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Award-winning Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa - Southern California's only Relais & Châteaux property - is a sanctuary of good living tucked away on 45 acres of lush gardens and olive groves. This Mediterranean-inspired, all-suite property features a Forbes 5 Star spa, tennis facilities, two pools, two restaurants and more.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
HOTEL STYLE
Quiet
Family
Location
5921 Valencia Circle, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92067
Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
4.7 reviews
Getting there
Car recommended
Places to stay are graded on a 0-100 scale. The higher the grade, the easier it is for travellers to find restaurants and things to do within walking distance.
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Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa garners praise for its luxurious amenities, with travelers often mentioning the serene pools, relaxing spa, and a variety of fitness and dining options. The service is generally applauded for being attentive, yet some guests perceive inconsistencies. The rooms receive accolades for their comfort and privacy, complemented by a commitment to cleanliness that extends throughout the resort.
While the atmosphere is described as inviting and opulent, a few guests detect a pretentious air. However, issues with billing and value have left some visitors discontented.
Atmosphere
Luxurious
Rooms
Comfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Meticulous
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
World-class
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My husband and I just returned from a four night astay and had another amazing stay at Rancho Valencia. The service is impeccable. The concierge team is top notch and so very welcoming and always ready to take care of any issue or questions that we had. We loved our room with spacious terrace that included a Jacuzzi. We always looked forward to waking up to fresh orange juice and NY Times delivered every morning and our snacks replenished daily. The housekeeping team was SO thorough-- they noticed my husband enjoyed the m&m's from the snack tray each day, so they made sure there were two m&M packs for him to enjoy the next day! They wrapped his phone wires up by the bed with a RV wire tie and also left a RV sunglass cleaner cloth by the sunglasses that was on the counter. I have never seen this level of detail. The amount of fitness/yoga classes that we can pick from are beyond plentiful. Before we travel out to Rancho Valencia, we print out the four calendars of classes and create each day of classes and send our request to the concierge. We also make changes to it and it always works out that we are able to have a great workout schedule each morning. Each class was challenging and the instructors are fantastic. It is so very evident that they LOVE working at Rancho Valencia. My husband and I took spinning and TRX classes on the tennis court, Yoga, Sculpt, and HITT classes in the beautiful Yoga pavilion, Pilates (yes, they have 5 reformer machines) in their Pilates room, stretched in their beautiful gym and we always ended the day with the sauna/cold/hot plunge. After enjoying our morning fitness and yoga classes, we then spend the remainder of the day at the spa pool....such a peaceful relaxing area to unwind. The saltwater pool was refreshing. Each meal we ordered at the spa pool was delicious. I was very impressed that we had our water glasses refilled every time it went slightly below the 50% mark. We can not wait to return in September for another 5 days. Thank you Rancho Valencia for such a relaxing, fitness filled five days!
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Writing this review 2 hours after leaving RV after a fantastic 3 night stay (babymoon getaway):
Overall: Rancho Valencia is easily in our top 3 vacations. Rooms, Spa, Staff, and Food are all top tier and worth the price to stay. We are already planning on when we’ll be back and maybe join the spa membership. Worth every dime to go here and we will be back as soon as possible!
Rooms: Organized in pods of 2 around the resort with excellent spacing that provides the best feeling of privacy. We originally were set to stay in the Olive Grove suite and were kindly offered an option to upgrade when checking in. Worked out perfectly! Bell man had our luggage placed in our room once it was ready and were greeted with wine and some pregnancy items that my wife loved! RV is very meticulous down to the small details that really won us over. Rooms are extremely clean, comfortable, and really get you into the feeling you’re on vacation.
Spa: Put it this way. I would join my wife every day just to hang out by the pool, enjoy a great lunch, and have a few drinks. Spa has a wide range of services for everyone. Deep Tissue massage did not disappoint! Shout out to the Rein crew (Morgan, Cheryne, and Ana!) who were incredible.
