The Leisurist Weekend Guide: Rancho Valencia, San Diego

If I had to pick one hotel in San Diego where I could happily spend an entire weekend without leaving the property, it would be Rancho Valencia.

There are only 49 casita suites and a handful of private residences, which means it never feels crowded or busy. The casitas are huge, incredibly cozy, and each has its own fireplace and private patio.

The property is spread across 45 acres, filled with gardens, palm trees, and little paths that make you want to wander around with a coffee in hand and nowhere to be.

But what keeps me coming back are the little things.

I've stayed there both with and without my kids, and somehow both experiences feel completely thought out. Yes, there's fresh-squeezed orange juice waiting outside your door every morning, but that's just the start. There's always a bottle of wine waiting in the room, usually a sweet treat too, and from the moment you arrive everything just feels easy.

When we brought the kids, they each got to pick out a Jellycat stuffed animal, which immediately made them feel like VIPs. At one point they even delivered giant warm cookies to the room. The family pool area has a huge covered hangout space with an Xbox, arcade games, ping pong, foosball, books, toys, and pretty much everything needed to keep kids entertained for hours. They even had robes and slippers in kids' sizes waiting in the room.

The spa is easily one of my favorites in Southern California. Between the steam room, sauna, cold plunge, spa pool, and one of the best hotel gyms I've come across, it's very easy to lose an entire day there. The yoga pavilion is also, in my opinion, the prettiest place to practice yoga in San Diego, and the resort offers a full schedule of fitness classes ranging from Pilates and TRX to restorative and outdoor classes.

The racquet sports program is also a huge draw. Rancho Valencia has been known for its tennis program for years, and the facilities are impressive even if you're just there for fun. Between the tennis, pickleball, and padel courts, there's always something going on. Lessons are available, equipment is included, and it's one of those places that makes you want to play even if you didn't arrive planning to.

And then there's The Pony Room, which is one of my favorite restaurants in San Diego. The food is always fresh, the cocktails are great, and it's the kind of place where one drink somehow turns into staying for another hour.

But what I love most about Rancho Valencia is that it's so easy to settle into the rhythm of being there. Morning coffee on the patio. Fresh-squeezed orange juice at the door. A yoga class. A few hours at the spa. Lunch by the pool. Dinner at The Pony Room. Repeat.

Some hotels are about doing more. Rancho Valencia is one of the few places that makes you want to do less.

And honestly, that's kind of the point.

Planning a stay? Learn more about Rancho Valencia here https://ranchovalencia.com