Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

The hotel was attractive, the rooms were nice (although there was only one cushionless chair on the verandah) and the gardens were beautiful. But oh dear - service and attention to detail were sadly missing. We should have realised when the town car we had ordered to pick us up at the airport texted to let us know he was picking us up - A MONTH EARLY. Other issues included: Finding reception unmanned. Being told on the phone by the concierge that car hire could easily be done at the hotel and finding he wasn't there for the first two days of our holiday and no-one else could do it. We did it ourselves without issue. Being woken at 6am with room service we didn't order and then being charged for same. Being told we couldn't have butter with a croissant at the coffee shop - and it not having coffee beans on one occasion. And the pool bar service was just woeful. The best was waiting an hour for a lunch and when we finally complained we were told the grill had broken and eventually being served without cutlery or napkins. There was the occasion they had no beer and no Evian water. These are just a sample. More Basil Fawlty than 4*.

What should have been a great weekend by the pool relaxing with my wife was instead a tooth grinding endurance test of screaming kids and lackluster staff. I suppose the people who work here are just as over the entitled, obnoxious and impolite guests as we were. Kids screaming in the hallways at all hours, and totally over running the pool as their dazed parents lay back and watch the mayhem. I guess a pool of (hopefully very chlorinated) water subs as a babysitter these days, but we were here to enjoy ourselves not watch their kids terrorize each other and all the hotel guests. Otherwise the rooms are adequate and it's a beautiful hotel and grounds. Shame we can't wait to leave.

My girlfriend and I live in the area and came here for a staycation because we liked the idea of something a little smaller and less well-known than resorts like the Omni La Costa or L'Auberge. The Estancia sits atop Torrey Pines bluff on a gorgeous piece of property, full of lush tropical greens, lawns and a very warm Spanish vibe. But after two days, we're wishing we had made another choice because the service we've received has been dramatically and disproportionately lower than the prices we're paying. First, the good: Do the spa! Best massage I've ever had. We got a hot stone couples massage on our first evening and it was the perfect way to begin the weekend. Take your time in the spa, enjoy the hot tubs, eucalyptus steam room and roaring outdoor fire. The rooms are very comfy and the bed is amazing. There's a little balcony facing the courtyard, which is great for letting in a breeze and some ambient noise. It's pet-friendly - we've seen loads of dogs on the property, which gives it an extra warm and friendly buzz. We rented a cabana at the pool and it made a huge difference in the day- plenty of shade, plus a table for eating lunch and a private refrigerator filled with water, coconut water, Soja beverages and homemade kombucha. Now the disappointing: Service - uniformly poor across the board. The spa called us at 4:10 to ask if we'd be showing up for our 4 o'clock massage. We had booked a couples massage for 5, which was reflected in our confirmation email from the spa. Turns out they had that on the books too. Small clerical error, but it proved to be a sign of things to come. Our first night we ate in the restaurant. We thought the guy filling our water was a bus boy, as he never greeted us. Then he finally said, "Are you ready to order?" It took a long time to get his attention for things, we had to flag another waiter down to get a spoon for the soup and ultimately we felt like a bother. The breakfast buffet is pretty run-of-the-mill. Nothing fancy, but nothing horrible either. Our package came with an $80 breakfast credit. When we asked the hostess and waiter how that worked, they weren't really sure - they *thought* it just came off of our bill at the end but they weren't sure if the credit was for the whole stay or per day (the waiter thought it was $80 per day). The service at the pool was a deal breaker. We ordered chips, a quesadilla and an iced tea. It took us almost TWO HOURS to get everything. We had to ask twice for the quesadilla and three times for the iced tea. Finally my girlfriend just got up and got the iced tea at the bar. Likewise, we asked for the check twice before finally having to go to the bar again to close out. I don't mind paying a premium for luxury accommodations but nearly every engagement we've had has involved some sort of service issue. We ended up canceling our reservation at the restaurant for the second night and got room service. Overall it's a beautiful property with some decadent amenities and a quaint, almost hidden location. Unfortunately, for the prices you pay, the service you get in return could well leaving you regretting your decision to pick the Estancia.

I stayed at the Estancia about 11 years ago and chose to stay here again for a conference. We had conference pricing, so I cannot comment on the regular room rates. The room was clean and mostly quiet. Unfortunately, motorcycles were racing down the street two nights, but that is what can happen anywhere. The staff at the hotel were very pleasant and accommodating and I enjoyed talking with them. It does look like the hotel could use a little face lift with regard to the carpet and minor other touches that have aged. I would recommend this place as a nice place to stay, if you can afford the regular room rates. I know the area is expensive, so this hotel is not really much more than comperable places in La Jolla.

My wife and I stayed in this hotel for three nights end of July - maybe because of ComicCon - the price was almost 500 USD per night for a standard room (if you include the unavoidable 25 USD/night for parking). So for this money if would expect some treat, but unfortunately we where quite disappointed: the room is quite standard and could use some upgrades, there is literally no view from the room, the pool area is quite small and full of drunk people. Very disappointing