our room. But, as luck would have it, we were checking out later that day. My bad...I should have said something earlier...
For some strange reason I am having bad wait service karma. We checked out Legends - the mid-priced on-site restaurant. The view on the patio is amazing. Beware of the birds - they very aggressive! Not sure if I had a racial moment but as soon as we (me and the two semi-quiet kids) sat next to a table of older businessmen - they moved 5 tables over...Hummmm...I am going to assume that they were in a business meeting and did not want to be disturbed by kids right? Right? I am keeping hope alive...
Our server didn't seem to be listening to me at the time I ordered. The kids asked for a strawberry smoothie - they got a horrible vanilla milk shake. We ordered pancakes and bacon - the bacon came (burned) at the end of our meal. They gave my little one free pancakes for the mix-up. Gracias.
Overall, great stay. Beautiful location. Be sure to grab a fresh apple upon check-out. According to the kids, the best apple they have ever tasted!
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There isn't much to add to what's already been written. The service is fantastic and is on par with the Ritz-Carlton. The rooms are beautiful and the grounds are well kept. The staff is charming and atmosphere is elegant, despite tailoring to the many children running around with their families. Actually, I would not recommend the pool area if you are allergic to kids. That said, this is a great place for families as they have a dedicated game/activity area for kids and a great water slides at the pool. The Blue Fire restaurant was top notch and the menu was incredible. Didn't get to experience the spa, but hope to the next time around.
There were a couple of disappointments I had though. The major disappointment happened at the Legends bistro. As I mentioned before there were many families here for spring break, which isn't a problem since we had our 7 year old with us. It was especially nice since kids eat free. But that good vibe was destroyed at Legends. The service was very, very slow. We were seated about 7pm. We were pretty much ready to order after a couple of minutes, but the waiter didn't return until 7:20pm. OK, maybe he's got a few more tables, so we let it slide. Around 8:00pm was when we finally get our entrees. Took a while, but I guess they are busy. I was a little put off when noticed the couple a few tables away finishing their entrees when they happened to be seated 5 minutes after we were. Whatever, maybe it takes a long time to make risotto and salmon. But that wasn't the major disappointment. While we were eating our dinner a couple decides to sit at the table over looking the greens. There are not there to dine, they are there to have a drink and SMOKE. Yes, they were smoking cigarettes only four feet from my son and our table. I was floored when the manager gave them an ashtray. Isn't it illegal to smoke in restaurants? Even if it isn't I wouldn't expect an establishment as renowned as the La Costa to allow this. Major bummer.
The second disappointment I encountered happened after I realized I paid for an upgrade I didn't receive. When I booked our stay on http://Hotels.com, I paid for an extra upgrade for a Spa room. It was only after looking at pictures at the front desk the day of our check out that I realized our room wasn't a Spa room, but a Resort room. I don't know whose fault it was, but there was definately a lack of communication. Despite my disappointments I did enjoy my stay.
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Most of us who live in San Diego know that this is a beautiful resort! But what you need to know is that starting in May, 2009, the resort is bringing back live music and dancing once a month. Yes! The Mar Dels will be performing here once a month. The next scheduled performance is June 19th, from 7:00pm to 11:00pm in the Veranda Room. Last Friday (May 15th) was a huge success! Lots of great dancers showed up and this event is open to the public. Check with La Costa if you have any questions about this event.
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How come every place in America has turned into DisneyLand? I was looking forward to a nice, quiet, ADULT weekend at one of America's Finest resorts. Instead, I am confronted with hundreds of bratty children screaming underfoot.
Don't get me wrong, I love kids. In fact, I'm pregnant with two. But I certainly believe they have their place. Take the kids to Chuck-E-Cheese. Leave the spa resorts for the grown-ups.
On the up-side, good food, lovely grounds and a kick-ass spa (where no children are allowed).
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What once was a tired "Old Dog" is now a rejuvenated world class resort with many famous tennis and golf matches going on year round. Plenty to keep you busy including a nightclub and my personal favorite, main restaurant has a delicious Spa menu. Many little shops and dinning choices that give you that never need leave the grounds feeling.
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Great Resort for families with KIds (if you can afford it)
My husband and I went for a romantic weekend. It was tough to be romantic anywhere but in our room which was lovely with very comfortable bed and bedding. So many kids at the pool it was like being at Disneyland. If you have kids it would be great because there's alot for kids to do and alot of other kids for yours to play with. No kids? Not the most relaxing place I've ever been.
