I have stayed in scores of hotels, and this was on...

I have stayed in scores of hotels, and this was one of the worst hotel experiences that I have had. Here is a short list of problems that I encountered during a two-night stay at the Estancia with my family:

1, The "Hospitality Fees" that you did not expect.
Be prepared for a mandatory fee of $22 per night that entitles you to a bottle of cheap wine (think "Two Buck Chuck"), as well as a number of services (e.g., morning coffee and USA Today) that are free at most good hotels. Basically, this is just a way that they can charge you a high room rate and still be able to advertise a lower rate. Gotcha!

2. The weddings that you did not want to attend.
Multiple weddings were going on each night, which meant that crowds of loud drunks were running up and down the halls all night. Hotel security was notified but was unable or unwilling to quiet them. The result: late one night, we had to pack up our stuff and move to another room.

3. The valets that you didn't need.
You cannot leave your car at the front entrance, even for five minutes, without using the valets. Aside from having to tip them, you then have to wait 15-20 minutes when you ask them to return your car.

There are many nice hotels in La Jolla. For example, a five minute drive down Torrey Pines Rd takes you to the Torrey Pines Hilton, which suffers from none of the above problems and also has beautiful views over the Pacific.

The bottom line: AVOID THE ESTANCIA AT ALL COSTS.