Just in time for the busy summer season, a long-planned resort-style spa complete with the latest technology and processes for facials, body treatments and massages will open soon at the La Valencia Hotel in La Jolla.
The spa, open both to hotel guests and the general public, will be in a two-story building next to the hotel, on the other side of a stairway that connects Prospect Street to Coast Boulevard.
La Valencia General Manager Troy Longwith said an opening date has not been confirmed but it should be ready to welcome customers by summer.
“We’re in the finishing stages of putting it together,” he said. “We’re very excited about how it is developing and what it is going to be.”
Longwith added that a spa is “a natural amenity” for La Valencia to have.
“We have always been that destination to relax and have that coastal experience, and the spa is going to bring elements of that to The Village for our guests and the community,” he said. “We’re creating a menu and ambience for a holistic luxury experience.”
The new facility, led by spa director Lisa Price, will feature products made for La Valencia.
“Because we are steps away from the ocean, we wanted to design a small retreat that brings in those natural elements,” Price said. “That means a space that brings whatever is outside within the spa. For us, that means trying to incorporate both the energy and the calming effect of the sea.”
Part of that involves creating an “aroma journey” for each customer that includes adding scents to otherwise unscented products or using them to bring scents into the room. From there, aestheticians will use hands-on techniques, breathwork and/or sound healing and the latest equipment in efforts to provide a relaxing experience and skin enhancements such as firming or brightening.
“It’s a way to introduce another level of restoration,” Price said. “Guests already have access to the pool that overlooks the ocean, but this is going to bring it full service. They can get a treatment and feel their best so when they go back [to wherever they are visiting from], they are able to feel good doing that. We’re also hoping to give them the tools and some products they can take home so they can feel that experience at home.”
The spa has been in the planning stages since before the COVID-19 pandemic, but bumps in the road slowed the work.
“Momentum definitely halted during COVID, and as things came back, we had other projects we were working on,” Longwith said. “We had to put an elevator into our main building for accessibility, and that took awhile.”
Further, former general manager Summer Shoemaker left in November 2023 to take another job, and Longwith was appointed to replace her in January 2024. After he settled into his new role, work resumed on the spa, Longwith said.
“There were little starts and stops here and there, but there was always going to be a spa in that space,” he said. “We have world travelers that are well-versed in spas from around the world, as well as those that know La V as The Village’s living room. So many people have had experiences here, and we want to give them an amenity to create more memories.” ♦