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Stayed here on a whim just to get away. Got the place at a great deal by using Hotwire. Paid $126.00 plus all the usual so-called resort fees and taxes and it was actually $170.00 for the night. Check-in staff was very nice and our room was actually pretty nice too! Very clean and updated. Only complaint about the room was the crappy mattress. Certainly not the greatest. Thank GOD the place has several pools, because the main pool was infested with vermin. (young, loud, screaming, crying, running, obnoxious children, lots and lots of them). We did find another pool a bit more on the peaceful side. The grounds of the hotel are very nice and well taken care of. Parking is tough. Valet takes way too long and the self-parking is a long walk away from the rooms. The resort does offer a shuttle service if you call. Overall, great place to stay. I didn't golf so I can't rate the course. Certainly a lot of guests golfing though. I would certainly stay here again as long as the price was right. Maybe be better to wait for school to be back in session. :)
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nicccceeee
i went for an all day spa package, and it definitely felt like i was on vacation somewhere in mexico. the grounds are undeniably beautiful. the pool is heated to 82 degrees. there's a waterfall that you can put your back under. there is a really really nice dry cedar sauna. those are the highlights.
the lowlights? the massage therapists were just ok, definitely nothing spectacular. oh and getting food/drinks delivered to the pool is WAY too expensive.
well, pick this spa if you're looking for great ambiance and a nice get away, but don't pick it if you're looking for a top notch massage.
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I have never had a better experience at a day spa before...Maybe it was the beautiful weather, or the great companionship with friends, or maybe it was all of the free wine and champagne or the beautifully remodeled buildings (love the light, bright, airy California-spanish style, very classy) , but I had a wonderful experience here. I enjoyed the pool, sauna, lunch, drinks, and a most amazing massage. I loved the rosemary water they give you after your massage, and I felt more than relaxed! The staff was very professional and polite as well. It was a much needed detoxifying, de-stress day, and I will definitely be back!
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Can't comment on the spa or the golf, just room service. While prices weren't utterly ridiculous, they were rather high for bland "spa" food for which we waited an hour. The pseudo-ethnic flavors were way off - nothing remotely like the Indian or Chinese dishes they were supposed to resemble. Frankly, the best part of the meal was the bread basket and butter.
La Costa gets some props for excellent service and accoutrements. It is no mean feat lugging two loaded trays from the kitchen from a golf cart. I appreciated the cloth tablecloth provided for the bed, and the plates of limes and lemons for our sparkling water.
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For the ultimate spa experience, this is the place to go. It is a beautiful ambiance. The spa packages are amazing. You feel like royalty when you are here. They get you all set up with your own robe and a salt scrub. They have a seperate whirlpool for women if you're not comfortable in the outside shared hot tub. The massages are INCREDIBLE. And my favorite thing by far is the roman shower by the pool. It's hot water that comes out with high pressure so that it massages you while you sit or lay under it. It is so heavenly that I fell asleep laying under it! Everyone should spoil themselves here and do it often!
Keep an eye out for special weekend packages at the resort. They have some suprisingly good deals.
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I have very mixed experiences here. We went over the 4th of July weekend for 2 nights with 3 other families. The place is large and spread out but luxurious, spacious. Check in was easy without any problems. We were in the larger Spa romms. 650 square feet, very large and spacious. I thought the rooms were nice. The bathroom is great, enormous with good water pressure, very hot water, makeup area with chair, 2 sinks. My cousin thought the rooms smelled funny, "antique-y". We had nice patios in the back, the other 3 rooms patios were connected, ours was not but it had it's own gate almost directly onto the pool area. Very convenient. We stayed in 502.
The sheets and pillows were nice, all down, but the bed was horrendous. It reminded me of elementary school summer camp beds. I could hear and feel the individual springs. When laying on my side I could hear them creaking when I breathed. My brother's room had a much nicer bed so I think it's room by room basis.
They have many pools. We made the mistake of going on probably their busiest day. They were at "full capacity." There are 4 pool areas. We had 4 children so they of course wanted to go to the water slide area. It was ridiculous. It was completely packed by 10am, when they open. Not a single site left open. I still found some guy pulling out lounge chairs from somewhere and pulling in good tips. When my cousin asked the manager if we could get some all he said was "I'm the manager... sorry but I can't help you." We stayed at the pool by our rooms, but even those were crazy crowded. Not a single empty spot.
The food was just ok. We ate poolside then also at Legends. Nothing special.
The fireworks show was better than I expected. It went about 15-20 minutes long.
Checkout was a nightmare. The line was about 10 people long even though they had 5 people working checkout. They messed up our checkout so between the 4 of us it took about 45 minutes.
I've stayed at the sister resort Rancho Las Palmas and had a much better experience. Much cheaper too. Although you wouldn't want to go there in the summer because it's near Palm Springs and would be too hot.
I've heard great things about their spa but we didn't get to experience.
One great thing, free internet. Even at poolside. I always give kudos to hotels with free internet. It really should be a given.
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Great spa and great feel but very expensive. You can get just as good of a massage if you visit one of the boutique day spa places in Encinitas or Solana Beach. There are quite a few and some really good ones to boot.
