The Inn at Rancho Santa Fe

This historic hotel in located in one of the most affluential areas in the country. Up a winding road, amongst multi million dollar estate the Inn pops up. Almost 100 years old but tough to tell. The grounds are very well maintained and the rooms are very clean but quaint. There is history exuding from this hotel. There is a feel of growth and extensions that were added at different times. If you are looking for serene and quite this is the perfect place. By nine the rooms are filled with their guests as most of the hotel, and bars, are closed. The food at the pool comes from the restaurant and is very flavorful. The menu is not lengthy but there is a variety that can fulfill a few day stay. Seems like events are easily had here and the staff is nothing less than accommodating at every request. All in all, great place to relax and dine with a spouse. Not the best place if you are looking for excitement and night life.

As SPG members we booked on a four nights get the 5th night free program. This property recently went in to the SPG program in May. I would have given it 5 starts with the exception of the following: we were upgraded from a Premier Suite to a cottage room. While normally an upgrade would be nothing to complain about this is a unique case. Most of the rooms and cottages have been remodeled and some are in the process. We phoned both the local line and the central reservations to ensure our suite was remodeled based on previous reviews. Upon arrival we were upgraded to the Lillian Rice historic cottage which was charming and quaint, but not what we had in mind. The hotel offered to move us the next day but we declined as it was too much of a bother. As this is such a unique property I would ask that guests be asked if they would prefer an upgrade if it is to one of the historic rooms. Secondly, we had to ask for fresh towels every day for the second bathroom. Perhaps they assumed we only needed one set. As one bathroom had a tub and one a shower we each utilized our preference. Now for the pluses....the property itself is gorgeous in terms of its landscaping and layout. It reminds me of Silverado in Napa. It is very much a unique and one of a kind getaway and in no way like the big box hotels. We our world travelers and have lived overseas and can attest this is a special property. The employees here are outstanding. We interacted with Jenny at the front desk, Saeid at the pool bar, countless housekeeping folks, engineering, valet and restaurant. They were all "johnny on the spot", extremely accommodating, friendly and engaging. If we had a request they responded immediately. The food at the hotel restaurant was delicious and we have no complaints. I would only ask that they examine adding more of a variety to their lunch and dinner menu. I have read several complaints about the pool being too busy for its size. I imagine this could happen with large wedding parties. We visited on Monday and Tuesday and it was completely deserted. There was a wedding over the weekend but it did not affect us as we were pretty isolated in the cottages. Additionally, the staff did inform us when the wedding would be held and where on the grounds so that we were adequately warned. We had a truly lovely stay and will indeed be back next year.

My wife and I stayed at the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe for two nights on our wedding night, as well as the following evening. Overall, our stay was atrocious, and extremely disappointing for the amount of money we spent for the following reasons: 1. We showed up around midnight on Saturday night after our wedding. However, nobody was at the reception desk for nearly 30 minutes so we could not check in. We had to hunt around the lobby and nearby buildings for nearly half an hour until we found an employee who could check us in chatting to other guests and staff members. 2. Our room was gross considering the amount of money we spent. It was very dark with no natural light, the A/C and heater unit not work properly, the hot water was patchy throughout our stay, and the carpet was dirty and stained. 3. The pool area is far too small. We wanted to lay out and enjoy the pool on Saturday, but all of the poolside chairs and cabanas were occupied even though there were probably only 15-20 people at the pool. We stayed there for a few hours hoping one would open but, but they did not so we eventually left. The staff service, room quality, and overall stay was extremely disappointing, especially considering the money we spent and the fact we were celebrating such a special occasion. We will not be returning to the Inn at Rancho Santa Fe, and I certainly do not recommend it.

WE were in the area for a wedding. Home base was the Inn. Beautiful, quiet, very clean and staff were both attentive, friendly and courtesy. Tom in the bar late at night always had suggestions for the finest bourbons and whisky's. Breakfast was wonderful with the greatest skillet French toast. Literally looking down the street at the town so a mere 1 to 2 city blocks you can get to a couple of wonderful restaurants and a small coffee shop. Loved our stay.

We stayed here the weekend of our wedding (although did not hold the wedding here) and could not have been happier! Everyone we met was exceptionally lovely. Especially Tom, the bartender at the Huntsman; Claire at the spa, who helped me chose an in-room bath experience; and David, who brought the in-room bath tray as well as out room service. There were lots of other lovely folks whose names I don't remember, but they contributed to our perfect experience. We were upgraded to a HUGE suite. That felt really special and was especially nice when we were getting ready for the wedding. The bathtub was a life-saver the next day. The grounds are beautiful and we felt so relaxed during what could have been a stressful time. There isn't an awful lot going on in Rancho Santa Fe proper, so I wouldn't recommend coming here if you want to be in the middle of the action.