Pala Mesa Resort

Went to a wedding scheduled on Saturday. Arrived a couple days early to relax and enjoy a highly rated resort. What a shocker… Got room keys and went directly to the room. Upon arrival noticed room smelled a little funky. Figured it was just my wife’s imagination. No way !!! Checked the «refrigerator» and it was running but very warm. Called the front desk and was told «it’s not a refrigerator», it’s just a «cooler». Now folks… why advertise that «refrigerator» when you know it isn’t. Furniture was all beat up and looked like furniture 20 years old should look. Went to turn on the a/​C but it would not heat or cool. Porcelain shower had cracks in four places. For the $ 150 a nite fees you would kinda think they could fix or upgrade this place. Grounds were nice, but inside the rooms were a MAJOR disappointment. I would highly recommend NOT staying here. Ate in the restaurant in the clubhouse. Service was poor at brst. Maybe just need to be trained over again. All in all after all the complaints, the food is really good there

All of the staff were super friendly and attentive. Only stayed one night but very much enjoyed it. Some of the reviews say that the rooms are run down but other than the bed covers the room I thought was great and even had a balcony. Would definitely stay again.

I had my wedding here August 30^th, 2015. I loved it! These people were so kind and amazing! They helped me out with so much and they have a military discount. The package gave me a wedding planner and everything! Let me to you, I planned this in 5 MONTHS! These people are amazing and my wedding was perfect!

Absolute Sh$t Hole, Stayed here this last weekend for a wedding. 1÷23÷16. Pitiful, disgusting rooms, dirty old and outdated. Bed was filthy and pillows were hard as a rock. I was frightened of the bed covering it looked so dirty. We ordered coffee in the morning and it tasted so bad i had to drive 20 minutes to get starbucks. Tasted like dirty water. Easily the top 3 worst places I have ever stayed in my life. Toilet leaked all night, I called at 2:00PM and he said he would have an engineer come soon, her never did. Do not stay here unless you like staying at motels 6’s from the 60s. Stay the F%3k away, you have been warned

Totally sucks. Golf. Rooms. Price. Won’t EVER play or stay here EVER. Stayed here with an Under Par golf promotion.
First – the course sucks. Fairways in terrible condition. Greens slick and unfair. And we made tee times three months ahead for TWO THREESOMES. When we arrived they put us out as a foursome and made one couple play with another twosome. Way way uncool.
The bar – service friendly but you have to flag them down. Prices UNBELIEVABLY high. Scotch on rocks? $ 13. La Crema Chardonnay? $ 13. Really? Out in the sticks? The food was good but… When a bill for 6 is over $ 300 for drinks and bar food.
But the best was yet to come. Our room had connecting doors on BOTH sides. Really loud a’hole guys on one side. Loud all night long. When they weren’t yelling they were singing the old rugged cross. Way way uncool. Sounded like batchelor party on SUNDAY NIGHT. They were unbelievable.
Also – you can hear the 15 from almost every spot on the course, as well as the rooms.
This place sucks. Don’t stay here. Don’t play here.

My daughter HS her wedding at Pala Mesa last night. Cara the wedding planner was amazing and made everything so perfect for my daughter. Luciana who worked with us to book the wedding was so amazing to help us find the most cost effective way for us to celebrate my daughter’s special day. The venue was spectacular and the reception was so perfect. I would highly recommend Pala Mesa for a wedding.

DO NOT STAY HERE. Terrible customer service from the front desk, Victoria and her dumb bleached blond cohort make sure to let you know that your complaints and concerns don’t mean anything to them. The room we were put us in had mold, holes in the walls and the a/​c was broken so it was hotter than outside and muggy. Don’t know why we had to wait a half hour for them to prepare the room. Probably so we’d spend money at the bar. We went to call and complain to the front desk but the phone was dead. A long cell phone call later we were told that somebody would bring us new room keys. Twenty minutes of waiting outside in the sun while bugs attacked us we had to go into the lobby and yell at those two idiots in person. They didn’t send anybody. We were left to either bake on our mold room or stand outside while being eaten alive. We got put into an «upgraded room» while was the exact floor plan. Upgraded apparently means the amenities actual work. There was still holes in the wall mold painted over the toilet won’t stop running and the sink also is running none stop. I’ve stayed in motel 6’s that were of better quality for a quarter of the price. Everything about this place is offensive. The smells the sights the service. To call this place a shithole is an insult holes who have the important job of storing fecal matter.
Edit: the mini fridge doesn’t work either. Seriously everything about this place is terrible.