They don't pay their staff accordingly so I don't like to visit that often; only when someone buys me a spa treatment there. My birthday is coming up in less than a month so I would happily accept your present. The heavens know I could use a good day at the spa....
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Pricey but worth every penny. Nothing better than spend half day by pool with drink service in your robe after massage.
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I love this spa and keep coming back every 6 months for the facials and the amazing atmosphere. Weekdays are the best since they have discounts and less people (quieter). I feel like I have relaxed for a week by spending a day here. I've tried other facials and spas in L.A., Palm Springs but after 4 years of trying other ones, this is the one I can't get enough of. Yayy for feeling rejuvenated in 6 hours!
Soooo, I'm going to leave my first review of La Costa posted just to show that I do honest reviews! I usually don't waste my time reviewing places I refuse to return to ... However, in this case, with La Costa Resort and Spa, I really, really wanted to revisit them. I wanted to like them ... since I'd heard so many great things about them. I wrote the 2-star review ... hoping the feedback would get into the right hands and VOILA ... it did!
I recieved a letter back from La Costa with an apology and discounted Spa fee to return. I decided to use it last week with a girlfriend.
My most recent experience was completely opposite of my first visit. Now, I do understand why this spa is rated so high by most guests. Perhaps, my first visit was a bad day for them (or me!)? Perhaps, they were resting on their laurels? Perhaps, they just needed a little fine-tuning? I have hopes that my critical review made a difference in their focus and training of their staff and systems. Who knows? You know ... we all just wanna make a difference!
My reminder call for my appointment mentioned to bring a bathing suit. Also, recieved a call from the Spa Manager stating that if I needed anything on my visit to just ask! Valet greeted us as we drove up! I had time to browse through some shops along the way ... very cute! I found a few discrete signs offering direction to the spa. When we arrived to the spa, they didn't charge me for my service right away. Rather, they charged me for both the service and gratuity at the end of my evening. The tour of the spa facility was complete and there's so much here! My massage was fabulous. Dinner at the pool was wonderful! The server brought our food to the jacuzzi. AND he made a special non-alcoholic spritzer drink for me in a festive champagne glass. There's an outdoor shower near the jacuzzi you must try (feels like a massage). The guitarist was phenomenal. The weather was spectacular ... even though La Costa didn't have much to do with that ... it's worth mentioning! At the end of the night, I showered and used all their products (really special and memorable). The valet placed my seat back where it belonged. VOILA! Yes, it was a magical experience.
Truly, I was so disillusioned the first time that anything would have been better. However, they really met and exceeded my expectations this time.
NOTE: Their attention to details pre-visit and during my visit were flawless. I'm just a little surprised that I didn't get a follow-up call to inquire whether I had a nice time. I guess they'll just have to read this review!!!
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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6/20/2008
I have heard only good things about La Costa Resort and read many rave reviews (especially in Conde… Read more »
If I can't have Hawaii, then give me the La Costa Resort & Spa. I love the whole Mediterranean feel and the expansive grounds, the ambiance of the entire resort is really relaxing because of it.
But the best part about the La Costa Resort & Spa is the Spa. (que the choir) Granted I'm not as well versed in the world of spa as I'd like to be, but so far this remains the holy grail of spa experiences for me. I will admit the cost of relaxation at this place is pretty high but when you take into consideration all of the amenities offered then it's not really so outrageous. Let me count the ways...
Outdoor pool, jacuzzi, Roman waterfalls, lounge chairs galore, there's a comfortable and airy waiting area that opens up to a courtyard with a fountain, in the women's area there's a relaxation room with fireplace, sauna, steam room, another jacuzzi, a private sunbathing area, and they provide everything: toiletries, sunscreen/tanning lotion, infused water, fruits, elixirs to enhance your water, there's a cafe with alfresco seating, and the best free amenity ever is the Agua de la Vida: a complimentary loofah scrub down with your choice of scented signature bath gel. I paid for a scrub off the spa menu once before but I wasn't as soft than after the Agua de la Vida. You could seriously stay there for an entire day and make that hundee-plus worth every penny.
Next time, I think, I'll try accommodations at a cheaper local hotel and trek on over to the La Costa for a day at the spa...
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They need better customer service. The General Manager has yet to return my phone call or respond to a letter regarding my purse being taken by a waitress at the restaurant.
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Sadly, Bob Hope is definitely long gone from this place. It's heyday era seems long passed looking at the dingy decor and well-worn carpet. All they're left to is retirees who have bought the villas overlooking the golf course.
Last time I visited my sister who was studying at the nearby GIA, the Conventions & Visitors Bureau recommended this place as classic San Diego-Carlsbad-ish. Well, if you're at that age range, it might be well and fine. You'll have lots of company too since that seems to be the market they're after. It was just completely inappropriate for early, I mean early 30's me :(
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