Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

It’s a nice hotel, very pretty. Unfortunately the lack of available staff and customer service could be a little better.
I booked a stay for 2 nights which somehow they mistook for 1 night. (Despite my receipt showing the 2 nights and the correct check out date)
I returned at 11:30pm after a conference to find they had closed my reservation.
Given my room to someone else.
Removed my belongings.
And thrown out my toiletries.
While they had been used, quality toiletries aren’t cheap.
After proving my reservation. (They couldn’t find me in the system) they sold me a second night at a higher rate.(which they did reduce once I complained)
The breakfast room was rented out for a private function so I wasn’t able to eat.
For my complaints I received $ 75 (half the value of my toiletries) and an offer of $ 20 discount of a stay at the hotel for an extra night in the future.
I really wasn’t impressed at all.
Which was sad, as I had high hopes.
Beautiful venue. Poor customer service.

We did not stay at the hotel but only had lunch at one of the on-​site restaurants and spent the day at the spa. We had a lunch reservation at Adobe El Restaurante and we arrived early, 5 – 10 minutes prior to the start of the lunch menu. We were promptly seated but since they were ending their breakfast service, we were asked to wait to order but they didn’t even offer to take our drink order. I had the chicken vegetable soup and baja seared ahi tuna salad. When the soup was served it was HOT which I really appreciated since it was a little chilly in the dining room and the salad was perfectly sized and delightful.
We had a little difficulty finding the spa after lunch. We ended up back at the lobby for directions after circling a couple of times and found out that we had to go through the pool to get to the spa. Nevertheless, it’s a beautiful property! Our group of 4 had appointments for a 1-​hour massage, manicures and pedicures and facials. The staff was friendly, helpful and knowledgeable. We had a slight mix up in appointment times and they remedied the situation quickly. They provide lockers, comfy robes and flip flops. There is a salt water hot tub, sauna and plenty of places to lounge and relax in between sessions.

Estancia is our hotel of choice when in the La Jolla area. I come here once a month with my daughter while she’s seen at UCSD medical. All the staff has been wonderful to us .
I’d especially like to mention Buddy who’s one of the chiefs there. When we come he takes the time to prepare a special meal for my daughter who’s food allergies are difficult. Not only is it free if all the foods she can’t eat but it’s totally delicious. It’s like having a home cooked meal but so much better .
I’d also like to mention that the Alma, who works in room service, is also especiall y lovely. She always has a smile and remembers that we were her first delivery so many months ago.
Estancia has been very good to us and I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a charming well appointed hotel with wonderful food, a good staff and a convenient location to La Jolla.

Checked out this place the week after the new years. The rates were great and we had free passes to Legoland anyways. It’s actually not too big. In between the size of a boutique hotel and a large chain. This place was actually built around 2004, right after I graduated from college so I never knew this existed until recently. The staff was nice enough to provide champagne or cider when we got in. I was SO thankful I gulped that down. I was so parched. They also gifted us a bottle of wine. I’ll be sure to pop that open once I can down alcohol again. We got the disabled room since there were two beds where I can sleep with our toddler and my SO can get the other bed to himself. There was a nice view of the courtyard and it was nice to walk around the grounds. They have a fire pit, one or two water features and newspapers available at the lobby. They also have FREE coffee and tea in the morning until 9 am at the hotel restaurant. I would stay here again. I wish the ice machine worked. Boo!

Beautiful grounds, meticulously kept. Staff is there to cater to your every need.
My husband and I were married here in 2010 and have returned on many occasion. The attention to detail to the grounds, décor, service, food, ambiance (on and on) is refreshing, not to mention a bit amazing. It is as if every staff member anticipates my every need, and not just when I was the bride as I have visited Estancia several times. It’s almost eerie how good they are (I remember dining in their restaurant upstairs and I needed a pen to write something down with and before I could even finish my thought the waiter had put a pen in my hand).
I recommend Estancia for your wedding, reception, vow renewal ceremony, business meeting, spa get away, or just dinner and drinks.
The rooms are very nice but a bit small. I can’t say they are anything special but they are well appointed, extremely clean, and well kept.
Go! Enjoy the grounds, the history, the attention to detail, the wonderfully ridiculous service and hospitality.

