Highlights: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

•Breathtaking setting on 40 lush, flower-filled acres, 25 miles north of San Diego

•Intimate retreats in 47 Mediterranean-style rooms

•Romantic dining and international cuisine served at the Rancho Valencia Restaurant

•Privileges for hotel guests at four prestigious golf courses nearby

•Renowned tennis facility includes 18 courts set near magnificent scenery

•Full-service spa offers treatments, like Pacific seaweed wrap, influenced by nature

Amenities: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

• 49 rooms, all suites. Pets accepted, fee. Check-in 4 pm, check-out noon. High-speed Internet access. Restaurant, bar. Fitness room, fitness classes available, spa. Outdoor pool. Tennis. Business center.

General Impressions: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

Snuggled within a canyon on 40 acres bursting with lemon and orange trees and lush vegetation in Rancho Santa Fe, California, the Rancho Valencia Resort is an intimate Mediterranean-style hideaway with just 47 guest suites. While this seductive Spanish hacienda is only 25 miles from San Diego and five miles from the prestigious beach community of Del Mar, Rancho Valencia beckons world-weary travelers seeking a total escape. The city’s treasures may be nearby, but most guests want to hole up here, enjoying fine dining and activities in a flower-filled setting.

Rancho Valencia’s suites boast fireplaces and garden patios, and many have private jacuzzis, making this hotel a favorite of honeymooners and special occasion travelers. Rancho Valencia’s function spaces and amenities are also favored by smaller corporate groups, though the resort’s definitively relaxed attitude make it an unlikely fit for solo business travelers.

While it often seems that Cupid had a hand in designing this resort, Rancho Valencia also appeals to couples traveling with friends and single travelers who want to escape it all. Its adult-focused amenities and quiet serenity make it an unlikely fit for families traveling with young children, though the tennis, pool, and other activities would appeal to those traveling with ‘tweens and teenagers.

This resort is home to one of the country’s best tennis facilities, and guests are granted complimentary access to its 18 courts. Remember to pack a snappy white outfit to play croquet on the emerald-green lawn, or rent a bike for a spin around the property. Rancho Valencia also caters to golfers with access to four area clubs. The spa, opened in July 2006, and is the latest addition to Rancho Valencia’s calm, cool, and collected attitude. Fine dining at the Rancho Valencia Restaurant completes the well-rounded relaxing experience at this unique resort.

Should the mood strike you, there’s a whole world outside of Rancho Valencia, offering everything from San Diego’s culture and beaches to dining and shopping.

(+) Romantic Mediterranean-style hideaway with immaculate grounds appeals to adult travelers
(-) While packages are available for travelers with young children, the resort’s quiet atmosphere might not be the best fit

Guest Services: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

This intimate hideaway’s relaxed southern California spirit extends to its unobtrusive service, delivered by an amiable, young staff. This is not a resort for guests requiring a lot of hand holding, but this small-scale hotel does provide competent service.

I was pleased with my arrival, especially when the front desk clerk anticipated my needs for a rollaway bed without even asking. The small size of the hotel often means that several staff members pitch in to help in areas that aren’t their specialty -- during my stay the concierge seemed to be away, but the front desk clerk was able to assist me. Instead of shuttling me to a different desk or transferring by telephone to another department, I was impressed that several staff members took ownership of my needs despite it not falling under their job descriptions.

(+) Friendly and polite staff who work hard to meet needs
(-) Staff appearance and demeanor might seem overly casual to some guests

Guest Rooms: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

Rancho Valencia romances guests with 47 intimate Mediterranean-style guest suites. Sprinkled among the resort’s abundant gardens, the suites are incredibly warm and inviting, and feature wood-beamed ceilings, decorative ceramic tiles, fireplaces, and balconies or garden patios. The suites employ a muted, earth-tone palette punctuated by floral patterns to highlight, rather than distract from, the beautiful views from the windows. Tucked amid orange and lemon trees, the suites at Rancho Valencia have a rustic vibe, but many modern amenities, which include two televisions, CD players with a selection of CDs, and high-speed Internet access, catering to city slickers.

