The Lodge at Torrey Pines Resort in the San Diego Area

We were fortunate enough to be visiting the beautiful town of LaJolla, just a short drive from lovely San Diego, California recently. After much research on accommodations, I chose the Lodge at Torrey Pines, a ten to fifteen minute drive from downtown La Jolla. I could not have been more pleased with my choice.

Driving along the lovely highway, viewing the beautiful homes perched on the hills, with tall pine trees all around, we came upon the beautiful Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course, and right next to it, the Lodge at Torrey Pines. From the moment we pulled into the driveway, admiring the Craftsman lodge style architecture of the property, I knew I had made the right choice.

Cheerfully greeted by a bellman dressed in a full Scottish uniform down to the kilts, the special service at this hotel became obvious. The total staff for our entire stay here was impeccable. Check-in took just a moment, as we were greeted by several staff members in the lobby .

The lobby was a masterful interpretation of classic Craftsman style architecture. There were high ceilings, lots of wood everywhere, and a roaring fire in the very rustic fireplace , with comfortable seating near the fireplace and all about the room.. Warm earth colors abounded. High windows looked out to a large terrace, all of which faced the famous Torrey Pines Golf Course. The furniture, artwork, and every accessory was true to the spirit of Craftsman decorating.

We were escorted to our very comfortable room. It was also decorated in the warm earth colors. The furniture was comfortable and very attractive, in the same style as the rest of the hotel. We had a king bed, plenty of storage, with a very generous-sized closet, a dresser, end tables, a desk and chair and a very comfortable chair and ottoman. There was also an upholstered bench at the foot of our bed.

We had a large balcony overlooking the courtyard, which was landscaped beautifully with native pine plantings. Unfortunately, there was some maintenance work, mostly pressure cleaning, going on in part of the courtyard, which took away from the pastoral view somewhat. There are also wonderful golf course views available, but we had decided not to opt for the additional upcharge.

The room had a beautiful bathroom, all looking recently renovated, with lots of marble and a separate WC, a nice touch, especially when we were rushing to get dressed in the morning or for dinner.

There was a room safe, hair dryer, and a minibar. The bath linens and the bed linens were all first-class, soft and fluffy. The hotel bath products were also great. The hotel provided turn-down service each night, and the evening housekeeper always left some goodie on my pillow each night. One night it was a brass bookmark with the hotel logo, which I use at home to remind me of our wonderful stay here.

The Lodge at Torrey Pines consists of one hundred and seventy five rooms and suites, a very large spa, which was very luxurious, although we did not have time to utilize it., a beautiful swimming pool with adjacent pool area, and gorgeous grounds throughout. Most of the property overlooks the world-famous Torrey Pines Golf course. The course overlooks the Pacific Ocean and provided majestic views.

Just down the road about a mile or two are the rugged cliffs of the Torrey Pines State Park, a peaceful nature preserve, with lots of trails available. The trails are marked to rate the degree of difficulty of each trail. The park overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

The hotel has two restaurants. The famous AR Valantin, named for a local artist of the last century, is a local La Jolla landmark, serving typical California cuisine. We found it quite pricey, so we only had breakfast there( it was included in our room rate), but it looked lovely. We had drinks in their lounge area.

We had breakfast in their other restaurant, which was more casual, as well. It was in a separate building next to the golf course, overlooking the greens. Breakfasts in both restaurants were outstanding.

I can't say enough about how wonderful the staff was at this hotel . They were always courteous, extremely friendly, always offering information, advice and a cheerful greeting both upon arrival and departure each day. We even got an e-mail when we returned home asking us if we would rate the hotel and its service to make sure everything was satisfactory.

We paid $399 per night, which included a full breakfast for both of us every morning, all taxes, both state and local, and even valet parking.
Considering the grand beauty of the property, the great location, and some of the best service we have ever received, I think it was well worth it. I recommend this hotel to anyone who will be visiting the La Jolla-San Diego area.