I would like to add to the post just listed (Dawnsdelite) about the Christmas family gathering last week. As mentioned we gather in odd numbered years. Altogether we had 7-8 separate suites rented for the affair. We were all very impressed with the helpfulness of the staff both at check in and during our visit. They all seemed to go out of their way to make our respective stays pleasant. There are altogether 5 of us aunts and uncles who gather with our adult children and a flock of grandchildren, nieces and nephews. Probably around 50 people in all. They were very understanding and co operative when items bowls, knives, pot & pans were brought from respective suites to cook meals and then put back into our suites but not properly or equally making two of one pan but none of another.

We gathered nightly for games as well. The decision was made to try to book one whole building next time we gather. One central room suite could be used for gathering and meals and the remaining 7 for living quarters. The hallways in the buildings are wide enough so that tables can possibly be set up for a big 40 - 50 person sit down meal or we could just use one of the suites for that purpose. Christmas day is traditionally prime rib with all the fixings. If the younger members of the family get too loud there would also be only family members to disturb rather than other vacationing guests. We did get a complaint about the noise level one evening and felt badly about interfering with someone's enjoyment of these excellent facilities. Perhaps if we had the whole building this could have been avoided.

Additionally, my wife loved the birds, bunnies, wild turkeys and other wild life around the resort. The rooms were better than beautiful and stocked with all that would be needed; only supplies need be brought. We had a 2 bdrm suite both rooms and the living room each had flat screen TV's. Housekeeping did an excellent job of maintaining the rooms each day giving us the option of either cleaning up or just taking fresh towels.

Yes it was an out of the way location but most resorts in mountains and wilderness are not in the suburbs (smiles) and some sacrifices are required when choosing to gather in such an area.. All in all the decision was made that a great time was had by all. Up until this point we had gathered @ my brothers home but stayed at nearby hotels because there were too many of us. This was our first attempt to pull this off @ a resort and quite frankly with only a few minor glitches it went very well. I would recommend this resort to any and all looking for a place to just kick back & relax and or gather for an extended family event. Additionally, the price makes this location a particularly good value.

Our family (around 40) meets on odd years for Christmas and this year we moved it from my brothers house to SD Country Estates. I am the main coordinator and worked closely with Therese on the rooms and Joyce on renting the rotunda for our meals. Both of these ladies went above and beyond for our group. I cannot say enough about how pleasant and professional they were and as a result our Christmas event while still fraught with problems came off.



Our 2 bedroom condos were amazing especially when you consider that they cost less than what two hotel rooms would have. The furniture and amenities were on the new side and the rooms themselves very clean. Most important were the beds were so comfortable I had no trouble sleeping.



The Ramona area is beautiful...yes, out of the way and it's a pain having to drive 15 minutes each time you need something from the store, but oh my how beautiful the stars at night. The resort itself offers so much to do I will definitely consider coming back again to enjoy it. If I were to be visiting the San Diego area for an extended amount of time I would like this place to be my home base even though it takes about 30 minutes to get out of it. The tennis courts and club area are another added plus.



Our first night we had dinner at The Grill which is located at the golf course area. The food was very good and the service even better. Our server (Stephanie) remembered more than a few of our names by the end of the meal and stayed calm and collected even though she alone was serving our very large group.



Our next 2 nights we had our meals at the rotunda which is located at the Equestrian Center. It was a nice spot for our meals as the kids could run around without us worrying about them. It fit us all comfortably and they let us bring in a Christmas tree which we decorated Christmas Eve. I will say that we'll do things differently next time as it was way to hard having to drive back and forth each time you remembered something you forgot food, pot or utensil wise.



In recap: Whether you are planning a family reunion, a family vacation, or a quiet get away for yourself I would highly recommend SD Country Estates.

When we initially checked into our 1 bedroom "condo" it was a bottom floor and it had NO view and was down below a hill... it was dark and cave-like... I was extremely disappointed. I called the front desk and they told me it was all they had. I said that was unacceptable. They offered us a 2 bdrm for $50 more per night. There were only 2 of us... this was more than we needed and we did not want to pay and additional $100 when all we wanted was a room with a little sunlight and a bit of a view. (Mind you, I ASKED the gal at the counter when we check in and she said it would be fine... it wasn't.)

We told them we were going to leave to get something to eat and would be back... we gave them our cell numbers and said to call if they found something. While we were eating (at the Oaks Grill), they called. They found a 1 bdrm on the 2nd (top) floor, with a view! We were DELIGHTED!
This room was light and bright... it felt like we were in a tree house. The places are decently decorated, clean and comfortable. They get 2 thumbs up for solving our problem!!!

There are a ZILLION tennis courts (only a couple lighted) so if tennis is your think you will be delighted!
There is no restaurant on property.
The pool is small but clean.
The clubhouse has a LOT of activities.
(Kind of out of the way to have to check in to club house to get a key to go to pool and then trudge back up the stairs to return the key at the end.)
I called about horseback riding, they never called me back. They only had 1 hour rides - with helmets. We were MUCH happier with our horseback ride up in Julian!

We would stay at this place again if we knew we could get a great 2nd story room with a view!

Words cannot describe San Diego Country Estates. We were throughly impressed with everything during our stay. I have to admit when you're driving to the Estate you tend to wonder if you have driven off the correct path. But once you get there, it is well worth the drive time. Our room was spacious and furnished with everything you could possibly need; right down to a ipod charger for our teenagers. Each bedroom was like a total suite. The website pictures of the pool and tennis courts does not do it justice. We would totally recommend staying here.