Estancia La Jolla Reviews

The moment I walked in I felt calmer. This is one of the best resorts I have ever stayed at. I cannot wait to return!

This resort is an incredible escape from the outside world but nestled right in La Jolla. The beautiful grounds, low-profile buildings and casual atmosphere make it perfect for an escape or romantic weekend- even corporate retreats.

There is an in property wine tasting room available for events.

The property sits adjacent to some of the best golfing in the country as well. And there nearby by area has many great restaurants and shopping, not to mention the incredible views of the Pacific Ocean

Definitely on my return list!!

Attended a wedding at this hotel. Nice venue and friendly staff. Lacks free parking. Sign that was posted indicated $25 self-parking. Luckily, valet for our event was hosted. Also, Goggle maps brought us to a closed side gate rather than the main entrance.

Super relaxing resort hotel with top notch service.

From the time I turned my vehicle over to the valet until I got to my room, the experience was exceptional. The gentleman that checked me in packed me full of opportunities to experience while on property, as well as just welcoming me into the Estancia Home for a couple of days. It was an amazing experience. He should give classes..........Sally

Gorgeous grounds - I've always felt like I was at a desert resort as soon as I step onto the grounds. Great place to plan a special event also - they have nice meeting rooms.

The hotel grounds are simply gorgeous. There's a hacienda garden theme throughout the extensive property. The land used to belong to horse corrals and they have kept those touches here and there, converting a horse trough to a garden water feature. I've never stayed here but have come to happy hour at Mustangs & Burros, one of the onsite restaurants. I also looked at the property as a potential wedding venue.

The location is next to UCSD and it seems pretty secluded when you go into the hotel. The room is very nice and roomy. Haven't walk around the whole area yet to explore. The spa was great! Massage was like how we like it. It wasn't hard were it hurts. The first time I tried the steam room in the men room is awesome. It had a eucalyptus spa, which made me felt great! Lounging by the pool was realaxing with the wifey.

Here for an event. Not bad.. But only valet parking

Great rooms, fantastic spa, staff is top notch. The beds are by far the most comfortable in all of La Jolla! When I come to this area this is the place I stay.

The hotel is nice. The beds comfy, but the walls are paper thin. U could hear anyone walking down the hallways and if they are talking , u hear it all. Terrible for us. We checked in on a Thursday and we didnt get much sleep that nite. People slamming doors and talking loud at 1 to 3 in the morning. We complained next day and they apologized, but nothing came of it. Next nite worse. They had a conference and a wedding which made it worse. Wont stay there again. Another two nites of loud people. The bar is nice and the bartenders were awesome. Thats it for that place. I will say that the shuttle drivers are both great and very accommodating.

This place was incredible; lots of dining choices on the hotel grounds and the entire place had beautiful landscaping. Spent the entire vacation just on the property!

My wife and I spent our first wedding night. The days before our arrival I got prompt responses to all my questions, by the hotel s staff.
In fact, during the check-in, the staff was very kind and professional. We got a very nice and quiet room, which faced the central yard....( the facility is beautiful). In addition, we got some extra attention by the hotel and its staff. Thank you so much for making our stay so pleasant.

Beautiful decor and location; food good, but not great.

For the restaurant called Mustan and Donkeys the best in front of the fireplace very romantic

Decent hotel, great location. Too eager to serve you champagne, too hesitant to provide you with quick resolutions. Stayed once, took us hours to get things sorted and to be in the room we reserved, among other delays.

Very clean. Great amenities. Room was very comfortable. Close walking distance to scripts institute and the Sanford Consortium. Overall, pleasant stay.

Nice facilities. Room didn't have a patio which was a bit disappointing. Pool area was very nice.

The Estancia Hotel outside bar is absolutely gorgeous. It's hard to find once in the hotel, but it's definitely a hidden gem. It's pricey (as expected) but service is great the food is magnificent, and the ambiance is very relaxed. It's a very SoCal experience (in a good way)

Save your $$$ and go somewhere else!!!

It may seem lovely from the outside, but I would call this place a Monet.... (looks great from far away, but get closer and it's really a mess!). It was not nearly nice enough for the cost. Old carpets in the room, the single chair on our "veranda" (which was really a porch) was disgusting, and they pile on extra fees like nobody's business. It was also really difficult to get in an out of the parking area, due a machine that didn't work. Then the knob on the shower broke when I tried to use it... and so on and so forth. Just a lot of $$$ spent and not much satisfaction.

