Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa

We recently stayed at this hotel, and while it has some appealing features, the overall experience was frustrating due to poor service and lack of transparency. The Good: The hotel itself is visually appealing—modern, clean, and surrounded by spacious grounds that are pleasant to walk around. There’s a pool, a couple of onsite restaurants, and a small shop. We booked through the Chase Luxury Hotel & Resort Collection (part of the Chase Sapphire program), which included a few perks: breakfast for two (up to $60 total), a $100 hotel credit, potential room upgrade and early checkin/late checkout if available, and a welcome gift (which turned out to be two chocolates). The food at both the restaurant and through room service was decent—better than average overall. While the prices felt a bit steep (especially with hidden service charges tacked on), the quality and flavor were solid. It wasn’t anything groundbreaking, but definitely a step above typical hotel fare. The Frustrating: Room Service Fees: Watch out if you order room service. A 22% service charge is automatically added, plus an additional 5% fee on some food items. None of this was clearly disclosed upfront, which left a bad impression and made a simple order feel overpriced and sneaky. Parking Confusion & Surprise Fee: Upon arrival, we struggled to locate the parking lot. The map provided was unclear, and we ended up driving out to the main road. Eventually, we returned to the lobby, where the valet attendant asked if we were given a parking placard—something that hadn’t been mentioned at checkin. He acted mildly inconvenienced, saying he'd grab one from the front desk. Once we had it, we learned that the parking entrance was to the left before exiting the property—again, something that could have been mentioned earlier. Even worse, there was no mention of a parking fee on the hotel’s website when booking—something I checked carefully to avoid surprise charges. Yet when we checked out, we were hit with a $45 per night parking fee—even with the placard. This lack of transparency felt like a bait and switch. Pool Area: The pool was underwhelming. During the day, it was packed with partygoers, families, and guests eating full meals poolside. We waited until closer to sunset when it was quieter, but even then, the hot tub was tiny and overcrowded with a group having a small party. Restaurant Disaster: Greenfinch This was the most disappointing part of our stay. We arrived at Greenfinch for breakfast around 8:30 AM and were met with a confusing and disorganized scene. There was a line both inside and outside, even though the dining area was only about 20% occupied. The host told us the kitchen was running behind. I asked if we could at least sit down and start with a coffee, but he told us to go next door and buy it ourselves. We waited for over 30 minutes, watching visibly frustrated guests. A woman even asked why the restaurant was mostly empty if people had been waiting so long. One family with three kids gave up and left. Meanwhile, we saw others—some with children, some couples—walk up and get seated immediately. When I finally asked the host why new arrivals were being seated while we were still waiting, he suddenly said, “Oh, I can get you a table now.” At that point, it wasn’t about getting a table anymore—it was about how poorly the whole thing was handled. I asked to speak with a manager. She seemed confused and had no clear system for tracking or notifying guests when tables were ready. No apology, no explanation, no gesture of goodwill—not even complementary coffee. We eventually decided to stay and were seated. After we placed our order, a random staff member brought our food—he didn’t smile, make eye contact, or say a single word. It felt impersonal and robotic. The bright spot in the entire experience was our waitress, Karina. She was kind, attentive, and clearly experienced with kids. She placed our coffee at the far end of the table (away from our toddler’s reach) and later returned with a stuffed kitty that she had personally purchased from the shop next door. That small act completely changed the tone of our morning. Our daughter carried that little kitty around all day, and still plays with it at home. Karina was the only one who truly made us feel welcome. The rest of the staff seemed indifferent at best. A big thanks to her for salvaging what could’ve been a completely negative experience. Checkout & Final Thoughts: We had planned to check out after breakfast, but due to the delay at the restaurant, I had to text the front desk for a late checkout. Fortunately, they granted it without issue. In summary, this hotel has a nice setting and some upscale touches, but service and communication need serious improvement. Between the unexpected parking fees, the frustrating restaurant experience, and the lack of basic hospitality from staff, I can’t say I’d return. As the saying goes, “You get what you pay for”—but in this case, I paid for a premium stay and got the opposite.

The property is gorgeous and the staff is so friendly and helpful! Perfectly located in beautiful Torrey Pines. The resort was unpretentiously luxurious and many people had their dogs which added to our experience. The pool was so relaxing and beverages were delicious.

An awesome hotel and spa that provides all the ammenities you need. You will enjoy the entire time at the location and all it provides. We really enjoyed the hotel, 10/10. Hidden gem in La Jolla.

The service was great especially Karina! The facility was nice. Everyone was very nice. The clientele was peaceful. Andrea was also excellent. Stay here again the room service menu should be expanded, and the electronic tipping for valet does not work.

This is a beautiful resort. We were impressed from the moment we got here. Phil at Palma Bar was a great bartender and gave us good recommendations for things to do locally. Attentive staff all around!