ESCAPE TO LUXURY
rancho valencia resort and spa by Andrea Berning
As you travel the meandering roads through the tony enclave of Rancho Santa Fe en route to Rancho Valencia, you realize you are on your way to something special. Rancho Valencia’s lush Mediterraneaninspired all-suite accommodations beckon the couple that desires a relaxing retreat while offering options for activity filled days. The resort has recently undergone a $30 million renovation updating the entire property to create the ideal atmosphere for a luxury wedding or honeymoon escape. For the couple seeking an opulent wedding celebration, Rancho Valencia presents an array of options suited for a small soirée or an extravagant event. The quintessential Rancho Valencia outdoor affair begins on their chic croquet lawn. Known for its spectacular sunset vistas, this spacious site is a canvas awaiting the artist’s paint. Rich dark wood, leather studded walls and wrought iron accents create a rustic warmth in the ballroom where dancing the night away is a must. Rancho Valencia also serves as a sweet spot for intimate parties. The Sunrise Terrace Patio flows beautifully out from a private dining room located in the ranch’s signature restaurant, Veladora. A bubbly fountain and exquisite Spanish tiles create a haciendastyle ambiance reflecting Rancho Santa Fe’s storied past. Here couples may exchange vows then welcome guests to celebrate the new chapter to their lives in elegant style. For a truly intimate wedding or shower, the Wine Cave sets the scene with candlelit charm. Regardless of your wedding day locale, Rancho Valencia provides brides with a centrally located bridal suite where the bride and her gal pals can primp and prepare in privacy. Wherever you choose to celebrate, your dining will most certainly be the finest. Executive Chef Eric Bauer masterfully crafts culinary dishes in farm to table fashion reaching out to Rancho Santa Fe’s Chino Farms to handpick seasonal fruits and vegetables to serve directly to his discerning guests. Locally sourced seafood, poultry and meats are a must for their distinguished menu. From the most delicate amusebouche to each elaborate entrée, every aspect of the meal is made in-house with the highest quality ingredients. Food must always be paired perfectly with a flawless beverage. Whether you’re seeking out a signature drink or a to-die-for wine, Rancho Valencia’s connoisseurs will guide you through the process with knowledge and expertise. Master sommelier, Jayson Knack works closely with Chef Bauer to locate and pair wines to take their sumptuous meals to even greater heights. While Pony Room bar manager Chris Simmons’s knowledge of spirits is surpassed only by his willingness to assist clients in creating the ultimate craft cocktail. Keeping a fit and active lifestyle is always on the “menu” at Rancho Valencia. Consistently ranked the #1 tennis resort by Tennis Magazine, their eighteen plexi-pave championship courts set within a magnificent garden setting will keep guests fit and entertained for the duration of their stay. With the recent renovation, Rancho Valencia has also expanded their state-of-the-art serenity yoga center to shape the resort as a destination for yoga, health and wellness. If a brisk trail walk is more your speed, then exploring the property’s 45 acres of luscious landscape is a certain win-win for your heart, health and soul. Your physical wish is the command to fitness director, Sean Piazza, who will cater a plan to meet your active needs. An active day is deserving of the complete spa treatment, and Rancho Valencia excels in revitalizing your sore muscles. One of the more popular items on the spa menu is The Sixth Sense Ritual treatment. It begins with a soothing bath to relax a tired body then transitions into a body and scalp massage finishing with a paraffin wax hand and foot treatment. Releasing all of the stress and tension of the day should culminate in partaking in one of their tasty juices while relaxing poolside. You and your guests will not want to leave after this! After having thoroughly celebrated your union, you and your guests will retire to your own elegantly appointed casita. Relax in your outdoor hot tub, have drinks on your veranda or sleep like an angel in the heavenly bed. However you define respite, it will come to fruition at Rancho Valencia. [ranchovalencia.com]
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