This was the third time my wife and I have stayed at CDZ, and the second time with two kids. Since we keep going back we clearly love the place and feel it is worth the premium price, but I thought I'd offer a little info for new or returning visitors. First, If you have kids you'll probably want to stay in one of the two, two-story buildings next to the children's pool (identical to the adults-only garden pool); these are rooms 140-151 or 152-161, with odd numbers the second story as I recall. Second floor rooms have balconeys, first floor rooms have nice fenced patios with gates opening to the pool area. There has been a recent change in ownership of the CDZ and physical changes appear to be in the works (which is too bad; we felt the CDZ was perfect 'as-is'). Past vistors may have stayed in the one-story multi-room buildings in the past -- these are no longer being used for guests, and plans for the buildings are a little unclear; you might want to find out if any disruptive construction or remodeling work is going on before booking in the coming year. The archery range is a neat addition, but can't be used by guests without paying $40/hr for instruction. The new Croquet courts were a big hit with my family. Be aware that the room price actually now includes a $9 per person credit towards breakfast in the main dining room (a pleasant surprise for us), which makes the breakfasts a pretty good deal. For those who care about such things, WI-FI is only available in the main registration/dining area, though landline internet is available in the rooms. Have fun!

This is a beautiful property. A large lap pool, as well as smaller pools by each group of rooms made our vacation satisfying to each member of the family. The landscaping is well-kept and appealing. The beds are comfortable, the rooms are pleasant.

We stayed here one night while in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park; I called the hotel to make the reservation because the website didn't load properly so I couldn't see all of the room details. I signed up for a package which included a King bed room on one of the pools, continental breakfast, desert wildflower & hiking trail information, and box lunches. The rooms are still lovely; well-appointed, and very comfortable.

The dining room, however, is another story. I had made dinner reservations several days ahead. Despite reservations for 8pm (late for that location), we were not immediately seated even though there were a number of empty tables. It took 30 minutes to get a server who could take our order for wine. We ordered our dinner at the same time -- salad and entrees - nothing complicated. Service was exceedingly slow (not just leisurely); getting refills of water near impossible. The food was fine, not great; it's just that one doesn't care after that long a wait. Neither the server nor the host appeared to know or understand that an explanation and an apology would go a long way.

Amazingly, breakfast the next morning was the same story. This time, the long wait was simply to get seated in spite of plenty of empty tables. We were told to have some coffee and take a seat. The coffee pot was empty! The host seemed to be avoiding conversation with the waiting customers. We asked about the delay when being seated; he acknowledged a lack of staff only then. We were waited on fairly timely and the breakfast came out quickly (we apprised our server of the amount of time we had already spent waiting).

The box lunches were ready at the time we had requested and they were very tasty.
We'd stay here again, but would avoid the dining room (the Butterfield Room). Go to the bar, or go elsewhere.

We recently stayed at La Casa del Zorro, not really knowing what to expect after reading the previous reviews: it sounded like it could be a disaster or an experience of a lifetime. I am happy to report that it was the later, and one that will not be forgotten soon.

From my very first call, I felt like the staff cared. I spoke with Elisha, at the front desk, who was wonderful. I was booking for 4 adults and hoped to get one of their 2 bedroom casitas, but unfortunately, they were all booked, so we took 2 rooms. But by the next day, Elisha, called and had found a casita that had become available. It was called Dessert Willow and was the farthest one away from the main lodge. We enjoyed this feature as it felt very private, but for those who like to be nearer the action, I would suggest getting the casitas (there are several) closer to the main lodge, as it is a bit of a hike. The casita, itself, was not fancy, but homey and well-appointed. It had its own little pool, kitchen and fireplace. The king bed was comfortable but a bit saggy. The queen bed was very comfortable but the pool generator was located right outside the window which made for a sometimes noisy room. The pool looked out onto the gorgeous mountains and lots of varied cacti.

I had mentioned that we were celebrating a birthday and anniversay, and to our surprise and delight, a bottle of chilled champagne and chocolate covered strawberries were awaiting us in our living room. Such a nice and thoughtful touch! We had a glass of champagne and watched the sun set over the mountains.

The rest of the resort was lovely, although parts of it had a bit of an RV Park feeling to it. The croquet courts, shuffleboard, and tennis courts were great. The lap pool and recreational pools were amazing: clean, bright and not crowded. The only slight imperfection was that service items (food trays, drinks) had not been cleared away in several of the cabanas. There is a nice walking path, although it's asphalt, which makes for a harder walking surface. The grounds are well-kept and although we were told it was prime season, the whole resort felt a bit empty. Maybe it was because it was so big and varied, that it absored a lot of people. Many of the casitas have their own pools, and the deluxe rooms look out onto adult-only or kid-friendly pools. Such a great idea! The roses were not in bloom yet, but I bet the resort looks even better at that time of year.

The dining experience was a bit up and down. We ate lunch on the patio, which was peaceful and charming, but the service was slow. But we didn't mind as we were not in a hurry. The prices were great at lunch, but were a bit steep at dinner. We had dinner in the formal dining room, and it was fine. Not amazing, but pretty good. The service again was a bit slow, but relaxing. It seems as if most of the staff are students from abroad (Germany, Jamaica etc.) and were there perfecting their hospitality skills. All were very nice and accomodating, but I bet it was a bit of a shock when they arrived and found out how far into the desert they really were....and how far from San Diego and LA!

We had a chance to drive out into the desert to view the wildflowers but did not take advantage of much else. We will definitely return, knowing what to expect, and being willing to surrender to the peace and calm, as there is little else to distract the busy mind. The guests tend to be older, although there is plenty for kids to do. There is a golf course nearby, jeep rides to take, and mountains to hike.

Many thanks to the staff at La Casa del Zorro for giving us New Englanders a great first visit to the Anza Borrego Desert.