Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa Announces $20 Million Renovation and Property Refresh

RANCHO SANTA FE, CA (February 2012) – In January, the award-winning Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in North County San Diego’s upscale neighborhood of Ranch Santa Fe, temporarily closed its doors to begin a six-month, $20 million renovation. Among the property’s 45 acres of lush landscaping and Mediterranean-styled architecture, the renowned retreat —Southern California’s only Relais Châteaux property —will undergo a renovation that will include remodeled guest suites and major enhancements to the restaurant, spa, fitness center and meeting spaces. The project is slated for completion in summer 2012, just in time for San Diego’s famous Del Mar racing season.

“Rancho Valencia’s location sets itself apart from other properties with its privacy, yet proximity to an array of shopping, dining and coastal attractions that San Diego offers,” said Simon Chen, Rancho Valencia General Manager. “Our accommodations are some of the largest in the United States and guests enjoy the all-inclusive nature of our in-room services, including complimentary Internet access, courtesy in-room snacks and beverages, plus daily orange juice and newspaper delivery. Our team delivers the highest level of personalized service, paired with the resort’s exceptional amenities and culinary offerings. This renovation will elevate the overall Rancho Valencia experience, and the new look and feel of the property will be unlike any other resort in San Diego."

The major focus of the transformation will take place throughout the resort’s 49 all-suite, guest rooms. The current guest rooms average 1,000 square feet and include custom furnishing, high-beam roofs, walk-in closets, spacious bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, living spaces, fireplaces and private patios. Updates will include a new color palette of browns and blues, accented by rustic furnishings, romantic lighting and plush seating. Also undergoing significant changes is Rancho Valencia’s 5,000-square-foot Hacienda. The signature cottage-styled guest home will receive a $1 million redesign and updates to the three bedrooms, baths and living spaces, as well as enhancements to the private backyard pool and entertainment areas.

“With the renovation underway, we’re looking forward to updating Rancho Valencia’s signature style while keeping true to its time-honored reputation as a leading Southern California hideaway,” said Jeff Jacobs, part-owner of Rancho Valencia. “It is our goal to ensure that the new look of the resort matches the high level of personalized service our guests receive and reconfirms our place as San Diego’s premier destination resort and luxury retreat.”

Notable changes will also be made to the former restaurant and dining room, and a new cantina-inspired bar area will be added adjacent to the dining area. The new restaurant will take inspiration from Rancho Valencia’s Mediterranean-style with a new name, menu concept and completely redesigned indoor and al fresco dining areas. The bar will welcome hotel guests and locals alike with a variety of high-end wines, spirits, hand-crafted cocktails and small bites. Old-World furnishings, enlarged windows and fireplaces will welcome guests for breakfast, lunch and dinner as well as happy hour and special events.

Updates to Rancho Valencia’s multi-faceted meeting and event spaces will include the addition of a 1,000-square-foot meeting room and a remodeled and expanded ballroom that will offer 1,900 square feet of indoor and outdoor space. Setting the stage for top-tier weddings and corporate meetings, the Boardroom, Sunrise Room and La Sala spaces will also receive refreshed Spanish-influenced design features and state-of-the-art audio visual equipment for meetings and receptions.

Wellness is a major initiative for the updates being made to the resort, the award-winning Spa at Rancho Valencia and fitness center will also undergo an expansion and programming changes. The Spa will launch a new treatment menu and list of services surrounding the addition of Amala, a high-end skin care and spa product line, which will exclusively be available in Southern California at Rancho Valencia. The fitness center will be further expanded with the addition of a new Yoga Pavilion that will host a number of Yoga sessions, Pilates classes, exercise programs, retreats and events hosted by top-tier fitness and wellness professionals.

Overseeing the project are Rancho Valencia’s new ownership team consisting of Jeff and Hal Jacobs, longtime San Diegans and former high-tech executives; entrepreneur and co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Fiji Water, Doug Carlson, and San Diego real estate developer and entrepreneur Jeffrey Essakow. Spearheading the design is Todd-Avery Lenaha of ABA Design Studio, specializing in interior architecture and design for luxury hotels and resorts. Collaborating closely with one of Rancho Valencia’s original architects, Doug Masnfield, Avery and the resort’s ownership team will ensure Rancho Valencia’s distinct architectural style and charm is preserved.

For more information about Rancho Valencia, visit www.RanchoValencia.com or call (800) 548-3664.

About Rancho Valencia
Since its opening in 1989, the award-winning Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa—Southern California’s only Relais Châteaux property— has garnered a reputation as one of Southern California’s most sough after luxury resorts. Spanning 45 lush acres of gardens, trails, olive groves, casitas and more, this Mediterranean inspired, all-suite property offers the finest accommodations, service and programming that San Diego has to offer. Among the property’s offerings are 49 luxuriously appointed guest villas with private terraces, a world-class spa, fine dining restaurant and award-winning tennis program. Rancho Valencia was recently ranked as the #7 resort in the country and #1 resort in California by U.S. News & World Report and won a 2012 Silver Sage Spa Award from Spa Magazine. In 2011, Rancho Valencia was listed among Conde Nast Travelers and Andrew Harpers Hideaways,  “World’s Best Resorts” lists, in addition to being named one of Travel + Leisure’s “Best 500 Hotels” and Tennis Magazine’s “#1 U.S. Tennis Resort” in 2010.