I was in a wedding here earlier in the year and the wedding venue and set up itself are spectacular. Gorgeous views and incredibly well kept which made for a very beautiful wedding. The reason I give 3 stars is because the room they had available for the ladies was way too small and barely what I would call a «bridal suite». We had 6 maids, the bride and her mother in there getting ready and it was way too crammed. That number of ladies isn’t unrealistic for most bridal parties and weddings either so I think that should be taken seriously into consideration. I know they have larger rooms here because guests had larger suites. I think they haven’t updated this room or moved it due to the location, it’s literally right across the walkway to the wedding venue which makes it super convenient location wise but doesn’t make sense otherwise.

So, I visited Pala Mesa in September. This was my first time, but I was with family and group of about 28 for annual weekend golf trip.
The course was great. Challenging and pretty well kept given the conditions and issues Ca is dealing with. I very much enjoyed it and it’s varying views, changes in elevations and variety in fairways. Could there be improvements? Sure, but that could be almost said about everything. The golf staff were nice and helpful. The starter Larry was great, he joked around with us and would have fit right in with our group hahaha. The refreshment cart girls were nice and made sure to see if we needed anything. We did think it was a little odd that the snack shack was closed around sometime around noon, and appeared to need 2 people to make it operate more smoothly… But with all that, still well worth it.
Now to the hotel area. Parking and all that was a little odd and some of the spots appear to be smaller/​not uniform… but big deal, you’re not here for the parking lot. The rooms are dated and need a facelift and some remodeling. Electronics need updating. Beds felt like hotel beds, so I’m not sure why people complain about those, it’s not your personal bed at home, it’s a cheap generic bed, so of course it’s gonna be comfortable to some and not to others.
The bar/​restaurant was fine and the food was pretty good. Do all in all its good place, great course… just the rooms need a little fixing/​updating.

Location is great. Staff awesome. Rooms are in desperate need of renovation, what’s frustrating is to pay $ 200 a night for such a crappy room.

This review is based on the golf course and more so the golf staff. Carolyn in the pro shop probably needs a new job as it doesn’t seem as though she enjoys herself at all. From the moment I walked in at 6;45 I was greeted with a look of disgust. She wasn’t friendly at all and never smiled. I presented here with an underpar coupon which had expired but all who uses underpar know that the face value is always accepted. She didn’t want to take my expired coupon even though it says right on it that once expired you still maintain face value. After showing her this she then questioned me on why I waited so long? Really? Is that your business miss pro shop bitch? I seriously hope I don’t see her again IF I decide to play golf there again.
Pace of play was pretty slow for a tee time before 7am. No marshals pushing people. Groups in front of us taking multiple tee shots and taking too much time looking for lost balls.

I am writing this review as a wedding guest. The venue was beautiful and the greenery created a perfect ambience. They even provided golf cart service to bring guests to the ceremony location which made it easy on us girls with heels. Parking was also free and easy.
The set up was open and spacious, providing room for the cocktail area, dance floor, and table setting. All the waiters were courteous and polite.
I have to dock stars for the food though… it was… very unsavory. My chicken was way overcooked, asparagus not properly cleaned on overcooked, and rice had the constituency of mashed potatoes.

Really? Close your restaurant and bar on a Saturday and let your paid guests know with a note on the door? Real classy. Really great service. Do we get a credit? I highly doubt it. We surely wouldnt have stayed here if this was the kind of service we were going to receive. And especially if we knew the restaurant would be closed one day.
I know things happen, but how about having resort personnel greet your customers to mitigate any irritation and frustration? A note!!! How about having them hand out maps of the areas and provide suggestions on restaurants or things to do? Nope. A note. Totally horrible service. And what kind of resort bar is open only until 10 on the weekend? Pathetic!
The golf course seems to cater solely to junior golfers. They are all over the place.
Restaurant mediocre. Bar shameful. Golf average. Service lacking.
We should have stayed at the Temecula Creek Inn again. Pala Mesa isn’t up to par.