Rancho Valencia Staff: Most professional and kind people we’ve met at a resort. From when we first arrived, daily meals in our room, turn down service, gardener, etc. It was the staff that took a good resort and made it great.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Rancho Valencia is the perfect getaway. We truly felt very welcome and the room was beautiful and roomy and very clean and stocked very well with complimentary snacks and a wide assortment of drinks and Nespresso coffee and tea. The service was impeccable and the food in The Pony Room was very delicious! The spa was heaven and I had one of the best massages ever Can’t wait to return again!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: July 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
It is regrettable that I must share a negative experience about Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa. On August 15, 2024, my partner and I treated ourselves to a day at the resort. Starting with a relaxing couples massage at the spa, we celebrated our anniversary and the upcoming arrival of our first child. Despite facing challenges with the pregnancy, we chose to unwind and enjoy a break from our daily routine.
Following the massage, we hit the fitness center for a good workout. Opting for brunch on the lovely patio at the Pony Room, we savored delicious meals. Celebrating with Forest Marie champagne, we received heartwarming news during brunch - our baby boy was healthy. This positive turn of events made our day even brighter.
Spending most of the day by the pool, we indulged in wine, a fruit platter, and delightful food and drinks. Later, we dined at the Pony Room, where Chris, our server, impressed us with his charm. The local broccolini and roasted baby carrots were delicious, and we relished the Wagyu Bolognese and baked focaccia. It was a truly delightful evening overall.
The negative review overshadowing our experience at Rancho Valencia spa resort is due to their lack of ownership and unwillingness to resolve the issue. I left my toiletry bag in the men's locker room and realized it the next morning. Diego, the on-call manager, was kind and helpful, confirming my bag was found with all belongings, including my cologne. However, when I returned to pick it up, the cologne was missing. Despite efforts from the front desk and manager Casandra, Diego could not be reached. I had to leave for work, leaving my contact information for them to inform me once the cologne was located.
The follow-up call today, August 21st around 11 AM, was from Cassandra. She informed me that they were unable to locate my cologne even after speaking to Diego, the on-call manager I had previously spoken to. He mentioned to Cassandra that my cologne was left in my bag. Cassandra apologized and mentioned that they couldn't take any action regarding my missing cologne and that they hope it would “show up.” I expressed my dissatisfaction with this response, as the management team had assured me over the phone that they had my belongings under their possession and would secure them. She acknowledged my frustration but explained that missing items were not uncommon, as non-employees also had access. She also mentioned that she spoke to Lauren Williams, their Spa Director, and she mentioned it was my responsibility when I visit their property to secure my belongings. This lack of accountability and honesty has marred my entire experience at Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa. The disregard for my missing property within their care is truly disappointing, especially for a resort of such high standards. Spending over $800 on two massages and not seeing any effort to improve the experience is truly disheartening and disappointing.
We have decided to cancel our babymoon getaway at the resort for two nights.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Other at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Responded Aug 26, 2024
Greetings, Pedro- We are delighted to hear that you had such an enjoyable experience leading up to the forgotten bag and lost cologne. While our team makes every effort to recover and secure lost and found items for our guests, we cannot ensure the complete recovery of left items due to the fact that it was accessible to the public in the men's locker room before being recovered by our staff. We always encourage our guests to secure their items, and while are sorry for the loss of your cologne, we were relieved to find and return your toiletry bag to you. We hope you will reconsider and return to Rancho Valencia soon! Sincerely, Kate Woods Marketing Director
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My husband and I stayed in The Valencia Suite and it did not disappoint! We appreciated every thoughtful detail including the handwritten note and celebratory champagne and strawberries congratulating us on our wedding anniversary. The room had every comfort we could imagine and we really enjoyed the indoor and outdoor fireplaces and private spa. It was the romantic get-away we were hoping for and more! Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa has the most attentive staff and best amenities, including The Pony Room restaurant (I recommend eggs benedict w/ lobster for breakfast!). Highly recommend!!