Decorated to resemble a Spanish hacienda, my room was extremely appealing. The spacious closets and bathroom had many thoughtful design elements, while the patio and fireplace were lovely touches. Management had graciously provided me with a fruit bowl, adding to the homey ambience of this private space. Another wonderful treat at Rancho Valencia is the fresh-squeezed orange juice delivered each morning along with the day’s papers. It made me want to stay in bed all day.

(+) Spacious Spanish hacienda-style rooms are romantic, relaxing retreats

Facilities & Activities: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

Rancho Valencia is well positioned for recreation and exploration. Its meticulously maintained property is home to a wide variety of athletic and restful pursuits. The tennis center, widely considered one of the finest in the country, has 18 hard courts set within magnificent greenery. The pro shop offers the latest equipment and both private and group lessons are available.

Golfers staying at Rancho Valencia are invited to book tee times at the area’s most prestigious courses. Adjacent to the resort, Rancho Santa Fe Farms is an expert-level course surrounded by estate homes. Del Mar Country Club, designed by Joseph Lee, is only a five-minute drive from the resort and has a scenic 6,900-yard course sculpted from the natural terrain. The Tom Fazio-designed Grand Del Mar appeals to players of all levels with its breathtaking beauty.

The resort’s fitness center, though unstaffed, has a good collection of fitness and weight equipment. Personal training is available by appointment, and private and group yoga classes, Pilates, and spin classes are also offered. Those guests who prefer to stay in shape while enjoying the great outdoors should take a ten-minute drive to Torrey Pines State Reserve, where resort-guided hiking 500 feet above sea level is a rewarding, and scenic, workout.

Rancho Valencia’s beautiful natural setting will inspire guests, as it has for the spa developers, who base their treatments on nature. The Pacific seaweed wrap, ocean and desert salt exfoliation, and cypress baths incorporate indigenous ingredients. Romance continues at the spa, opened in 2006, with four different couples’ treatments so guests can enjoy pampering time together.

Outside of the resort, the nearby towns of La Jolla and Del Mar are worth noting for their shopping, dining, and beaches, while farther afield, San Diego lures tourists with its famous landmarks and attractions.

(+) Ideal tennis and spa destination with appealing surrounding area

Dining & Lounge: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

There is only one restaurant at Rancho Valencia, but this charming French-country dining room with sensational food manages to entice and excite diners at each meal. The restaurant, is a cheery, light-filled space with a whitewashed beamed ceiling and well-placed fresh flowers.

The breakfast menu has a nice selection of healthy choices, such as muesli with fresh fruit, as well as more indulgent favorites, like eggs Benedict and Belgian waffles. Lunch items include sandwiches, salads, and entrées, including homemade pizzas and tuna tacos. While breakfast and lunch offer internationally influenced choices, such as huevos rancheros and curry chicken salad, evenings at the restaurant focus on California-Mediterranean cuisine. Goat-cheese crusted chicken, Colorado Lamb rib eye, and pan roasted Chilean sea bass are among the delectable creations from this talented kitchen.

The food is delicious and nicely presented. Breakfast in the dining room, with the roaring fireplace, was pleasant, but I especially enjoyed the morning I spent savoring breakfast on my patio. Since my room was so lovely, I ordered room service one evening too, and was delighted that the in-room dining offered later in the day was as excellent as inside the restaurant.

(+) Good food served in the charming dining room or in the privacy of guest suites

Business Services: Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa

Rancho Valencia has two meeting rooms and also offers several other indoor and outdoor spaces that can easily be converted for corporate groups or meetings. Guest rooms are fitted with high-speed Internet access, but there is no business center, and since it is 25 miles from San Diego in a resort community, it is not a logical choice for most business travelers.

(+) Nice destination for corporate groups or meetings
(-) Lack of business center and distance from city make it a more difficult fit for solo business travelers