Rancho Bernardo Inn

I stayed at this hotel for two nights during a short business trip. The location was quite central and convenient, close to a few restaurants and public transport. The room was small but clean, with a comfortable bed and basic amenities like a kettle and a small fridge. The bathroom was functional, although the water pressure in the shower could have been better. Breakfast was included, offering a typical buffet with eggs, toast, some fruit, and coffee. Nothing extraordinary, but decent value for the price.

Another fantastic experience at RBI! We’ve stayed there many times and, without exception, have received excellent service at this historic and charming resort. We only spent two nights there this trip to San Diego, but we had a wonderful time. The rooms are spacious, clean, comfortable, and well-equipped. The grounds are magnificent, and sitting on our patio at dusk gave us a taste of Tuscany. I love the golf course and try to play it every time we visit. As members of Pinehurst CC in North Carolina, I don’t say this lightly, but I could play RBI daily if given the choice. It’s very well-maintained and easy to walk, which I do every time. I can’t wait for our next visit in December!

Pros: The old trees and gardens are lovely. Nice fountains. The Veranda: excellent, if pricey, hotel restaurant. Cons: Location: the hotel is in a suburban residential community. It’s not really close to anything. Rooms: ours had a garden entrance, which meant there were no windows. The room itself was very dark, unless you are willing to sacrifice privacy for natural light. The beds were comfortable, but the rest of the furniture was a bit worn and dated. The bathroom door looked homemade. Buildings: apparently, the owners found 10,000 gallons of beige paint on the cheap, because everything - walls, trim, brick, railings, - everything was slathered with the same color. It had the effect of making the buildings look like poorly maintained apartments. Many suffer from deferred repairs. The Golf Course: much of the available parking during the day is taken up by patrons using the course. If you’re a golfing guest, you might benefit. If not, it’s a pain. Parking: expect to pay 40 a night to self park, 48 for valet. Service: mixed. Restaurant and bar staff were great. The hotel pools were chronically short of towels and on more than one occasion, I had to go ask for them at reception. Despite promises to handle it, they never arrived (or if they did, housekeeping would only bring a few). I once asked housekeeping directly for a refresh, got an eye roll, and was told ‘Five minutes.’ Ok, I get it. Having worked in service myself, I empathize. She deals with annoying and entitled guests all day every day. Despite my best efforts to be polite and respectful, I guess I qualified. Overall, a property overpriced and past its prime. We come to the area regularly to visit family, but I doubt very much we’ll be back.