Rancho Valencia Re-Opens Following $30 Million Property Transformation

SAN DIEGO, CA (November 2012) – On October 26, the award-winning Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa in San Diego’s upscale neighborhood of Ranch Santa Fe, officially re-opened its doors following a $30 million transformation. Offering 49 guest casitas, spanning 45 acres, this lush Mediterranean-inspired, all-suite property offers the finest accommodations, service and guest programming in Southern California.

“After years of thoughtful planning and 10 months of construction, we are thrilled to re-introduce the property to Rancho Valencia guests, both new and returning, and further elevate our status as the only Relais & Châteaux property in Southern California, and #1 resort in California,” said Simon Chen, Rancho Valencia General Manager. “In addition to stunning design enhancements throughout the property, we’ve also dramatically enhanced our spa, dining and fitness offerings to be among the best in the world. ”

Upon arrival, guests enter the San Diego resort’s private gates followed by a short drive to the clubhouse, exuding the newly designed reception lounge and courtyard, Sheridan boutique and new restaurant and bar, where resort staff welcomes each guest by name.

Rancho Valencia guests enjoy the all-inclusive nature of complimentary in-room amenities paired with highly personalized service with the resort’s 4 to 1 staff to guest ratio.  The resort’s 49 all-suite, guest rooms average 1,000 square feet – among the largest in the United States – now feature custom-made, lavish rustic furnishings, high-beam roofs, walk-in closets, spacious bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, expansive living spaces, fireplaces, intricate design pieces and private patios boasting private fireplaces and whirlpools. Special design enhancements were also made to the property’s 5,000-square-foot Hacienda. The estate-styled, private guest home features a new kitchen with modern appliances, three colorful bedrooms with private patios and steam showered bathrooms or large bathtubs, plush living spaces and a private backyard with pool, dining area and outdoor entertaining space.

Notable changes were also made to the resort’s new signature restaurant, Veladora and adjacent Pony Room bar. Veladora takes inspiration from Rancho Valencia’s hacienda-style, with Coastal Ranch cuisine that blends the area's locally grown vegetables with unique combinations of flavors pairing seafood, poultry and varieties of meats. Executive Chef Eric Bauer presents a selection of house-made extruded pastas prepared daily and paired with fresh and seasonal vegetables, seafood and meats. The Pony Room, led by Jayson Knack, Director of Restaurants and a Court of Masters Sommelier, offers high-end wines, spirits and hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind cocktail creations. Old-World furnishings, enlarged windows and al fresco dining around fireplaces and lantern lights set the mood for both indoor and outdoor dining and socializing hours.

Seeking to inspire resort guests, wellness was also a major initiative for the updates that were made to the resort. In addition to resurfacing all 18 on-property tennis courts, the Spa at Rancho Valencia and fitness center were expanded with a new line-up of fitness classes, spa treatments and wellness programs. The Spa offers a new list of services incorporating Amala, a high-end skin care and spa product line, which is exclusively available in Southern California at Rancho Valencia. The resort’s fitness center was further expanded with the addition of a 1,000-square-foot Yoga Pavilion that will host a number of Yoga sessions, fitness classes, exercise programs and retreats hosted by top-tier fitness and wellness professionals throughout the year.

Executive retreats, groups and meetings guests will now enjoy a variety of newly designed, multi-faceted event spaces that range from a 16-person state-of-the-art Board Room, to a 1,900-square-foot ballroom and 7,600-square-foot Croquet Lawn featuring panoramic Southern California views.

Overseeing the project are Rancho Valencia’s new ownership team consisting of The Jacobs Family, Jeff, Hal, Gary and Paul, longtime San Diegans and former high-tech Qualcomm executives; entrepreneur and co-founder of Fiji Water, Doug Carlson; and San Diego real estate developer and entrepreneur Jeffrey Essakow. Todd-Avery Lenahan of TAL Studio, who specializes in luxury, interior architecture and design for acclaimed hotels and resorts, spearheaded Rancho Valencia’s new design and worked closely with the resort’s original architect, Doug Mansfield, to ensure that Rancho Valencia’s distinct architectural style and charm was preserved; Veladora restaurant was designed by Mr. Important Design and Mansfield & Diarq created the guest room design.

Rates at Rancho Valencia start from $650, per night. For more information about Rancho Valencia, please visit https://www.RanchoValencia.com or call (800) 548-3664.

About Rancho Valencia
In October 2012, Rancho Valencia Resort & Spa reopened to guests after a 10-month, $30 million property-wide renovation. Since 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 sought 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 casitas with private patios, a three-bedroom Hacienda with a private pool and backyard, a world-class spa, fine dining restaurant and award-winning tennis program, as well as 12 residential villas. Rancho Valencia was recently ranked #7 of the Top 20 Resorts in Southern California by Condé Nast Traveler and #1 in all of SanDiego. In 2012, Rancho Valencia has also been recognized as the #7 resort in the country and #1 resort in California by U.S. News & World Report. In 2011, Rancho Valencia was listed among Condé Nast Traveler’s and Andrew Harper’s 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” from 2008-2012.  For more information, please visit www.ranchovalencia.com or call (800) 548-3664.