Rancho Valencia
Sometimes our wanderlust is spurred by seductive images on Instagram or other social media platforms. This is where we discovered Rancho Valencia, an exquisite 45-acre resort, 25 miles north of San Diego, set amid polo fields and horse ranches, six miles from the Del Mar Racetrack. When last-minute tickets to the San Diego Symphony’s Bayside Summer Nights “La La Land In Concert” became available, we jumped at the chance to jet off to California for a weekend in the sun.
Dream
Rancho Valencia, in Rancho Santa Fe, is the perfect combination of luxurious accommodations, great food, and first rate spa and leisure facilities. It is a Mediterranean-inspired, all-suite property with 49 luxuriously appointed guest casitas set amongst verdant gardens and olive groves.
We stayed in one of the stunning 900-square foot split-level Agave Suites, with sunken living room, fireplace, vaulted ceilings and regionally inspired décor. Off the living room was an outdoor living space in a private garden setting perfect for enjoying the freshly-squeezed orange juice and newspaper that was delivered to our door each morning. Add to that the generously-sized bathroom with beautiful Mediterranean tiles, spacious double-vanity area and walk-in closet, and you have one of the finest guest rooms we have ever experienced.
In 2017, and each of the three preceding years, the resort was selected by Forbes Travel Guide as one of the finest Five-Star hotels in the world, and was also awarded prestigious AAA Five Diamond status.
Dine
The resort has two outstanding dining options, Veladora and The Pony Room, which both embrace Rancho Valencia’s farm-to-table philosophy. Veladora serves Mediterranean influenced “Coastal Ranch cuisine” in an inviting hacienda atmosphere. Seating is either in the intimate terracotta courtyard garden or the magnificent dining room adorned with a suitably huge Damien Hirst butterflies print. The Pony Room is a rustic bar with exposed wooden beams and wrought iron chandeliers serving a full menu of American cuisine. Here diners can partake either in the bar itself or outside on multiple patios, under skies frequently dotted with hot air balloons.
Should you desire a culinary change of scenery, borrow one of the resort’s two Porsche sports cars, available free of charge to guests, and head to nearby La Jolla, or Torrey Pines.
Do
The spa and leisure facilities at Rancho Valencia are superb.
Tranquility is the watchword at the serene Rancho Santa Fe spa, set amidst lush gardens next to the adults-only pool. It is a haven of solitude and relaxation, with a soundtrack of soothing waterfalls, replete with beautiful, brightly colored, Mediterranean mosaic tiles.
The main pool, like the spa pool, is saline and heated to a comfortable 82 degrees. There is a high-quality fitness center, a spin studio, and a roster of fitness activities including spin and TRX classes, personal training and outdoor activities such as hiking. In addition, there is the “Serenity yoga pavilion”, an indoor/outdoor studio set beside a zen-like pond, perfect for pilates, yoga and fascia-massaging foam rolling classes.
In the grounds of the resort there is a highly rated, pro-level tennis complex with 18 courts and a staff of certified tennis professionals.
You may also explore the beautiful surroundings in Rancho Santa Fe by borrowing one of the resort bicycles.
With Downtown San Diego only 25 miles to the South, you can be in the thick of the Gaslamp Quarter in 45 minutes. We hailed an Uber and made it to the Marina for our San Diego Symphony concert. After the show we spent some time exploring 5th Avenue. We stopped for a late night coffee, then travelled back up the I-5 to our luxurious retreat. We are already looking forward to our return trip!