I really went back and forth about visiting the Golden Door because it is so expensive, but I felt like I desperately needed a week for rest, relaxation and renewal so I bit the bullet and went for it.
There are so many things to comment on with the Golden Door. The facilities are definitely getting worn out. It almost feels like 10 or 20 years ago, The Golden Door was a state of the art facility that never updated itself. Everything, from the guest rooms, to the gym, to the bathhouse, to the staff, to the clientele, is showing its age. Many of the other guests were Golden Door regulars, visiting at least once or twice a year for the past decade. Most of the staff had been there at least 5 years, and some have been there as long as 30 or more. This isn't a bad thing, but it makes me wonder how new energy and change will be able to come in if it is the same crew running it for decades.
The rooms are big, simply furnished and a bit dark. They are comfortable enough to spend time in, but they are a far cry from a five star hotel. I requested a room near the pool area, and they easily obliged. All rooms are arranged in somewhat close proximity to the dining room. To walk from the exercise and pool area to the furthest out room would take under 5 minutes.
The food was great, nourishing, healthy and beautifully presented.
The variety of fitness classes was extraordinary. There is no way to avoid exercise at the Golden Door. It is irresistably easy to find something you like- yoga, pilates, spinning, dance, aerobics, strength training, swimming, you name it, they have it. Many of the instructors are also very knowledgeable and delightful to work with. They seem to have a thorough understanding of body mechanics and health.
The skin care treatments were mediocre. All treatments are 45 minutes long, so everything feels abbreviated and a little rushed.
The massage was above average, but again, 45 minutes long and not a moment longer. Unlike a previous poster, I had no trouble as a newcomer getting a late afternoon massage time.
If you add up everything that is included in your week at the Golden Door, it is a solid package. If you paid for all of these massages, classes, skin treatments and training sessions a la carte somewhere else, it would probably add up to more than you pay at the Golden Door.
The whole package at the Golden Door is definitely above average. Is it worth nearly $8,000? That's a stretch. But if you have the means to afford it, it is worth trying at least once.
- Golden Door Hotel Escondido
- Golden Door Escondido
