Truly the finest of San Diego Hotels travel tips and stories. Vacations ideas, cruises, spa and resorts

Near the chic beaches of La Jolla and Del Mar, this Spanish colonial-style complex stands in sixteen hectares of grounds set on the hillside, amongst the eucalyptus and orange trees, cacti and hibiscus. Set on 40 acres of lush landscaping amid the horse farms, citrus groves, and multi-million-dollar houses, Rancho Valencia is a year-round retreat from the conventional routines of every day life. It was named Number Two of the Top 75 North American Resorts by Conde Nast Traveler. San Diego International Airport is 24.4 miles away.

Rancho Valencia offers 49 luxurious suites with spacious windows and a lush garden patio. Inside the tiled roof bungalows, there are treasures of craftsmanship including hand-painted Mexican pottery and Berber rugs on the floors. Each suite features custom furnishings, cathedral ceilings, hand painted tiles, fireplaces and plantation shuttered windows leading to private garden patios shaded by an array of sweet-smelling flowers and trees. Each offers a spacious bathroom, fireplace, flat-screen cable TV, dressing room, DVD library, separate make-up vanity, and wet bar. Free Wi-Fi is available at the resort.

Rancho Valencia Resort has set the standard among Southern California Resorts for gracious hospitality and excellence in service. It offers an award-winning restaurant featuring California-French cuisine, a top-rated tennis program, spa services and playing privileges at four nearby golf courses. For a tiny resort it has remarkable breadth of dimensions, not only the tennis but a spacious outdoor swimming pool and Jacuzzi and a 10,000 sq ft full-service spa. Here, you can take a bath in a private garden and choose the formula to suit your mood: “tonic” with orange, tangerine and black pepper; “anti-stress”, with sandalwood and lavender; or “relaxing”, with basil, pine and lemon. Free use of bicycles, croquet equipment and bocce equipment is offered to all guests. A fitness center, 2 pools and yoga classes are also available. NOTE: Rancho Valencia will close in January 2012 to undergo a six-month, $20-million renovation. The tennis complex will remain open throughout the renovation, which will be complete by summer 2012.