After one week at the Golden Door in Escondido, I feel so rejuvenated, uplifted, relaxed and optimistic. My purpose for going was for behavior modification. A year after knee repl. surgery, I wanted to start eating right, get some exercise, and learn how to do this when you travel and eat out a lot. I feel like I have accomplished that. It was a great kick start.
The first day, they check you into your lovely room, give you a notebook with the activities listed, a journal, a tote bag and water bottle to keep. In your room (not to keep) are tee shirts, warm-up jackets, a terry robe and a dressier robe that some where to dinner. They launder what you use every day (even personal articles of clothing). The room has their Golden Door toiletries, so don't bring shampoo/conditioner/face or body cream. I did miss having a TV, but got used to that, too. In my room, there were sliding doors to the outside. Mine faced a waterfall and had a hummingbird feeder. It was so beautiful and tranquil.
The 2nd day you meet with a personal fitness trainer who helps you decide what you want to get out of the week and sets up a plan. She will meet you 3-4x a week to see how you are doing and make any changes needed.
Let's start with what's available - - every morning a choice between 3 hikes (1 1/2, 3 or 5 miles) around the beautiful grounds or up and down the mountain; 3 fitness classes per hour from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. ( I maybe went to one fitness class a day at home) You can do as many or as few as you want. Nobody watches what you do or cares if you just want to relax and do nothing. I did the 1 1/2 mile hike at 6:15, 7:30 breakfast in your room, 8:00 took stretch & tone class, 9:00 opted for water aerobics, 10:00 circuit training. 12:00 was my body treatment, which could be a wrap (had 1), sea salt scrub (1) or facial (4) that includes paraffin wax on hands and feet. 1:30 lunch by the pool. 2:00 started different classes or speakers. The gym equipment is top line, state-of-the-art. They also have a separate gym for pilates with wonderful equipment. Lots of yoga classes. I mostly took the afternoon off and relaxed by the pool and read a book. The full morning of exercise was plenty enough for me. Also, you have a massage in your room for 6 days in a row. Try to get 3 or 4:00 so you have time to shower before hor's d'oeuvres at 6:15 and dinner at 6:30.
The food was outstanding. At first you're really hungry because you're not used to portion control, but you do adapt and don't even miss the large plates by the end of the week. The last night (Saturday) they let us have wine with dinner (finally).
Had a wonderful cooking class in the kitchen with the chef. Met some incredibly interesting people and made friends that I think I will have for a long time to come.
For me, it was one of the best experiences of my life and I will be one of those who will return again. I drove, so when I was ready to leave, they give me a lunch to take with me and my car was washed and waiting for me at the gate.
Absolutely LOVED it! If it is affordable for you I would highly recommend you don't miss this experience.

I just spent a week at the Golden Door with my Mother and it was absolutely incredible. If you want to feel like a prince or a princess for the week and get your body into amazing shape then this is the place for you. I highly recommend it. By the end of the week you are feeling completely pampered and connected. We were very surprised to meet some incredibly interesting and unique people that were there the same week with us. It was magical on so many levels. It is a must do experience.

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.

Passing through the Golden Archways, was unique experience. The grounds are well tended and modest in that Zen way. Women walk around in spa issued kimono and "fans" that lay out their entire stay.

Food, even though extremely low calorie, was fantastic. The chef's, using fine herbs and fresh produce and fish, can transform half an egg and thin slice of wheat toast into a beautifully presented and yummy breakfast.

The rooms appear based on the less is more decor, simple and clean. Deocration: Zen. Soon, though, those rooms will need extensive remodeling to retain the simple luxury the spa aspires to. It shows its age in too many places.

While its hard to gain sympathy for someone receiving a daily massage (all guests do), but really, mine was assigned at 11am....right in the middle of the morning workouts. Not only did I miss some of the morning workouts, after my 11am massasge and 12 noon lunch, I sometimes was unable to gain energy to attend the afternoon workouts! Go ahead and plead to have your massage time changed.....but forget about it. Only special guests and those who return yearly get the coveted evening or late afternoon time slots. And that kind of sums up The Door. It has a clickish backbeat to it. Most guests come with their posses....friends, sisters, etc. and they stay with their own. I traveled alone, never been there before and knew not a single person. It was a bit lonely.

The trainers are excellent. But there's a lot of whispering and gossiping amoung them.

The gym is substandard....old equipment.

The hikes are breathtaking. Classes varies from fair to excellent. The schedule is packed, so really there's no excuse not to be working out, taking pilates, hiking or biking or swimming all day. Not possible to gain weight unless you are smuggling food!

This shouldn't be the type of resort you save up to one day go to. If so, you may be disappointed. But if dropping 7k a week barely dents your checkbook, then I think its worth it. Otherwise, "The Door" takes itself too seriously and the inflated price reflectss that.