Quiet Mind Mountain Lodge, Retreat & Spa — Hotel in San Diego Country Estates

I was so looking forward to this "QUIET" retreat! It was a treat to my son, an overworked, highly stressed hospital doctor, and I spared no expense to give him the "full package": A spacious suite, a massage every day, fully prepared meals, a relaxing lake vista for quiet meditation and peaceful relaxation...

Well, at least that's what the website and the reservation specialist said! The hotel IS lovely, the staff IS incredibly nice and VERY accommodating, BUT the ROOMS were NOT QUIET AT ALL! This hotel is like a double decker bus! You HEAR EVERYONE on your right and on your left! You sit on your "serene" veranda and hear your neighbors' conversations, next to you, and below and above you! If you happen to have a guest that wants to make a ruckus and be loud in the JACUZZI, which ALL rooms face, you are STUCK with NOISE NOISE NOISE.

My son was chosen a "quiet" room by Sarah, close to the Spa, and every morning the Spa workers, sharing a wall with him, were noisy, moving furniture and conversing, waking him up EARLIER than if we stayed HOME!

We wished to use the Gym, it is a "Wellness" retreat, after all. The bicycle did NOT work. So I moved over to the elliptical. It did not function! Neither did the rowing machine tension settings.

My son's shower had a mass of BLACK HAIR over the drain, which, even though he longed to use the jetted tub in his suite, the thought of it DISGUSTED him. Also, both he and I, ran out of HOT WATER in our respective showers. I had to sit it out on the veranda, with soap in my hair, while I waited for 10 minutes while the water heated up again...

My son's suite had ants which crawled around our room delivered meal trays! I had spiders in my bathroom!. And broken curtain holders. And a DEAD plant on my veranda. The staff was quick to respond (apologize, mostly), but that did not help the IMMEDIATE issues.

Oh, and the "Lake View" which the site features so largely: They omit the fact that there a ROAD, a very BUSY ROAD, between the hotel rooms and the lake. So it is NOT peaceful...

Lastly, my son's package included massages and I got one, too: I am a cyclist, so I asked my therapist for a good massage on my hands, feet, and shoulders. Her session included Thai massage, hot stones, etc., but very LITTLE of what I asked for and needed! My son had 3 massages, 1 of which was actually therapeutic...

Lovely decor and staff, great "free" breakfast ( which I wish Sarah had told me about, instead of "selling" me on the very un-special, albeit large portioned, meal packages.)

I stayed at The Wellness room, my son at The Royal Mandala. My heart is sad as this retreat did NOT come even close to being the "Sleep and Relaxation Retreat" it promised!

One last, and most excellent, treatment I have to mention to be wholly transparent, is the Reiki session. My son said it was the only "helpful" event in our...

We stayed at this Buddhist retreat (open to all) for two nights at the end of a fortnight’s visit to California. Our first view of the building and its location by the lake, and the very sumptuous interior took our breath away: rather magnificent, even though in some ways quite impractical, and not without flaws either. For instance, in the wardrobe there was only one hanger. The safe was locked and without instructions. Some drawers could only be pulled open by careful force. Pieces of furniture were in each other’s way. A dainty chair had a small, very sharp protrusion in the front. All noticed but forgiven. We enjoyed sitting on the spacious veranda even though the seating looked comfortable but was not. The whole lodge was a mixture of sophistication and impracticality. There was a splendid, spacious kitchen/breakfast room with seating to enjoy the glorious lake view and listen to the birds. We spotted a flock of wild turkeys close to our verandah. The gym was amazingly well equipped but no-one seemed to use it. Our reception was friendly with good information. In the course of our stay we noticed however that the reception staff kept changing and seemed to be of an ineptly holding-the-fort nature. The first thing we did was to take a wonderful walk around the lake, after which we were prepared to sit ready for our first dinner, individually crafted and selected from a menu at least 48 hours in advance. We were sorely disappointed. One of us had a curry of acceptable but unexciting quality. The other was presented with a slightly undercooked virtually plain pasta with small unidentifiable bits in it. As we told the breakfast lady the next morning, a common diner would be ashamed to serve it, and this after all the fuss made by the hotel beforehand over its wonderful offerings. We felt shortchanged and had to hope for better breakfasts. In this we at least were not disappointed: they were special. Our individual choices were delivered to our room and were delicious. After that one could go to the kitchen, where there was a good buffet spread of further items, including coffee and juices to select from. So first night’s dinner was noted but forgiven, and the second night we ate out in Julian, a most interesting and historic goldmining town. We had not visited the States for quite a while, so were no longer familiar with the customary services in hotels, but in any case we were a little surprised to find that the room was not made up after the first night. It seems to us that labour is kept low these days. Be that as it may, we loved this place and generously give it 5 stars. It was a wonderful experience but not necessarily to be repeated. That is, unless you are a Buddhist. |One piece of advice though: do cut down on the hype...

I cannot express how much I needed and loved my stay at Quiet Mind! This stay was truly a gift. A much needed gift. I really thought I was on the brink of shutting down or having a breakdown after losing my young son. The owner, Davita, spent time talking with me and helped me choose the Heal Your Heart retreat. It was perfect! The location and serenity here is idyllic. The hours I have spent just gazing out at the mountains, trees, and lake were nourishing for my soul. Watching the birds glide in the blue sky, and hearing their calls and songs were soothing. I stared at the full moon for hours, even dreaming about it. The weather was great and I spent as much time as I possibly could out on the patio of my room. There was so many authentic and beautiful pieces of furniture and Tibetan artifacts throughout, including a 400 year old door to the yoga room! The food was amazing and I am inspired to continue to eat healthier, knowing that although I am not talented like Chef Rosie, taste does not have to be sacrificed for health and nutrition. I selected 1 or 2 sessions a day and I appreciated that the schedule was customizable to my needs and desire. None of the special “extra touches” from the staff were unnoticed. The genuine care and compassion for me and each guest is evident. Sarah has a sweet smile, soft and gentle voice, and her promptness with every question, message, or request is so refreshing. Nicole showed attention to detail and did not miss fulfilling any request. Lorien was integral to this week for me, and helped move me along in my journey. Her healing touch in the Reiki and Chakra Balancing sessions were amazing, giving me a sense of peace and helped me sleep deeper than I have in years! She created a safe a genuine space for me to open up, and begin to “release”. I so enjoyed Liz during the sound bath session with her unique and perfect sound healing using many modalities. Angie was so sweet in her gentle yoga approach and suggestions for me to take and use going forward. Part of me hated to leave, to go back to the things that threaten to weigh me down all over again. But the time that I spent here, in quietude, in prayer, in reflection, and in release, helped me be more ready, more clearly focused and a little more able to face my life, at least this day, and then the next, and then the next. I will definitely return. Probably can’t be...