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Other at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Responded Feb 7, 2025
Dear Amy - Happy Anniversary again, and we are so pleased to hear you had such a memorable stay. We thank you so much for your kind words, and we look forward to welcoming you back very soon. Perhaps your anniversary this November! Thank you, Kate Woods Director or Marketing and Communications Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa
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Sadly, an experience of otherwise perfect hospitality and service was marred by the same unsavory experience reported by Skyking CT in February 2022. After check out we were emailed a folio invoice charging $78.92 for a “Bar Lunch” dated for the day we checked out at around 10:30! Calling the property elicited the information that the charge was not for lunch, but for breakfast. Reminding the concierge that a breakfast allowance was included in the prepaid room rate garnered the response -“yes, I will immediately issue a credit.” Asking the question why it had been charged as lunch and not as breakfast and not credited under the terms of our booking resulted in no explanation. It is strange that two similar experiences are reported resulting either out of poor management practices or whatever! Otherwise, we had a delightful stay in room 111 which turned out to be an ADA compliant room with the most amazing shower - one could have held a party in it. The room was clean, the bed most comfortable, towel supply was overboard, the amenity tray was well supplied with goodly sized containers, the turn down service lit the gas fire, the refrigerator was amply stocked with complimentary snacks and beverages, and the morning freshly squeezed orange juice was a delightful eye opener. All the staff, especially the gate guard who provided a personalized welcome, were professionally friendly and eager to please, especially Guila in the Pony Room and Tyler the onboarding bellman. In food and beverage the food was well prepared from apparently the freshest of ingredients, perfectly cooked and artfully presented. The portions were huge, so much so that the serving of house made, corned beef hash at breakfast would have reasonably served three. A premium property with premium amenities and service that sadly we had not visited since the most recent stay 34 years ago. We will not wait so long to return!
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Date of stay: May 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Other at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Responded Jul 20, 2022
Dear 22club58, Thank you for your review of your recent stay at our property. I am so pleased to see that you had a wonderful stay overall! I am afraid a small computer timing glitch is behind you feeling let down by the breakfast credit not being immediately applied. It is certainly not our intention to prevent your proper credits from being given when provided with a package. The timing issue of how breakfast and lunch are reported in the system has now been rectified and should prevent this from happening in the future. We do hope you will return again very soon and experience the wonderful Spa, Pony Room and relaxing Casitas and grounds! Best wishes, Laura McIver General Manager
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We stayed at Rancho Valencia in July and we had a wonderful time! Don’t look any further this place is a DREAM. The property is absolutely stunning and pristine, the service was impeccable, they are beyond dog friendly, my fur friend was dialed in with all the amenities in our room and they have a special dog menu at their restaurant. (Sophie my franchise had a bed for her at dinner,so spoiled). We dined on property both nights and we thought the food was delicious and lots of options to choose from. We really enjoyed playing tennis at the club their facilities is really clean and super organized. The rooms are all very large suites we had a full living room, very large bathroom, shower & tub and a gorgeous courtyard. I can’t forget how incredible our experience was with their brand new state of the art spa & pool. This is by far the most luxurious property in North San Diego and they go the extra mile to make you feel special & spoiled. I can’t wait to go back! If you get a chance to stay at Rancho you will not be disappointed.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I recently had a disappointing experience at a spa resort. Despite being a regular customer, I noticed that they prioritize their members and do not treat everyone equally. I have been enjoying their pedicure service followed by lunch at the pool, as suggested by the staff. However, when I wanted to treat my daughter and her boyfriend to the same experience, they were denied access to the pool for lunch because they were not members or had not spent a certain amount on services.
When I spoke to the manager about the confusion and my disappointment, she did not listen to me properly and kept interrupting. This showed a lack of active listening skills on her part.
In my opinion, it is important for businesses to treat all customers equally, regardless of membership status or age. It is disappointing to see a lack of consistency in their customer service. As a result, I have decided not to return to this spa resort. I hope they take this feedback into consideration and make improvements for the benefit of all customers. It is clear now to me that their rules are misleading on their website and inconsistent with what they verbally communicate in person. What is truly sad is to see status or age make any difference in how someone is treated.
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Date of stay: May 2024
Value
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My husband and I live in San Diego and wanted to do a four night staycation somewhere within an easy driving distance. After seeing the accolades on RV from several of my fav travel magazines we decided to give it a go.
It’s a beautiful property but for over $4300 for just the room alone for 4 nights I can chalk this one up to a miss unfortunately.
We are frequent 5 star resort travelers but are fairly un-picky when it comes to small details but the misses here were too much for even us to ignore.
We are in a beautiful Olive Grove Suite which is a spacious room but very poorly maintained. There were spiderwebs all over the furniture and plumes of dust coming off the bedding when we laid down onto it as if it wasn’t freshly made.