From the free valet parking to the friendly service, this was an an amazing experience. We got a wine tasting and cheese plate that was generous and Arash, our bartender, was attentive and helpful. Will definitely return.

My husband surprised me with a staycation here over valentines weekend. It was quite beautiful! The spa was amazing and highly recommended. We also went for brunch and the buffet had a little bit of everything for everyone. They also had a Bloody Mary bar.

The hotel is fine but the spa is too expensive for what it is ... The bathtub was very small for a hotel that claims to be a "spa" and the pillows were very bad.

My company has used Estancia a number of times for management workshops, but I've only recently begun attending myself. The staff definitely take care of our group! A light breakfast of fruit, yogurt, granola bars, and pastries is provided and the self-service snacks are refreshed throughout the day (cookies, chips, olives, hummus, juices/sodas/sparkling water, fruit and veggies; there's a LOT). Our group was the only one having lunch, so we had plenty of room to spread out and enjoy the buffet which was quite plentiful with soup, two salads, five entrees (including two veg choices), and two desserts. The staff were awesome too. We barely noticed them as they quietly moved about restocking food and drink items and clearing away trash and dirty dishes. Everyone was smiley and helpful and even though we all left at once at the end of the day, the valet staff quickly got through all of the tickets to deliver our cars back to us. All in all, a pretty great experience and I can see why my company keeps coming back.

Beautiful grounds, excellent food, very friendly, helpful and professional employees

We did not get to stay here, but rather were here for a luncheon. The grounds are very inviting and well kept, lots of plants. The food was absolutely amazing as were the staff. I mean I cannot say enough about the food. It was soooooo good. I had the white fish, salad and cous cous and it was the best cooked fish I have ever had! If you want a really nice place to host an event in the San Diego are, this is it!

Location, location location. Right on the bluffs of Torrey Pines, expansive yet peaceful property. Convenient to UCSD, Scripps Research, the Salk Institute, etc.

Charming venue for a conference or meeting. Beautiful gardens and nice restaurant for a happy hour.

The spa service was excellent. The best hot stone massage I've had in years.

We were here for lunch/dinner. There wasn't anyone really there just a couple of couples. Service seemed exceptionally slow and my fiance's father didn't get half the meal he ordered. By the time everyone had finished ished their meal the other half showed up. He had the seabass and that's all they brought. Even getting the check and running it seemed to be over 25 mins.

This review is solely for the staff, business meeting rooms, and lunch. We had our Sales Kickoff here last week and I was impressed. The staff was friendly, courteous, and helpful. Restrooms were well-kept and clean and one business meeting room was structured like a college classroom--long rows of tables with comfortable chairs and ease of seeing the presenters on stage.

The chairs in the ballrooms were painful! No armrests and they weren't too stiff or rigid which made it tough to sit in for 3 hours. I wasn't impressed at all by those chairs.

We ate lunch two days in a row and the food was fresh and tasty. There was an option for salad, several different hot sides, and 3 types of protein each day. I've heard there's a winery on the grounds somewhere, but we didn't have time to explore that. I'd go back to check it out, though!

I stayed at the Estancia for a birthday weekend. When we checked in and asked about options at the pool, we were given conflicting and confusing information. When we arrived at the pool, we were given a package that was not communicated to us. We asked the pool & spa employees to clarify because we were confused. The girl helping us said she thought they had just thrown it in as a birthday surprise and told us not to worry. If we had known the actual details of the package then we would have used the spa passes and all the perks we paid for but we had no idea that was the case. When I went to pay the bill, I asked the manager to get in touch with us because we felt that the employees couldn't clarify and we were unjustly charged for services that we were not aware of. I never received a follow up from the hotel and they were quite dismissive. For a "high end" resort I expected a better level of service and follow up.

Resort is nice but filled with families and kids.

Noise carries room to room, but the food is good, great location by Blacks Beach.

Simply an incredible place to stay. Excellent staff willing to assist at all times. Highly recommended!

Hotel is great! Very quiet. Food is ok so far. Staff have been very nice and helpful.

Absolutely gorgeous place. Pretty much a wonderland

I'm extremely picky about hotels and this has been one of my favorites.

Beautiful hotel, incredible atmosphere, professional, friendly and very helpful staff

Lovely pool and hot tub but a bit isolated. The bar and dinner were quite good. The sandwich from the coffee shop was quite old, literally inedible. The hot tub is large and luxurious. The gym is a but small but well equipped.

Love this place. Stayed more times than I can count on both hands - always wonderful service and super clean, comfortable rooms.