I will not be returning. My mom has been raving about this place for months saying she heard it was the best in San Diego. She finally made reservations for a day at the Spa for my birthday. We were all very unhappy with the service. Our massages or should I say lack thereof was not up to para. We paid for two deep tissue and one Swedish massage. My aunt and I felt as though our massages were not «deep» tissue and when she asked for more pressure she was told it would be $ 20 more. She replied «that’s fine, but I did request deep tissue». I myself felt as though I was getting tickled the whole time. My mom tried explaining to the receptionist that we paid for two deep tissue massages but only got one. The receptionist said she would reduce the price of the one massage since we didn’t receive what we asked for. While we were looking over the check there was no reduction, which we also pointed out but in the end it was such a hassle we just ended up paying full price. In the sea salt jacuzzi you can see mold or green slimy stuff hanging from the inside of the filter. It just made me feel nasty when I was in there.
We also ate at the restaurant and the food was pretty awful as well. The only good thing was the artichoke appetizer. We ended up going to Season 52 after and that was cheaper even when we ordered cocktail drinks as well. Lastly as we were leaving the parking lot we were being charged $ 18 after «validation». We asked for assistance by pressing the button and no one even answered they just ended up opening the gate. Overall the Eucalyptus Sauna was the best part. I would also like to add that my family and I have been to many Spas and had countless massages at 5 star hotels/​resorts so I like to think we know quality. This place is just not worth the price.

This place if poorly laid out everything from the reception to the bar and restaurant are in poor, odd locations.
Also they ping with $ for everything while you are there. So I had a room rate that was ok however they charge a resort fee of $ 20 in top of taxes etc. also a $ 30 parking fee. I would suggest to just increase the room rate and get rid of all the surprise rip off charges.
O well i would not stay there ever again!!!

Love this place. the front desk greeted us with champaign and Max took care of making dinner reservations. The grounds are gorgeous and the staff will go above and beyond to make you feel like a VIP. The room is perfect, clean and beautiful.. The mattress is top rate and if your looking for peace and quiet, this is your place.

First time at this hotel. They greeted us at check in and asked if we wanted champagne. They went above and beyond to give us a room that was suited for us. The grounds are beautiful and the room is extremely nice. Great bed. We would definitely come back. We have spa services tomorrow and if it’s half as good we are going to be super happy.

Estancia is a gem in the hills of La Jolla — serenity at its best with quiet spaces, understated luxury, and personally attentive staff.
Spa-​specific, ask for Christine or Cheryl — both amazing massage therapists this past week!
Hot Stone 80-​min treatment was a slice of HEAVEN.
Wedding guests thrilled, the team is amazing and food excellent.
Great experience!

A fantastic getaway in southern California!
I had the opportunity to stay at Estancia Hotel and Spa twice during trips to San Diego and this resort is fantastic. The service is first-​class and impeccable, and you can tell that each member goes out of the way to ensure you have a wonderful stay. The rooms are spacious and clean and the bath robes are soft and comforting. You get a welcome beverage upon your arrival and a bottle of wine in your room which are great bonuses. Each room also has a Keurig for coffee and bottles of water (free) for refreshment. The grounds are a great place to explore and just relax. The gym has chilled towels which are a great addition as well as fresh fruit to enjoy as you are getting fit.
I would say the one downside is that the parking is valet only which is a little bit of an inconvenience but your car is retrieved quickly and does not delay your travel plans too much if you plan accordingly.

