In June 2021 golfer Jon Rahm secured his first major career win – the U.S. Open Championship – at Torrey Pines Golf Course. No stranger to this La Jolla setting, it’s the site of this Spanish golfer’s first PGA win and a short walk from where he proposed to his wife while hiking in nearby Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve.
But beyond golf, it’s also the setting of the AAA Five Diamond Award-winning resort, The Lodge at Torrey Pines, a noted staple at the top of the San Diego area’s most affluent hotel scene. Bestowed the coveted AAA designation only six months after its 2003 debut, the bar that initially was set high is repeatedly met year after year.
Reminiscent of a cozy hunting lodge, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is defined by a surplus of beckoning appointments. At its entry is a trio of stained-glass doors depicting the resort’s eponymous Torrey pine tree in the predominant tones of greens, yellows and browns. Mere steps further into the hotel is a living room-style lobby, complete with a vaulted ceiling, comfy seating around the warmth of the fireplace and rocking chairs facing the Pacific Ocean and the renowned golfing links.
A departure from many Southern California resorts, defined by equal parts of glass and glam, this 170-room hotel has a residential feel. Designed in the 1900s California Arts and Crafts style of architects Charles and Henry Greene, the Lodge is a nostalgic combination of fine woods, octagonal glass lanterns, heirloom-quality Stickley-style furniture and Asian touches.
My guest room is a continuation of the craftsman-style artistry found in the Lodge’s public areas. Again, attention is paid to detail, from the delicate blue-glass, hand-painted desk lamp and the bed’s crisp white duvet embellished with the Torrey pinecone to artwork dedicated to landscapes replicating the environs. The marble and granite bathroom is furnished with a full line of custom formulated bath products – lemongrass and sage, rosemary and sage – inspired by the adjacent nature reserve’s 17 varietals of sage. A stay here promises signature pampering, but the best part is that these products are available for purchase in the hotel’s gift shop.
To fully enjoy the setting, request accommodations looking toward the sea. Our room, #321, overlooks Torrey Pines 18th hole on the South Course, the Pacific beyond and on days with low winds, the additional view of paragliders floating in the sky. The patio, furnished with two lounge chairs beneath the overhang and a couple of chairs flanking a table closer to the veranda’s edge, serves up a prime perch from which to wake up with the first cup of coffee or watch the sunset over a glass of wine.
Having comfortably acclimated to the Lodge’s Old World atmosphere, the décor of its Spa at Torrey Pines initially might be a bit jarring in the beginning because of its more modernistic style. However, it isn’t long before the soothing effects of its bespoke treatments transport guests to pure bliss. Among its long-time favorites are the Coastal Sage Salt Scrub, which takes advantage of the plant’s purifying and detoxifying properties, as well as its revered rituals – Ancient Oceans Ritual, Spirit to Soul Ritual and the Spa at Torrey Pines Signature Ritual.
The Lodge’s exclusively recognized dining venue is A.R. Valentien, a restaurant that takes its name from a 20th-century American botanical watercolorist whose works are exhibited throughout the restaurant. Open only for dinner service with music on Friday and Saturday evenings, the restaurant’s elegant timbered dining room is complemented by an outdoor terrace, complete with white tablecloth service and for cooler evenings, heaters and lap blankets if desired. Known for its seasonal menu and locally sourced foods, its offerings can vary but if available, consider the roasted duck or the caramelized sea scallops as was the suggestion of our ever-helpful and knowledgeable server, Manocher.
The more casual dining spot for breakfast, lunch and dinner is The Grill at Torrey Pines, which additionally features outdoor seating accompanied by fireplaces, fire pits and views of both the golf course’s putting green and the course itself. Known for its custom-built wood burning rotisserie, among its tasty selections are breakfast’s bacon, cheddar and scallion omelet, chimney smoked carnitas torta for lunch and crispy skin Scottish salmon at dinner.
As inviting as the hotel is, it would be a mistake not to explore beyond its interior. So, whether it’s participating in one of the resort’s morning yoga classes or joining the daily guided nature walk through the reserve, seize the setting.
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve is a local treasure – one that offers eight miles of hiking trails. The 2/3-mile Guy Fleming Trail is not difficult. It’s a relatively level and not lengthy loop, but its beauty is unparalleled. With ocean vistas, sandstone formations, wind-shapen trees, seasonal flowers and two prime time overlooks – it’s the favorite of many. The view of the coast from Del Mar to Carlsbad can be enjoyed from a wooden bench at the north lookout and just down the steps of the south overlook the view is La Jolla (to the south), San Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands (on a clear day), dolphins (almost any day) and gray whales (in season).
Then there’s the golf – 36 holes of pure “pro” fun. Choices include the North Course and South Course – sites of the 2008 and 2021 U.S. Opens and each year’s PGA Farmers Insurance Open. Options for guests include reserving a tee time (signing up as far in advance as possible is recommended) or booking the “Play Where the Pros Play” golf package (a minimum three-night weekday stay).
In the end, world-recognized golf, prime-time spa facilities and gourmet dining are all accouterments of an award-winning resort. True, it effortlessly ticks all the boxes sought by well-heeled travelers. But this hotel is more. In reality, The Lodge at Torrey Pines is classic-style California – a rustic, relaxed sphere of ambiance representative of an era before surfers and starlets.
