Last updated on April 24th, 2024 at 06:14 pm
Tucked away among the hills in north San Diego County sits an expansive, idyllic and newly renovated resort just calling your name. Harrah’s Resort Southern California, formerly known as Harrah’s Rincon, is a casino hotel located slightly off the beaten path but oh-so worth the drive. Here’s a Harrah’s Resort & Casino review from our recent stay.
Harrah’s Resort & Casino San Diego Review
When you think of a Las Vegas-style resort, of course the casino is among the first things to come to mind. But when I recently stayed at Harrah’s Resort Southern California on a girlfriend’s getaway weekend, we were amazed at how many other fun and downright decadent things there were to do. So I put together this review of the hotel to help you plan a great stay, too!
Along with a huge casino, the resort features 17 bars and restaurants, a full-service spa, several bars and lounges, live shows, and a fitness center. There are also a number of golf courses in the area with special rates for casino hotel guests as well.
Harrah’s SoCal markets itself as “Funner, CA” and even has a celebrity mayor. As they say on their website: Home to Harrah’s Resort SoCal, Funner is more than a place, it’s a state of mind. A little corny maybe, but we found it to be true!
Harrah’s SoCal Resort At-A-Glance
- 1,087 Rooms & Suites
- 17 Bars, Restaurants and Grab & Go Eateries
- 1,700 Slot Machines and 60 Table Games
- 2 Pools, 3 Hot Tubs and 15 Poolside Cabanas & Day Beds
- 400-Foot Lazy River
- Swim-up Bar
- Full-service Spa
- Fitness Center
- One-Mile Nature Trail
- First Tribal Owned Brewery
- Complimentary parking
- Pet-friendly resort
The Dive Pool
Think of the pool at Harrah’s SoCal as Las Vegas meets Palm Springs meets some amazing Caribbean oasis.
Harrah’s pool area, Dive, is the showpiece of this resort. Voted one of the “10 Best Resort Pools in America” by USA Today, it is easy to see why spending time at the pool at Harrah’s Casino SoCal will be the highlight of your trip.
Perks of the sprawling pool area include a swim-up bar, a 400-foot long lazy river, two waterfalls, three hot tubs, cabanas, fire pits, weekend activities and live DJ, and really yummy Mexican food and other munchies at the adjacent ‘ritas Cantina.
It was great to spend a Saturday just lounging by the pool with a few friends, sipping grown-up drinks (a mom rarity!) and getting a jump on my summer reading list.
One thing to note – if you are visiting with kids, they are only allowed in the lazy river. The main pool and swim up bar pool are both reserved for adults 21 and over.
If you’re feeling more lively than a good novel can satisfy, Harrah’s San Diego pool area is also the site of the Dive Dayclub, a Vegas-style pool scene with dance parties and adult swims on summer weekends. Along with Adult Swim Saturdays and jumbo screens playing football all day on Sundays, Dive has become quite a popular weekend getaway.
► Be sure to also check out these Amazing Palm Springs Resorts with Lazy Rivers.
Dining at Harrah’s San Diego Resort
Harrah’s Resort SoCal features a number of eateries, sure to satisfy every taste and budget! There is also room service available, and several bars and lounges.
The newest edition to Harrah’s Casino San Diego is Chef Gordon Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. Hell’s Kitchen was named the “Best Casino Restaurant in San Diego” by the San Diego chapter of the California Restaurant Association, a community of esteemed members of the restaurant industry. to date at Harrah’s Resort SoCal. In line with the legendary Hell’s Kitchen concept, the restaurant design and menu elements are inspired and executed by the long-running FOX culinary competition series of the same name. This new Harrah’s San Diego restaurant occupies the space where the hotel’s buffet used to be.
In addition to this new restaurant, the dining options in Funner, CA can please even the pickiest eaters. From the juiciest steaks, to mouth-watering burgers, to authentic Asian favorites — treat your taste buds to a trip around the world, minus the passport.
Fiore Steak & Seafood restaurant offers a fine dining menu with a wide selection of melt-in-your-mouth steaks and seafood. They also serve the best French onion soup and some amazing crab cakes.
Just need a quick bite? Fast food options include Earl of Sandwich, Smash Burger, and Starbucks. The Café is another casual dining option, with delicious culinary dishes served all day long.
Finally ’ritas Cantina serves delicious Mexican food, with seating indoors and outdoors at the pool. They also have a walk-up “food truck” window for food to go.
Here’s the full list of the eateries at Harrah’s Casino San Diego:
- Hell’s Kitchen
- Salt & Fin
- The Oyster Bar
- ‘ritas Cantina
- ‘ritas Cantina Taco Truck
- KJ Chinese Restaurant
- The Café
- Smashburger
- Earl of Sandwich
- Corked
- Rincon Reservation Road Brewery
- Spiked
- Starbucks
- Topgolf Bars
- ‘tinis
- Swim-up Bar
- Robeks Fresh Juices & Smoothies
Hotel Rooms
Harrah’s Resort SoCal offers numerous types of guest rooms and suites.
Room amenities include flat screen TVs, floor to ceiling windows, large tubs and separate walk-in showers, refrigerators and more.
In 2014, construction concluded on a $160 million dollar expansion that included a new 403-room hotel tower. Many of these new rooms feature balconies and expansive views.
We stayed in the new South Tower, in a suite that had a king bed, separate living room, sink and mini fridge, two TVs and two bathrooms. The bathtub was situated under a large picture window that afforded gorgeous views of the hillside.
Of course, the suite was a treat, but regular hotel rooms – while smaller – are just as lovely.
The Spa
The best is saved for last – both literally (it was our last stop before packing up to leave on Sunday) and for the sake of this review. The spa was pure heaven. The perfect way to wrap up a weekend with the girls. A great way to end on a high note before heading home.
My friend and I both had facials. The staff was amazing and friendly, and I not only enjoyed the experience but learned a little something about taking care of my skin. The ambience was just what you’d imagine a first-class spa to be. In short, we didn’t want to leave.
Harrah’s Resort Spa offers a full menu of spa services from massages to nail care. They have a nice shop, too.
A girlfriend’s getaway weekend is all about catching up and reconnecting with yourself and your friends. Harrah’s Resort San Diego lets you do just that.
Caesars Rewards Program
Harrah’s Southern California is part of Caesars Entertainment. You can sign up for Caesars Rewards and earn perks and privileges at Harrah’s Valley Center location, as well as many other Harrah’s resorts and casinos in Las Vegas and around the country.
Hotel Information & Reservations
Harrah’s Southern California is located just 30 minutes from downtown San Diego and 40 minutes from Coronado Island. How far is Harrah’s Casino San Diego from the beach? It is about 30 minutes from Oceanside, the nearest coastal town.
- Address: 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center
- Phone: (760) 751-3100
► Check rates and availability for Harrah’s Southern California
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