Follow your sense of whimsy into San Diego’s secret garden getaway.

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa is an independent AAA Four Diamond boutique resort of 210 guest rooms and suites, set on 10 acres of botanical gardens planted with more than 600 trees and 75 plant species. The hacienda-style architecture, with terra cotta brick, adobe fireplaces and wrought-iron detailing, dates from 2004, when the resort was built on the site of Blackhorse Farm, a 1940s equestrian property on the Torrey Pines mesa. A $26 million renovation completed in February 2024 refreshed every guest room, the lobby, the pool area and the ballrooms. U.S. News & World Report ranked it the #1 Best La Jolla Hotel for 2025.

The resort is at 9700 N. Torrey Pines Road, in the Torrey Pines area of La Jolla and directly across the street from the UC San Diego campus, with the biotech corridor, Scripps Research and the Salk Institute on the same mesa. San Diego International Airport is about 15 miles away, roughly 22 minutes by car. Torrey Pines State Reserve, La Jolla Shores, downtown La Jolla and University Town Center are each a short drive. Valet parking is $57 a night, self-parking $47.

No. Estancia sits inland on the Torrey Pines mesa and is built as a garden resort rather than a waterfront one. Every guest room opens onto a private balcony or patio with garden views, and the grounds are the point: 10 acres of quiet courtyards, fountains and winding paths, an apiary and chef’s garden, a butterfly sanctuary, a self-guided botanical tour and outdoor sculpture through the gardens. The coast is a short drive, and Del Mar North Beach is under nine miles away. If a room with an ocean view is the priority, Estancia is not the right fit, and it is better to know that before booking.

Five places to eat and drink. Mustangs & Burros is the signature restaurant and opens daily at 4:00pm. Greenfinch Restaurant & Bar serves breakfast and lunch from an open-air balcony over the Garden Courtyard. The Palma Bar & Grill is poolside and opens daily at 11:00am. The Trading Post Café & Bar is the lobby bar and grab-and-go café. The Remedy Lounge pours alcohol-free botanical elixirs. The heated saltwater pool and whirlpool run 5:00am to 11:00pm with cabanas from 11:00am to 5:00pm, and Spa Estancia and the fitness center complete the grounds. Dining reservations: 858-964-6537.

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa is an independent resort. It is owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, a publicly traded lodging real estate investment trust that acquired the property in December 2021, and managed by Noble House Hotels & Resorts, a family-owned company running about 30 independent hotels, resorts and marinas across North America. Every Noble House property keeps its own name and management team; there is no chain flag and no brand-wide loyalty program. Estancia is a member of Curator Hotel & Resorts and is bookable through American Express Fine Hotels & Resorts, the Capital One Premier Collection and Travel Leaders Select. AAA member rates are available.

Estancia La Jolla opened in 2004 on the site of Blackhorse Farm and completed a $26 million renovation in February 2024. It is an independent, AAA Four Diamond, hacienda-style boutique resort of 210 guest rooms and suites at 9700 N. Torrey Pines Road in La Jolla, California, set on 10 acres of botanical gardens directly across from the UC San Diego campus.

• Rooms: 152 kings, 47 doubles and 11 suites, each with a private balcony or patio and garden views; accessible rooms available
• Setting: 10 acres, more than 600 trees and 75 plant species, inland on the Torrey Pines mesa, with no ocean views
• Spa: Spa Estancia, 7,000 square feet, nine treatment rooms, named Best Spa by San Diego Magazine in 2025
• Dining: five venues, including The Remedy Lounge, an alcohol-free botanical wellness bar
• Meetings and events: 47,000 square feet across 16 indoor rooms and 6 outdoor venues
• Getting here: San Diego International Airport 15 miles, about 22 minutes; valet $57 a night, self-parking $47
• Rates: daily destination fee $51 plus taxes; check-in 4:00pm, check-out 11:00am
• Recognition: U.S. News #1 Best La Jolla Hotel and #10 Best San Diego Hotel 2025; Forbes Travel Guide Recommended 2025; Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice #11 Top Hotel in Southern California 2024
• Ownership: owned by Pebblebrook Hotel Trust, managed by Noble House Hotels & Resorts, member of Curator Hotel & Resorts