Completely different from being in Los Angeles. The area is quieter and at night it’s darker. You’re able to hear the crickets more. The resort has such a nice location. It looks well kept outside but… the inside it’s different.
Yes, some things should be replaced such as their carpeting, bath tub, sheets and some smaller items. There were stains but not too obvious. If you were to come without shampoo and soap, make sure to bring them. Theirs are cheap brand and make your skin feel gross. Don’t forget your swim trunks! There’s a pool for everyone and a playground for the kids next to it.
Other then that, the room is nice. It does have a certain smell but you get used to it. They will charge for Smart water on your bill; which is ridiculous. Rather go cheap then spend that much. For costing $ 139/​night during the week and $ 189/​night for the weekend, this place should be in better conditions. If I were to come back here, I would.
Also the lady at the front desk was nice. She wasn’t rude or have a crazy attitude. She did her job well. She didn’t give us a hard time.
Prepare for a sleepless night. The air conditioning turns on randomly throughout the night (if you’re not used to it) and it gets cold. Also the plumbing is something else… the toilet water goes on.
The bed sucks. you think you would get used to it, but you don’t. It’s too springy if that makes any sense. The blankets, sheets and pillows need to be changed. It has a certain smell, it’s too soft doesn’t have firmness and the sheets feel kind of itchy.

As a wedding photographer, you hope that the resort your clients are getting married at is full of gorgeous backdrops and a great onsite wedding coordinator.
Both were exceptional as the wedding ceremony and reception spaces were so pretty and the food from the catering was exceptional! The onsite coordinator, Cara, was such a pleasure to work with. She was very helpful the day after as I forgot my camera batteries and she exhausted every effort to find them for me, and for that, I am so thankful! Thank you so much Cara! I can’t wait to come to Pala Mesa Resort again!
Love, Patty from Petula Pea Photography

My fiancé and I were needing a break from LA and I was hoping to get a jump on looking at wedding venues so we decided to take a quick trip down to Temecula wine country for 2 days. Pala Mesa resort came up in several of my searches as I tried to find us a hotel for the night and looked decent from photos and the website was professional and easy to navigate.
I booked what I thought was a great deal on their Executive Suite, and I was even able to get in touch with the wedding coordinator to set up an appointment with her as well. My goal was to get an idea of the property and amenities 1^st hand and meet with the wedding coordinator to see what their wedding packages/​venues, etc. were like.
What we liked |
The grounds are gorgeous and both my fiancé and I loved the ceremony/​reception site and the fact that we could party the night away until 1am if we wanted! The food was also great, we had dinner and breakfast at the AquaTerra restaurant and were impressed with the food and friendly/​attentive service.
What we DIDN’T like |
When we arrived the room smelled stale and we needed to open all the windows to get the smell out. We also had trouble getting the TV and fridge working (and later re-​working) – it seemed that the fridge kept shorting out the outlet where the two were plugged in. The shower water pressure was poor and the tub/​tiles were water-​stained. The bed was moderately comfortable but the pillows were worn/​not plush at all and the king-​sized bed could have used more than 3 (or perhaps two actual king-​sized pillows).
The WORST thing about our stay was that our room was located directly above the hot tub –which at 7:55AM they decided to sandblast/​jackhammer the tub, and both me and my fiancé were jolted from sleep (and no option to go back to sleep b/​c of the noise). I called the front desk to inquire what was going on and they said there was nothing that could be done but they would offer us vouchers for free breakfast. Not impressive or a fair compensation. There should have been forethought on behalf of the staff to place us in a different room away from any construction.
When we met with the wedding coordinator (again, I set up an appointment with her the week prior via email and she confirmed the appointment date/​time) she was late, disorganized and unable to clearly explain options and kept saying «oh well, it is supposed to be my day off» as an excuse for her unprofessional/​poor knowledge of the services. She was also unable to give us any idea of the 2015 renovation construction plans and/​or confirm the timeline of construction (i.e. would facilities/​room availability be impacted should we want to hold the wedding there) Though we loved the grounds and ceremony/​reception space we are not seriously considering this as an option for our venue/​guest accommodations any longer.

