Carlsbad, CaliforniaLa Costa
Omni La Costa Resort & Spa
Mission-style foothill resort
La Costa Carlsbad, California
Renovated
2024
Price
$$$
Rated for
Wellness Resort ClassicOutside the door
The house
Omni Hotels & ResortsMission-style foothill resort
White stucco archways span 400 foothill acres, running like a self-contained village devoted to championship golf, tennis, and warm-weather leisure.
“The classic Spanish mission–style property in the Carlsbad hills has 600 guest rooms, suites, and villas, and eight (yes, eight) pools, including an adults-only pool”
What it’s good at
Remarkable
A sprawling spa courtyard with Roman waterfall showers and a barefoot reflexology path.
Remarkable
Thirty-six championship golf holes and eight outdoor pools spread across rolling foothills.
What they say
Also in Condé Nast Traveler and AFAR.
What used to be a celebrity retreat in the ‘60s has morphed into an expansive Mission-style resort spread out across 400 hilly acres in Carlsbad.
Tucked away
A place apart: the property is the destination.
Batiquitos Lagoon sits just downhill in the coastal foothills, and Carlsbad's Pacific beaches are a short drive west.
1 of 4
The rooms
Rooms overlook the fairways or flowering courtyards, while suites add dual vanities and deep soaking tubs.
The pools
Bring a swimsuit.
The adults-only Edge pool looks across the fairways, and quieter courtyard basins hide among the palms.
The spa and gym
The 43,000-square-foot spa has Himalayan salt rooms and aromatherapy steam suites, and the athletic club overlooks the hills.
At the table
Bar Traza pours cocktails across a terrace overlooking the fairways, and Bob's Steak & Chop House serves prime cuts.
How it began
Developer Merv Adelson discovered the valley on horseback in 1963, opening forty hacienda cottages two years later.
Carlsbad
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The app
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Our shorthand
How we rate hotels.
The medals
Gold
Extremely rare. Sets the global standard.
Silver
Brilliant execution. And we’re picky.
Bronze
They did this well. You’ll notice.
Listed
A defining trait. Makes the hotel what it is.
The eight vibes
Design
Built around a vision. Even the door handles have a designer.
Luxe
Cared for at every turn. The bath is drawn before you ask.
Local
It could only be here. You wake up knowing where you are.
Social
Where the city goes out. The bar is full and the night is young.
Heritage
A building with a story. Once a palace, a monastery, a station.
Wellness
You leave feeling new. Rest, sweat, soak and sleep like a stone.
Classic
The city grew up with it. Same rituals, same regulars, same bar.
Resort
A world of its own. Something to do from breakfast to nightcap.
The scene
Lively
Where things happen: restaurants, shops, people.
Central
Well-located: walkable to some things, a short ride to more.
Quiet
Away from the crowds. Getting around takes intention.
Secluded
A place apart: the property is the destination.