While doing my undergrad at UCSD, I always wondered what it would be like to stay at the Estancia — it always looked so fancy and upscale from my vantage point at ERC. Thanks to my college degree and a bit of luck, I ended up at a company that hosted their yearly conference at the Estancia and I finally was able to experience the grounds (mostly) complimentary.
What I loved:
— fantastic service
— immaculate grounds (but not as big as you think)
— really nice room
— the conference food & snack offerings was really tasty and much appreciated
— speedy and easy to connect to wifi
What was meh:
— no cell reception in my room: my room was on the ground floor facing the courtyard, lovely view but dead zone for this t-​mobile user
— noisy AC: the AC cycles on and off and it is SO LOUD
— fees here there and everywhere: luckily my company paid for our hospitality/​resort fee but $ 22/​night would really hurt. This is why I don’t count the «free bottle of wine or free champagne at check in or free wireless internet or free in room water bottles (NOT VOSS as listed on their website)» as a perk — because you pay for it
What I absolutely hated the most: $ 25/​day Valet parking
My company was able to get it cheaper for $ 10/​night but still — man, I hate mandatory valet parking. Perhaps it is a way to keep you more trapped at the location so you have to spend money on food on site but the barrier to getting to my car any time I want without having to fork over money for tip is really annoying. There’s nothing really walking distance except across the street to get onto UCSD’s campus.
Here’s my tip: On weekends — parking at UCSD is free. There’s a large parking structure on Pangea Dr. (instead of turning into the main entrance of Estancia, turn the other direction) that is walking distance from the hotel. Just make sure you don’t park on the ²⁴⁄₇ spots and you are good to go.
I would highly recommend staying here if someone else is footing the bill, but as a personal consumer — the valet parking + resort fee is a huge turnoff. The 4 stars is given because everything was mostly complimentary via company, 3 stars if I had to pay for all of it myself.
Also, I’m quite peeved that they automatically signed me up for their «loyalty card» program.

Gorgeous resort in the heart of La Jolla. Very close to most everything around the area. We stayed at this resort twice already, once for a wedding & once just this last weekend for a get away. The staff at this resort are very attentive, great customer service. Over our stay last wknd they upgraded one of our rooms to a suite. The rooms are nice & clean but a bit small. The suites are gorgeous & roomy with a nice large shower. I think this was specifically a ‘handicap suite’. They put a complementary wine in the rooms that’s was delice.
We went to Mustangs Restuarant inside the resort for dinner. It’s decorated pretty nicely & at nights the lightings make it so festive & romantic. We had sea bass, salmon, shashimi (pretty much all fish on the menu except shellfish) & I can’t tell you how much we all enjoyed every single dish. It was so delicious that we ordered a second round on the sea bass & the salmon!!! My daughter LOVED the salmon too :)
In the morning we went to the buffet breakfast (again in the resort). The options were great, loved the omelette station. After breakfast we went to the pool & enjoyed ourself under the sun. I love this resort, true definition of relaxation.
Valet services were great. We have a electric car & they had charged our car for free!
I highly recommend this resort & spa. Although they don’t advertise it as being kid friendly, it was pretty kid friendly actually. They provided a crib for us & in every room there is already a fridge.

Nice hotel room and very clean. Kind staff with the exception of the red headed valet guy who made me reach for my keys awkwardly (he’s tall, I’m short). You kind of shouldn’t make guest jump for their keys.
Restaurants were actually pretty delicious. Room service was honestly suboptimal and practically horrible; eggs tasted like they came from a carton, veggies all canned, and bacon tasted like Hormel or something really cheap. If you order a Bloody Mary don’t expect anything but olives cause apparently it has to come in a can. The Mules are great drinks.
Pool and spa were great! Use them it’s why you are there.
Great hiking area behind the resort, bring good shoes and a surf board!
Lastly, the check out was smooth, but review your bill. Double charged for valet, but easily corrected.

This review is mainly for Joyce at the front desk and the two absolutely AMAZING housekeeping ladies, Yaneth & Zaira. Joyce was so sweet and welcoming! Made us feel comfortable right away.
Okay, story time: I was here for an interview, and the skirt I brought had a slit that was too high, and I was scrambling the night before to try and fix it. I was frantically asking around for a safety pin and sharpie. I was desperate, people. As I talked to housekeeping on the phone, they mentioned that one of their staff actually went to school for sewing and whatnot, and asked if I wanted her to come over and help. Enter Yaneth and Zaira to the rescue! They were sooo nice, sewed up my skirt perfectly, then proceeded to even iron out all of my clothes. Even after, they were wishing me luck on my interview and being so supportive.
Seriously gotta give it up for Yaneth and Zaira who went above and beyond with service.