I got married here in September 2012. The grounds are beautiful. The ceremony site was perfect. I got an awe feeling when I walked up the stairs which is part of the reason why we picked it.
Some cons are that the rooms are a bit outdated, the cooks messed up our dinner salad on our wedding night, and our wedding coordinator that the resort provides changed half way through our process.
I will still recommend this venue to anyone getting married as an option to consider. I thought my wedding was beautiful of course.

I am a wedding planner with bliss events and on Saturday March 7^th I planned a wedding for my client at Pala Mesa. From day one the staff and team there was responsive, professional and dedicated to my clients wedding and making sure that every detail was taken care of.
Briana and Kara on the day of the wedding were more than helpful in decorating, setting up and making sure every detail was just as the bride wanted it.
The food was amazing and the banquet captain Todd really ran his team well and rolled with any changes that I had and had a calm professional demeanor and was willing to help in anyway that I needed.
At the end of the night, one of their staff members Alex helped me load the Pala Mesa shuttle service golf carts (which is a huge bonus for transporting guests after the wedding to their rooms) with all of my clients wedding décor and drive it to their room (over 4 trips of items). He even helped me set up for their after party in the brides parents suite.
I am proud to partner with Pala Mesa and hope to plan more weddings at this venue in the future! Any bride and groom looking at this location should look no further as the team there is exceptional and dedicated to giving any couple the wedding of their dreams!
Thank you to the team there for doing such an amazing job on Saturday March 7^th and I cannot wait to plan another wedding alongside the staff there very soon!
Korie Norton
Wedding and Event Planner
Bliss Events

Well, it was better than expected.
Stayed here for one night via a discounted rate of $ 79 from Welk Resorts prior to a timeshare presentation the next day. After seeing all the reviews, I was expecting some sort of roach motel. Fortunately, it wasn’t so bad.
Rooms: yes, they are older. The place was built in the 1960s-​1970s, and for that it’s held up reasonably well. Expect scuffs on the desks, cracks in the granite, stains in the carpet, and a not-​HD-​TV (flatscreen though). That said, the room was clean, comfortable, and spacious (and the free wifi worked fine). For $ 79, no complaints. For their regular rate, probably not worth it. They are apparently updating in 2 months and redoing everything, so maybe it’ll be worth it in 2 months.
Service: great staff service. The heating in the room wasn’t working, so called the front desk who sent someone over within 15 – 20 minutes despite it being late at night. Turned out the wires were burned out, so he had us moved to the room next door and went and got the keys for us to spare us a late night drive back to the front desk.
Food: Sunday breakfast buffet was subpar. $ 14 for an omelette bar and a smattering of hot food (sausages that did not taste good, pancakes, hash browns, and eggs benedict) and soggy fruit. The 18% automatically included tip (for a buffet?!) was ridiculous.
Room: 3 stars
Service: 5 stars
Food: 2 stars
= 3.33 stars (I’ll be generous and round up to 4)

This place is very outdated and is about to get updated according to the guy at the front desk when I asked for my deposit back.
I was referred to stay here because Welk Resorts, a timeshare company recommended this place since I did not have place to stay during my San Diego getaway.
First of all, there’s no elevator. When I walked in our upgraded room (because they said we had no reservation under that name, and we asked for an upgrade) it smelled like cigarettes (but there was no smoking sign on the desk), stains on the carpet, worn down furniture, mold and stains in the bathroom, stains on the room, etc.
I would definitely not recommend on staying here until they modernize the place. The guy at the front desk said they were owned by a bank and are in the process of upgrading. I also complained to Welk saying that if you’re trying to sell timeshares to people and have them stay in an unclean room.