We love photographing weddings at Estancia La Jolla! The grounds are beautiful! So much variety for us to use to provide our couples with ample options for their wedding photos. I love all of the textures. An extra bonus - it is dog friendly! The stairways are beautiful with their unique tile. I hope we have the opportunity to work here again in the future!

Five Star resort and spa. Expect $$$-$$$$

Great venue to have a wedding or business meeting!
Grounds are beautiful accommodation is very nice. Pool and pool area was relaxing - water temp. Was warm but nice. It s a saltwater pool.
Dined at the Cantina food was terrific!
Service throughout was prompt and very good.

Did not have an opportunity to take a spa. But will try to next time we visit.

Beautiful and serene hotel. Great location across the street from the college, about a ten minute drive to shopping or the beach. Service was very friendly and accommodating. There is a spa, fitness room and a lovely pool. There are two restaurants, a wine bar, and a poolside grill. We ate at both restaurants, which were fabulous. They give you a complimentary bottle of wine and bottles of water in your room. There is coffee and tea in the room as well as in the wine bar in the morning. There is also a coffee shop/snack bar next to the lobby. The grounds are truly amazing. It was a great experience all around!

Entering there was a person attending us and the valet was very friendly. I came for a work event and we were no longer in the room but everything went well. Everything clean and the place elegant.

Great place!! Comoany holiday party was here and we booked a room. The grounds are amazing and the service top notch!!

Lovely and friendly hotel with surf-out surf in right on the beach!

Absolutely gorgeous place that is maintained in perfect condition

Beautiful wedding venue for our friends wedding! Loved the decorations and the whole ambience. Would definitely love to stay next time!

This was my first visit, but I really want to return. The location is great, very close to everything you'll want to do in San Diego, but when you're there you feel like you're in a quiet secluded area. The staff is great, everyone is very friendly without being pushy or over the top. The rooms are comfortable clean, and spacious. After spending a few days here I can't come up with any complaints, and I definitely want to return.

So chill, so nice, great people and beautiful grounds.

Go here occasionally for the happy hours from 4 to 6 pm. Tacos are decent, but the nacho chips appetizer is the best. I recommend the pitcher of beer split amongst friends.

We had a wonderful experience at Estancia. We arrived for a few days R&R before a convention in downtown. The grounds and hotel are beautifully maintained. Service was world class and done with a smile. The restaurants and in room dining were excellent. The shuttle service to La Jolla was prompt and Larry was wonderful. The kids enjoyed learning about the area with him and looked forward to his drives. One of our favorite things was the lavender lemonade in the lobby! It's a must have!

Great decor and ambiance. Located near hiking trails. Staff is nice, and cleaning crews did a good job. Very pricey, to include the food options, it that's what you get in La Jolla

Beautiful resort but not my style, I was just there for a wedding. Good location and views, nice courtyard, big dining halls for wedding parties.

This place was nice enough but getting to the room the 1st time was a little confusing.

Very beautiful hotel and spa. The staff is wonderful. The room is very well kept and comfortable. Pool is great. Highly recommend for your next visit.

What a gorgeous property. Staff is friendly, helpful and very professional.

a wonderful place, either you are very rich or if somebody else is paying your bills! but very well maintained and courteous staff. I didn't use either their spa or any of their restaurants.

The property is lovely, and the styling of the hotel and surroundings into a traditional California homestead ranch feel is beautiful. The room was nice, and the extra cot was not terrible. Room service was prompt but did not get the order right and the burger was almost raw. Housekeeping was not answering the phone but a quick call to the front desk took care of the problem quickly. The staff are very friendly. The pool area was gorgeous and the ladies in the Spa store were friendly and helpful. Overall a good stay.

Beautiful grounds, comfortable rooms, helpful an professional staff, a little gem.

We stayed there for one night with the bed and breakfast package deal. The whole place was well kept including the grounds the room and the pool. They also have fun events for guests like outdoor movies by the pool with free popcorn and s'mores night. Breakfast was decent, nothing to ride home about. But it was convenient to eat 5 steps from our room and the garden view from the restaurant is lovely.

I was at the hotel for a wedding and everything was beautifully done. The ceremony and reception were smoothly done.

Elegant, clean and welcoming. Beautiful and relaxing place.

Hands-down THE BEST spa in La Jolla! So relaxing and de-stressing you are in another world and you walk out feeling like a $$million! I highly recommend Karen and Milissa for the pumpkin enzyme body treatment as well as pumpkin/mineral facial.

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.

Had business meetings here. Nice relaxed place. Don't pay valet if you have booked a meeting room.