Pechanga: The Not-Quite-Vegas Alternative in SoCal

January 23, 2006 at 9:30 AM | by juliana | 0 Comments

[Publisher's Note: Editor Juliana got dragged down unexpectedly to Temecula, Calif. over the weekend and decided to make the most of it by checking out the Native American tribal resort and casino Pechanga Resort & Casino. Her full recap of the Vegas-imitated experience, complete with some pics below. Enjoy.]

Pechanga Resort & Casino is by no means a world-wide destination but rather a conveniently located casino resort for Southern California residents.

Located 80 miles from San Diego and a little over 100 from Los Angeles, it often bills itself as the shortcut to Las Vegas, which would be appropriate if traffic around the area didn't exist.

But unfortunately in California it does. So what should have been an hour and half trip from Los Angeles turned into a three-hour drive, complete with teasing billboards along the way that said, "Pechanga-the shortcut to Las Vegas." (Hint: Avoid the 91 Freeway at all costs.)

Another reason why its not like Las Vegas is the fact that its in the middle of nowhere. Arriving at the hotel is completely anti-climatic as it sits in between master planned communities.

But that doesn't mean Pechanga is not worth it.

More of Pechanga post-click.

Despite the hassle getting there, the staff all over the hotel and casino was extremely friendly and helpful. Room rates were a little bit higher than the normal $199 due to a boxing match that was going on there, and a concert by country singer Trisha Yearwood, but the hotel does have a AAA Traveler's discount which they honored. (Also, we managed to split the room with two other friends so we didn't bug out that much about the price.)

The layout of the hotel is very much like a Vegas-style joint. The three-point hallways are looooong and confusing. The rooms are a fairly good size with generously-sized bathrooms, hi-speed internet access, and the latest amenities. We heard about the small pool on TripAdvisor but since it was barely 50 degrees, we decided to stay indoors.

Because Pechanga is an Indian gaming resort, the decor is Native American with other elements of Southwest style. For instance, the gift shops sells DreamCatchers and stunning Native American jewelry.

There are eight restaurants ranging from steakhouse to chinese noodles to a buffet. The casino floor is huge and Vegas-like, with almost all card tables starting at $15 minimum bets. There was probably one $5 table and it had lines ten-deep of people waiting to join. The slot-playing crowd is also fierce. Simply put: Pechanga is akin to Atlantic City where busloads of senior citizens trip in for the day and hog the slots for hours on end.

There are two nightclubs--Cabaret and Silk, the latter which nearly every hotel employee asked if we had been to since it was apparently the hippest joint around for miles. After we got over thinking they meant the early 90s R&B group, we decided to pass on socializing and instead play blackjack.

The thing with blackjack is you will never beat the house. And at the end of our trip, we were beyond relieved to find out that valet parking was complimentary.

As we mentioned earlier, Pechanga is not some place to visit if you are coming from New York. But if you live in SoCal and want a different experience than the beach towns, Pechanga might be the place for you.

Related Stories:
· Pechanga Hotel Reviews [TripAdvisor]

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