I stayed here when looking to relocate to San Diego. It was so impressive. And when I was much, much younger, I worked at the Four Seasons in numerous locations around the country – so I have obnoxiously high standards when it comes to hotels. (The struggle is real.)
Estancia was so impressive. The grounds are beautiful. The rooms were really comfortable and well kept. The staff was outstanding. I took the job offer… Putting me up at Estancia was a really good move!

I called yesterday to once again make a booking for my husband and I for our 15^th Wedding Anniversary. (Because I still have that darn gift card that can not be refunded). I must say, the women who took my RSVN was quite competent and took note of our Wedding Anniversary Details. I re’ved a prompt email conformation right afterwords.
We booked the Bed and Breakfast PKG, at a rate of $ 259.00 plus plus plus for a total of $ 316.00. It included $ 80.00 credit for Breakfast (which unless they apply the whole amount onto your room charges, your going to be out some credit as their breakfast prices are NOT to outrages.
I will update again after our stay.
TF
Just arrived, Valet went smoothly and hotel gave us pool keys and advised they would txt us when our room was ready and transfer our bag.
We went to get a cup of coffee as it was advertised as complementary until 10:30. We arrived shortly after ten. There were no cups, so we had to ask the hostess. My husband was able to get the last cup of coffee. I was able to get ½c. I asked the hostess if we could have some and she went straight away. Then I had to request cream or milk.
All in all it took about 10min. I think the hostess was a lovely girl, but clearly the staff is hit or miss at this hotel.
We arrived at the pool, and were able to find s seats right away. I went to the bar and was giving a luncheon menu, and Stephanie was very helpful.
We are now poolside, relaxing.
–
At 12:30 my phone started to ring, no msg left. Our room was ready. I advised that we were poolside. They called 2 more times. And left me on the never ending hold.
I went up to front desk checked in, and was advised that any room charges from 6:30 to 11:30 in the AM would be credited per the summer package I booked.
No mention was made regarding our baggage. Not was also not in our room as advised.
The pool side service still seems to be the best we have had to date. Front desk check in could have been a holiday.
We were given room 213, ground floor walkout as I requested.
Poolside seems to have more of a party feel, with elevator music. The hotel guests children are well behaved and very quite. The wedding guests from last night on the other hand are tossing footballs and baseballs in the pool, and out. They don’t seem overly concerned with the other guests. Cans if Beer everywhere.
The staff seems to condone the behavior as it has not been mentioned to them as of yet.
Having been to any spas all over the world. I can say 100% that this hotel does not have a spa feel. It’s nice. It’s expensive. But it’s lacking the quite service that once would expect at a higher end hotel.
I feel as if I could be in any Holiday Inn anywhere in the world. It just keeps missing the mark.
I still stand by my 3 star review.
Disappointing. Common. Nothing outstanding.
***
Staff has still not requested wedding party tone things down. They are eating in the water, spilling food poolside and rinsing drink cups in the water.
I understand that the bride has of course paid a large sum of money for her wedding. But hotel guests need not be splashed time and time again.
The good news is I will never return to this establishment. Nor will I ever recommend it.

This is a nice resort, but…
The location is not great. The general location is good — close to La Jolla — but the specific location is not. Not on the water. Not walking distance from anything. You also can’t self park, so going anywhere is a chore.
My room was on the fist level, opening to the courtyard. Sounds cool, but it means you don’t have a balcony. You also have to get wet to go anywhere when it rains. Which it did…
The rooms are nice. Nothing special. My room only had windows in the front and had no sheers. So if you wanted any privacy you have no natural light. Not a «resort» feel.
The pool area too is kind of underwhelming.
They did a nice job with the conference I was attending, but I wouldn’t come back on my own dime.

My first experience here was absolutely amazing.
My second was wonderful, in a totally different way. Customer service was on point, and spending time in the secluded spa area was heavenly.
Came again for Valentines weekend, apparently this is the place to be! It was a big crowded for my liking but the Duck Enchiladas & Pulled Pork Mac n Cheese made me forget about everything else.
Had a couple spa appointments, highly recommend facials or just coming by to use the facilities.
Here again to relax and recharge after being sick, and was yet again impressed by the customer service. Was able to get my room of choice, and given a space to work while I waited. They accommodated my limited diet, with the first soup on the house.
I adore this place and can’t wait to come back!

