When I asked the guest rep what there was to do nearby, he said, “Well, there’s a place where you can go and dig for rocks.” Those rocks are tourmaline, at a nearby gem mine. The downsides: The town of Pala, 15 miles north of Escondido, isn’t exactly a visitor magnet, and state Highway 76, which leads inland from the coast, can really jam up, but it’s being widened and realigned. In all, this was a good budget-friendly weekend getaway. The dizzying choice of dining options at fair prices includes 24-hour room service.

There’s a pleasant poolside cafe and bar (a nice escape from the hubbub of the casino) as well as a spa and 24-hour fitness center. Full-day rentals include poolside lunches with a $230 full-day package, two neck and shoulder massages are added. On weekends, cabana rentals cost $85 for half a day or $150 for a full day. The large pool, which has 12 cabanas with TVs and stocked refrigerators, wasn’t crowded. The grand suites are more than 1,000 square feet, with showers the size of small rooms, as well as powder rooms, wet bars and large living rooms. Guest rooms, which are showing some wear and tear (my carpet had a big stain and the furniture was scuffed) are scheduled to be updated in September and will include flat-screen TVs.ĭespite the tired look of my room, the 507-room resort was a real bargain. Changes to the lobby, including new furniture, flooring and art, were to be completed by July 4. The former Terrace Buffet, now called Choices, has been expanded, and two new restaurants have opened. It has been eight years since the casino opened, and six years since the debut of the hotel, hence the redo. (I made good use of the last, picking up a croissant at the casino bakery at night for my in-room breakfast with the complimentary newspaper.)Īlthough my “mountain view” room would be more accurately described as “rooftop and parking facility view” with mountains as backdrop, there was too much to see and do to spend time looking out the window.

So it was not an auspicious beginning, but my ninth-floor king-bed room - which I had booked for $119 on the resort’s website - was big and comfortable with an iron and board, safe, two telephones, desk with high-speed Internet, lounge chair and coffee maker.

Pala casino free room