Lady’s Rancho Valencia Hotel Review

Today I want to share my Rancho Valencia hotel review with you. The Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa is one of the most famous hotels in the San Diego area, and I’ve been invited to review it. Read on to see what it’s like.

Rancho Valencia Hotel Review

Mention Rancho Santa Fe to someone in San Diego and you’re bound to get a memorable reaction. “It’s where all the golf courses are,” some say. “It’s where all the rich people live,” others claim.

“It’s where my favorite spa is,” my brother’s mother-in-law tells me. And it’s that last one that gets my attention.

Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa is her favorite place to relax and rejuvenate, and I have a feeling it’s going to be mine, too.

San Diego

I land in San Diego for a weekend of family fun, as my trip to the west coast conveniently coincides with my nephew’s first birthday.

But before I venture into the uncharted-for-me territory of children’s birthday parties, I need to restore the energy that’s been sapped from my system after two weeks of non-stop travel in British Columbia and San Francisco.

Rancho Valencia Hotel Experience

Rancho Valencia has invited me to stay for a night and experience their spa and restaurant, and I can’t think of a better way to start my trip to Southern California.

The Relais & Chateaux luxury hotel in Rancho Santa Fe is nestled in a set of secluded hills just east of Del Mar, 30 minutes’ drive from downtown San Diego.

I arrive with my mother on a Friday afternoon and the first thing that strikes me about the property is how big it is.

The resort is laid out over endless acres of palm-studded land, and the 49 individual casita suites are arranged along several roads surrounded by lush gardens, tennis courts, and—this being Rancho Santa Fe—golf courses.

We check in at the main reception, which is adjacent to the bar and restaurants, then drive over to our casita, which is just around the bend.

It’s a gorgeous suite, complete with a bedroom, a beautiful living room, and a huge bathroom with a soaking tub, separate shower, walk-in closet, and one of those high-tech toilets with a heated seat and buttons for just about everything imaginable.

Outside is a tiled terrace with a fireplace, lounge chairs, and private hot tub. The only downside is that it’s located right next to the family pool, so it gets loud in the afternoon with the noise over the wall.

It quiets down in the off hours, though, and is the perfect place to sit and drink the orange juice that’s delivered to the room in the morning.

Rancho Valencia Spa

After getting settled in, my mother and I take a walk through the grounds, eventually making our way to the Rancho Valencia hotel spa.

The facility is beautiful, complete with indoor and outdoor relaxation areas—the former with a fireplace and a snack table—a garden with fountains, and a nice locker room with a steam room and lots of amenities.

There’s also an outdoor pool and a hot tub for relaxing. While we’re there, a group of women with a baby is enjoying a bottle of wine poolside. The baby’s loud crying is a downside to the experience, especially since the spa is supposed to be adults-only.

But soon enough I’m inside a treatment room getting The Sixth Sense Signature Ritual. It starts with a decadent 30-minute bath in a stand-alone tub on an outdoor private terrace, which is pure bliss.

Afterwards the treatment continues inside with a relaxing massage, where the therapist works out all the tension in my shoulders that has built up after weeks of carrying my bags all up and down the west coast of North America.

It finishes with an amazing scalp massage and a paraffin treatment on my hands and feet.

Rancho Valencia Restaurant

By the time I’m done at the Rancho Valencia spa, I feel rejuvenated and ready for my favorite thing in the world: food.

The Rancho Valencia hotel has booked me in for dinner at the Veladora restaurant, and my mother and I enjoy an excellent meal with knowledgeable and attentive service.

The butterfish sashimi is fresh and flavorful, and the tuna summer rolls come with a ginger sauce that compliments them perfectly.

I can’t resist finishing the meal with a seasonal berry tart with strawberries and blueberries. The filling is smooth and creamy, and the buttery crust and fresh fruit offer a great balance of flavors.

Rancho Valencia Hotel Review: The Verdict

The next day I’m off to join the family festivities in Point Loma, and I leave the Rancho Valencia hotel feeling ready for a big day of birthday fun.

Driving out of Rancho Santa Fe, my mother and I pass by the famous golf courses, the little strip malls full of restaurants, cafes, hair salons, and high-end real estate agencies, and the prettiest fire station I’ve ever seen (they’re not kidding when they say this place is full of money).

Heading south on the freeway, we leave Rancho Valencia behind, but we take the relaxation with us. I hope if you get a chance to stay here the same is true for you.

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