Off the beaten trail the location disappointed me at first. But the seculsion combined with lots of recreationl activities couldn't have been better to re-connect with our teenagers. The room was clean and well decorated', the beds comfortable. Took a nice day trip to the town of Julian where we ate some of their famous apple pie and visit to the gold mine. The only drawback about this place is that the front desk closes early for checkout/use of recreation facillies and checkout of movies. No restaurants nearby. Barona casino nearby..

We stayed one week in a two bdrm. two bath condo. It was huge, and the sofa pulled out into a bed as well. Fully equipped timeshare property. It is a great value for the So. Cal. area. Very clean, well equipped kitchen, great for traveling with kids that are always hungry! Beautiful grounds and area, extremely quiet. Just stop in at Albertson's on Main St. to stock up on groceries, etc. then head up about 15 minutes to the place. If you like the hustle and bustle of the big city, this is not the place, but if you don't mind a pleasant drive of about 35 minutes all is at your fingertips! I enjoyed the city but was happy to trek up the hill and have a peaceful cup of coffee in the morning on the patio. Just be careful at night, after you leave the city lights it is very dark on the way back! If you are tired you must be careful, not really a hassle driving back if you think about it, in the city it is no big deal to drive 30/40 to attractions, hotels, beaches, other beach towns etc.

Daily maid service was a surprise, most timeshares are once or twice weekly only. Full size washer/dryer another plus when travelling with kids, and no ton of dirty laundry when you get home. Over all it was a very nice stay, all employees and helpful, it is very clean and the grounds are well maintained. It isn't the Ritz, but it works for families and relaxation. I would go back!

This older resort is very well maintained and the grounds are beautiful. The one bedroom one bathroom unit is large and ours was very clean. Full size washer and dryer for the in-room laundry. Floors creak so neighbours below may be disturbed. Yes, housekeeping comes in every single day! They want to ensure someone hasn't done something stupid that jeopardizes the property. The bed is extremely firm and sofa bed is no more comfortable. Internet: No in-room internet and the free lobby connection is only available from 8 AM to 8 PM when the lobby is open. We really hated not having the internet. We use internet to book tours, make restaurant reservations, check maps, distances, shopping hours, weather, etc. We also post holiday pictures and email family. My spouse is up early and likes to read the local news on the internet. Phone: Free local calls and each unit has its own phone number so no switchboard. The resort is only 40-50 minutes from San Diego, 30 minutes to Wild Animal Park, an hour to the coast but if you want to see everything, the narrow winding road in and out becomes VERY tiresome. Two casinos within 30 minutes of resort. I think this resort is better for people with families who want to sit by the pool and playground or people who golf. Otherwise, you are isolated by road, distance, time and NO internet.

My husband & I wanted to get away somewhere that is in the San Diego area but not necessarily in the hubbub of the beaches or city traffic. We looked for discounted hotels on Orbitz and stumbled across the site for San Diego Country Estates located east of the small city of Ramona and about 35 minutes from Julian. It is a "timeshare" type accommodation with a "home-like" room--actually more than a room with a combo kitchen/pantry/dining room/kitchen bar and a living room with an L-shaped entertainment center. The kitchen was better stocked than what was expected from the other reviews. With all the ammennities they provide, it was a great value especially if you enjoy privacy and keeping to yourself. The kitchen was stocked with basic pans to get by, if you're a gourmet, then you may want to bring your own fry pans.
We enjoyed the ability to hang out around the grounds and prepare our own meals. The hotel provided all types of recreation -- Foosball, Air Hockey, ping pong, billiards, board games, and even tennis equipment (if you needed it). We used the pool/jacuzzi and the tennis courts. The hot weather made using the tennis courts only good in the late afternoons. The city of Ramona is not too far from this site with some good casual restaurants and grocery stores. If you're into malls, you're out of luck in this town, but a highway leads to downtown San Diego if you have withdrawals of the big city.
The only negative thing against the hotel is the bathtub. The mold was pretty disgusting around the overflow, the tub handrail coupler, and the caulking used around the shower doors. That's really when your Clorox bathroom spray comes in handy.
For what is available to you and the value, it is worth it.