Pechanga Resort Casino Expansion + Taste of Pechanga

Have you stayed at the Pechanga Resort Casino lately? They have undergone a major $300 million expansion, and it is nice! Since it’s grand opening ceremony in March 2018, it is now the largest resort/casino on the West Coast offering guests luxury accommodations with elements of the Tribe’s Native heritage. This major expansion doubled its size, added 568 AAA Four Diamond hotel rooms and suites (new total 1,090), a 4.5-acre pool complex, two additional restaurants, a two-level luxury spa with fitness and yoga studio, and another 68,000 square feet of meeting and event space including the 40,000 square foot Pechanga Summit. It now offers six retail shops featuring top designer brands, a championship 18-hole golf course, entertainment space, a total of 20 bars and restaurants, a 200,000 square foot gaming floor, 274,500 square feet of meeting/event space, as well as four pools and five spas.

Adding jobs and providing funds for local improvements, it hired 750 people during 2017 and early 2018 for permanent positions to staff the resort expansion areas. Jobs ranged from entry level to management roles. Pechanga Resort Casino is the third largest private employer in Riverside County with 4,750 Team Members. (*Stats from Riverside County Economic Development Agency).

Casino square footage: 200,000
Event/meeting/convention square footage: 100,000 (indoor), 174,500 (outdoor)
Number of hotel rooms: 1,090
Number of restaurants & bars: 20
Number of pools & spas: 15
Number of employees: 4,750

When we were first invited to come out to experience the property, I questioned if it were family-friendly. To much surprise, it offered activities for the whole family such as family or kiddie yoga classes, a family pool with water slide, and Tiny Tees golf lessons for the children. I have heard the Hot Air Balloon adventures in Temecula are very popular and it is very close-by. I would go back just for the food and to utilize the spa.

My family and I got to Temecula within a couple of hours coming from South County using the State Route (SR) 74. The drive was scenic but winding. Cellular signal is minimal so if you need to map it out, do it beforehand. There are a few scenic points overlooking Lake Elsinore if you want to stop. When we got to the resort, there was a long line for valet and another long line to check into the hotel. Since it was our first time there, we had no idea where to go but after some quick directions, we were able to figure it out pretty quickly. The new side with the towers is very nice and they have security guards checking to make sure there are no trespassers.

The room we stayed in was a junior suite with modern decoration which included a living area with fold-out bed adjoining a bedroom and a shared bathroom. I like that we had a private space from the children. The children loves sleepovers at the moment so they were super excited. The unique thing about the rooms are it is energy-efficient. To activate the lights, you have to insert your room key. We stayed two comfortable nights.

DINING OPTIONS

For dining options, they have a large variety to meet every need – seafood, all-you-can-eat buffet, coffee shop, grab-and-go items, pastries, gluten-free, and more! As mentioned, they have now 20 restaurants and bars. We attended a Tasting Event which gave us an introduction to what was offered at the Casino. Each restaurant provided at least two options. Everything we had was great. You can watch a short video below. I’ll give you a hint, they offer full lobsters and steaks at the Pechanga Buffet for an additional fee. It’s not unlimited but it makes a great addition to what they already offer. On the morning we checked out, we had brunch overlooking the golf course at Journey’s End.

PECHANGA BUFFET

PECHANGA POOLSIDE RESTAURANT – THE COVE

SPA SERVICES

Moving from the third floor of the casino hotel tower, Spa Pechanga now stands alone in their own space next to the Journey at Pechanga golf course with two levels connected by a spiral staircase. It features 17 treatment rooms, outdoor cabana massage services, a state-of-the-art fitness studio, a dedicated spa pool and two indoor hydrotherapy pools, plus a hair and nail salon. The salon offers hair, nail, make-up and even a full suite of barbering services.

New Spa Pechanga menu services:

Spicy & Icy Facial: An 80-minute facial designed to restore tired and sagging skin on the face and neck. This signature facial incorporates cinnamon, which reduces inflammation and a cooling ionic mask. Spicy & Icy takes you through warm and cold to induce blood vessels to expel impurities, leaving your skin firmer, glowing and radiant.
Tandem Massage: Two therapists work in concert, mirroring each other’s movements across your back, neck, arms, legs and scalp to induce extreme relaxation and alleviate tension and soreness.
Reflexology Foot Soak: This treatment provides relief to overworked ankles, legs and feet. A copper tub is filled with distilled water and healing stones to lift out impurities. Feet receive a 50 or 80-minute massage and reflexology treatment that can help ailments in other areas of the body. To finish, guests receive a balancing tea made from cleansing white sage leaves and other native plants.

“Healing is integral throughout your journey here at Spa Pechanga. Our new menu items are designed to awaken and relieve the five senses after each treatment,” said Whitney Tabor, Spa Pechanga Manager. “The Pechanga tribe used native white sage to cleanse and purify the body, so we made sure that the white sage properties, as well as other native Pechanga plants and flora, are prevalent in the new treatments. They are organic and fresh since you can find them right outside the door on tribal lands and most importantly, leave our guests refreshed and restored.”

For questions, to make an appointment, or for more information about Spa Pechanga, please call 877-711-2946.