Omni is dedicated to the game of golf: Look no further than Carlsbad’s La Costa Resort & Spa
Aerial view of La Costa Resort & Spa
Omni La Costa
Some places wear their history like a heavy velvet curtain—thick with nostalgia, but a little stuffy and even stifling. Not Omni La Costa Resort & Spa. Perched breezily along the rolling foothills of Carlsbad, California, this Southern California grande dame has pulled off the rarest of feats: reinventing itself with the lightest of touches and both eyes fixed on contemporary trends in golf architecture and leisure living.
The elegant bones of this iconic property—once the martini-marinated playground of Sinatra and his Rat Pack confreres—remain unmistakably intact. I remember my first visit to this fabled showbiz hideaway in the early 80s, when I espied legendary MCA mogul Lew Wasserman strutting around like he owned the joint. Between colorful characters like him, mob-affiliated union bigwigs and straight-up wiseguys, La Costa is the kind of place you wish had talking walls–they’d surely have a tale to tell and then some (and would need to join the witness protection program afterwards).
But whispered talk of Teamsters’ pension fund money seeding the resort’s early days are long ago and all but forgotten. La Costa has been corporate owned-and operated since KSL Resorts took the reins from 2001 to 2007, upgrading the spa to the tune of $12 million and adding a 28,000 square-foot Spanish Colonial spa building. Omni Hotels and Resorts acquired the property in 2013 and oversaw a massive three-year, $70 million renovation of the entire resort, including the two historic, 18-hole golf courses.
Vanguard golf architect Gil Hanse rebirthed the venerable Champions Course, now known as the North Course
The Gil Hanse-renovated North Course
Omni La Costa
The beating heart of La Costa’s reinvention is its North Course, newly reimagined by architectural purist and PGA whisperer Gil Hanse. Known for breathing new life into storied courses like Doral and Winged Foot, Hanse has turned his exacting eye to La Costa’s greens and fairways, and the result is nothing short of sublime–and may I add tough as nails? Choose your tees wisely as the course now stretches to 7,500 yards. Gulp.
Gone is the overgrown, overwatered sprawl of yesteryear. In its place: a leaner, meaner, championship-caliber layout, custom-built for nail-biting drama and high-level competition. The bunkers are rakishly sculpted, the sightlines clarified and shot values amped up without losing the course’s classic SoCal swagger. It’s strategic golf with a surfer’s soul.
Even better? The course isn’t just for show. It’s now the permanent home of the NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Golf Championships through 2026. Watching college phenoms wrestle with Hanse’s elegant, native-grassed hazards from the shaded comfort of a cart, cocktail in hand? Highly recommended.
Man cannot live by golf alone (though I often try)
Post golf chillin’ like Calvin Trillin
Omni La Costa
Of course, all the golf course innovations in the world don’t mean much without meticulous attention also paid to leisure activities (tennis and pickleball, yes!), luxe accommodations and credible food and beverage. Omni La Costa nails this as well with its effortlessly elegant guest experience. Rooms are spacious and sunlit, awash in creams and ocean blues, with balconies that whisper you out for one last glass of pinot under the stars. A serene quiet prevails here come evening, a nice contrast to the squeals of Marco Polo from the capacious family pools (there’s also a separate adults-only pool where peace and perfectly spiked palomas reign).
The spa remains one of the largest and most comprehensive in California—a temple to eucalyptus steam, reflexology, and the fine art of doing absolutely nothing. Romantic side-by-side massages with champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries are available in one of the VIP suites for couples. Treatment options include an array of exotic massages, facials, body wraps and new clinical treatments. And the courtyard offers a tranquil pool, Jacuzzi, al fresco waterfall shower, lounging areas, a reflexology path and herb garden. Great place for a golfer’s massage and steam after a frustrating round.
First -class vittles required: La Costa is foodie-approved nowadays
Post-golf and -spa, there’s no need to hang up your expectations. Omni La Costa’s food and beverage program has undergone its own quiet revolution, led by a team that’s clearly decided mediocre poolside burgers are no longer part of the resort vocabulary. For upscale, all-day dining head to VUE, the resort’s go-to restaurant, now fully rebooted with a hyper-local sensibility. The wagyu burger with truffle aioli is as decadent as it sounds, and the wine list pulls heavily from boutique Central Coast producers—smart, sippable and surprisingly affordable.
The filet mignon looks good enough to eat in one bite, with Bob’s signature carrot in the middle.
Omni La Costa
Or here’s an even better strategy: save your appetite and caloric limits for a protein-centric splurge at Bob’s Steak & Chop House, located a wee chip shot from the main lobby. Prime steaks are the deserving stars of the extensive menu–I tucked into the supple Kansas City Strip–but the U8 scallops with a citrus beurre blanc and Nueske’s bacon is a rich and satisfying starter. Gargantuan onion rings are 24-karat and a must-have side, as is the bleu cheese salad with pecans and chopped eggs. A standout experience all around in an elegant, subdued setting. And no need to fire up the Lambo–it’s a short walk from anywhere on property and dripping in old-school, mahogany luxury.
Room for improvement: My rusty golf swing restored!
Take a lesson from one of La Costa’s PGA professionals.
Omni La Costa
Resort guests can avail themselves of the beautiful driving range and surrounding short game and putting greens, but if you’re anything like me–golf gods forbid–your swing could use a finely trained eye and comforting instruction from one of La Costa’s staff PGA professionals. I was lucky to land an hour with new head pro Ryan Dohrmann, whose expertise is only exceeded by his warm and encouraging bedside manner and relaxed smile throughout. Sometimes a golf lesson can seem like a dentist’s appointment but not with Ryan–call it painless wisdom without need of Novocaine or hypnosis. I left encouraged and anxious to tackle Gil Hanse’s handiwork. Fore!