I consider myself a native San Diegan and am surprised that I’ve never visited the well known Estancia. We live in one of the most beautiful cities in the world so I never felt the need to splurge on a staycation at Estancia as I’m quite content with my humble abode.
So I was so happy and delighted when the bf surprised me with an overnight getaway at this beautiful resort.
For those who are worried about pretentiousness here, take a breath… everyone from the valet to the front reception was easy going and had a genuine smile on their faces when they great you.
Let’s get down to the nitty gritty though for those who like to number crunch/​analyze every penny/​etc (you get the drift):
$ 25 Valet fee: yes they charge that and I tried to research if there was self parking for over night guests. I don’t think there is. BUT, gosh, how many times do you get to splurge on a nice getaway (even if only for a day). The valet said there’s 100% in/​out privileges so they will bring your car out every time without extra charge.
According to their website «the Hospitality Services Fee is $ 22/​day and includes the following: Welcome beverage upon arrival, one bottle of private label wine, two bottles of water replenished daily, in-​room gourmet coffee, morning coffee & tea service in Trinitas Cellars Wine Bar, fitness center access, wireless Internet throughout the hotel, your choice from over 3,000 same-​day newspapers and magazines worldwide available on your personal devices via PressReader App, use of Business Center, airline check in/​boarding pass capabilities, incoming fax service (3 pages/​fax), unlimited access for toll free & local telephone calls. «
REMEMBER the above paragraph because it will come in handy during your stay.
Highlights of the trip:
— sparking wine upon arrival tasted amazing
— felt secure in that pool/​spa area needed digital key to access areas
— complimentary FULL SIZE bottle of their own Proprietary Red Wine wasn’t too bad
— comfortable bed with wonderful goose (?) down comforter and pillows
— ridiculous soft & fluffy bath towels
— amazing in-​room brew yourself coffee
— fireplace at the pool served for one of THE most romantic moments I’ve had with the bf to date
— pool area was not busy whatsoever (it was after 6:30p though)
— we were always greeted with a smile from staff whenever they passed us
— Adobe El Restaurante offers a Sunday Brunch: $ 18 for an AYCE continental breakfast and $ 27.50 for an all inclusive buffet
The ‘oh– well’ part of the trip:
— check in time is 4p and check out is 12p. Seems like a very late check in as it doesn’t give us much time to do much at the resort (pool, pictures, etc) as the sun currently sets around 5:30p
— they give you a map to your room and draw you a diagram on how to get there. No biggie but the resort is large and can be tough to find a room after dusk
— the free water they give you is not Voss (as others have reviewed) but two small bottles of Arrowhead water (we didn’t mind)
— there’s no fridge in room which we found so odd
— the a/​c unit does get loud when it kicks on
— carpet in room had a few stains and an area where it looked like it was coming apart
— bathtub is small and there were visible rusted areas in shower (I don’t think this is a house keeping issue as the room itself was clean and we tipped accordingly after we left)
— BF went to Mustangs later that night to order nachos (which came highly recommended from hostess as well as bartender at Trinitas) but he said nachos, although plentiful for $ 21 after tax/​tip, tasted mediocre at best
— perhaps this was our fault but we didn’t realize Trinitas offered complimentary coffee/​tea until we passed by after our Brunch at Adobe (the room only offers little plastic containers of coffee mate creamer whereas I would have preferred ½ and ½). So not sure if the front desk let the bf know about what the $ 22 service fee included at time of check in.
We had a nice time there but I was hoping for more than a nice time here (based on the price and their reputation) if that makes sense. The oh-​wells started to add up and I don’t think that should be indicative of what this resort is all about. So maybe it was just our particular room or we weren’t as prepared as we should have been (i.e. researching what the $ 22 entailed, knowing about the Sunday AYCE options at Adobe, etc).
So hopefully this review will help others plan for a more thorough trip if they visit Estancia.
On a side note though, the valet (I think John?) who brought us our car the following day was amazing. He was 1) gracious enough to take the only pictures me and bf got together that trip; 2) he RAN to get our car; and 3) gave us both bottle waters (Estancia brand which is funny because they should have done that for the rooms as well — better branding in my opinion).
So I do applaud the highlights that we had during our stay —