Enter.... the ants. Upon trying to use our patio spa tub we were confronted with thousands (this is not an exaggeration) of ants. If you stood or sat still for more than a few seconds you were covered. We let them know and they came to spray which left thousands of dead ants then washing into the hot tub which was quite a feat to skim out which would be fine if the skimmer provided didn’t break the second I took it off the wall rack. Which meant hand skimming the hot tub with the head of it only 5-6 times a day. The spray deterred the ants for 12-16 hours after which they were back in droves. The rest of the patio was covered in stained cushions and too many spider webs and bugs to really sit anywhere.
Next and most aggravating... there is one restaurant open on property due to covid guidelines. We tried for days to get in, and finally got one 9:00 pm reservation on a Friday. We were offered either 4:00 pm or 9:00 pm on two nights here and then told flat out there was nothing available on the third night. Our first night we made and canceled a 5:30 pm reservation because it was just too early to eat and inconvenient and boy was that a mistake because it was our only real shot at eating anything but room services for every single meal for 4.5 days on property.
The same went for massages. We took very odd massage times (6:30 pm for example) in the outdoor tents at spa casitas (children screaming next door were complimentary) because there was virtually nothing open.
It is completely unacceptable in my mind to pay this much for a 5 star resort and not have a concierge proactively call you at time of booking and let you know you need to book everything far in advance of your stay or you won’t even be able to have more than one of your eleven meals eaten outside of room service.
Everyone is doing the best they can during covid and we feel the resort did a wonderful job at taking precautions... but the simple touches that make a five star resort and the basic upkeep of the accommodations just weren’t there for us.
I was hoping to plan more couples getaways here or look at memberships since we only live 30 minutes away but I think after we checkout tomorrow we probably won’t return.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Other at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Responded Sep 30, 2020
Dear travelfromthecoast, We are so incredibly sorry to hear about your experience. I would greatly appreciate the opportunity to speak with you further regarding these shortcomings during your stay. Would you please provide me with your phone number or email so that I may connect with you directly? Most Sincerely, Coni Thornburg General Manager Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
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We visited Rancho Valencia to celebrate our friends’ 26th wedding anniversary and arranged with the reception team, specifically Calvin, to cover the meal as a surprise. Unfortunately, the restaurant team was not informed, and a bill was presented to our friends, who ended up paying for their own dinner.
I had to leave the table to resolve the issue, which took 15 minutes and disrupted the evening. Despite assurances that the charge would be reversed and a goodwill offer to remove the champagne cost, neither was handled properly. I had to follow up multiple times, only to receive conflicting information and inconsistent billing.
For a luxury property, this lack of communication and accountability was disappointing. What should have been a memorable evening became a frustrating ordeal. Sadly, I cannot recommend Rancho Valencia based on this experience.
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Review collected in partnership with this hotel
Date of stay: November 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Rancho Valencia Resort and Spa, Other at Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa
Responded Feb 7, 2025
Update: We were able to resolve the issue directly with the guest, and sincerely apologized for the series of missteps that led to her disappointment. This is not the standard of service we are known for, and took the necessary steps with staff training and communication to ensure that these mistakes do not happen to another. We look forward to welcoming her back soon!
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Rancho Santa Fe, California1 contribution1 helpful vote
Hello doxiesrule,
Typically our off-season runs from Labor Day to the middle of July, with some blackout dates over holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and so on). We do have multiple promotions running nearly all other dates in that time frame, from 3rd or 4th Night Free, Advanced Purchase, Bed & Breakfast, and more.
You are always welcome to contact our Reservations team for more details at (858) 759-6240.
We hope to have you soon for a relaxing vacation!
Sincerely,
Coni Thornburg
General Manager
Greetings Rohini J! Thank you for considering us. Pricing depends on a variety of factors. When you have a moment, our sales team would be delighted to assist you. You can absolutely touch base with Mark Phillips, Director of Leisure Sales, as mentioned above at 858.759.6221. Thank you Explorer031 for the recommendation! Rohini J, we look forward to hearing from you.
There are more places to choose from in the Rancho Santa Fe area.
PRICE RANGE
C$1,522 - C$2,251 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
rancho valencia, an auberge hotel rancho santa fe, rancho valencia santa fe
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaRancho Santa Fe
NUMBER OF ROOMS
49
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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Yes, it offers wheelchair access, reduced mobility rooms, and facilities for disabled guests. For specific enquiries, we recommend calling ahead to confirm.
