Here's what others have had to say about La Costa Resort & Spa.
"What a great experince, right on the beach, close to surfing schools and great tennis courts and daily lessons."—R.E., Adv. Int., April 2012
"weakness: lack of quality men players. Food service upstairs would be a great way to attract players and stay for lunch and then more tennis
strength: new staff is a great improvement. tennis shop is looking good."—J.M., Adv. Int., April 2008
"I visited the tennis facility at La Costa while staying at my son's home in Oceanside. Having seen the place from watching the tournament on tv, I was eager to give them a try. I appreciate them accomodating me though I was not a hotel guest. They were not busy the week after Thanksgiving.
I came two days in a row and each day I participated in a group clinic and received a private lesson. John, a pro, was excellent. He gave me expert advice on several strokes and was very humorous and informative. Shawn, a pro, was very average. Perhaps I got him at the end of a long day on the courts (3 pm private lesson).
Interesting FAQ- the Acura Classic is no longer coming to La Costa- the promoter gave up the gig. The tournament is going to Asia in 2008. Also, for guests, the non-valet hotel guest and tennis parking area is a long way away from the villas.
Mike, the top pro, was working on the court next door and he sounded excellent but I'm not sure how much his hourly rate was. For the pros I worked with, the fee was $100 an hour. This rate is for non-La Costa Club members,which means guests at the hotel and others like me. Personally, I would not make it a point to stay here just for the tennis."—L.J., Int., December 2007
"Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. We do a yearly Fall trip with 16 women, 4 courts of doubles to different destinations in the country. Have just returned from a lovely weekend at La Costa. The resort was beautiful, great restaurants, lovely shops and grounds, very friendly and professional staff, comfortable rooms, and great tennis. Lynn Lewis runs a great program and was very accommodating to our unique group. We had a perfect weekend."—L.B., Adv., October 2006
Familiar as the site of the WTA Mercury Insurance Open each summer, La Costa Resort & Spa has a long tradition of caring about tennis 
and of pampering the guests of its spa. But this is a far different La Costa than the one I first visited back in the 1980s. Over the last several years, more than $50 million to upgrade the resort, including renovations of the rooms, upgrades to the golf course, and a new adult swimming pool. Its architecture reflects the state's Spanish Colonial history—all white stucco, wrought iron, red tile, and open plazas. A handsome Feng Shui-aligned spa and adjacent Chopra Center for Ayurvedic treatments anchor one end of the main plaza, with restaurants scattered throughout, some with outdoor seating.
The tennis club is relatively large, with four red clay and 13 hard courts, one of the latter a sunken stadium. The tennis direction is under Seattle-born Brandon Sieh. He played for the University of Nevada, Reno, where he set a record in all-time doubles victories. He arrives at La Costa from The Crosby Club in Rancho Santa Fe. For guests, he and his staff of pros offer game matching and twice-daily drill clinics. "We have very small ratios and these are cardio based and live-ball based," he says of his approach. "We also do a lot of corporate programming."
Pro Shop: 760-438-9111
Courts & Fees. The resort has 13 hard courts—one of them a stadium—and 4 red clay courts (7 with lights) arrayed below an attractive clubhouse containing an expansive, apparel-stocked pro shop. Court fees: $25/hour on hard courts, $35/hour on clay.
July 14-22, 2012: Mercury Insurance Open
www.mercuryinsuranceopen.com/ Phone: 760-930-7032
At this WTA event, 56 women vie for the singles championship, and 16 teams for the doubles trophy. It takes place on the hard courts at La Costa Resort & Spa. Las year's singles winner was Agnieszka Radwanska.
There is no shortage of tennis resorts with spas—use my Search page to find others—but for comparison's sake, also look at:
La Costa offers both rooms and suites. Rates do not include taxes, parking, or a $20/day resort fee.
Seasons. Year-round.
General Tourist Information. There are three sources of information: in the immediate area, visit the Carlsbad Convention & Visitors Bureau website (or contact them at 400 Carlsbad Village Dr., Carlsbad, CA 92008, phone 800-227-5722); for this part of the county, visit the San Diego North Convention & Visitors Bureau website or contact them at 360 N. Escondido Blvd., Escondido, CA 92025-2600. Phone: 800-848-3336; and for the county as a whole, visit the San Diego County Convention & Visitors Bureau website or contact them at 2215 India St., San Diego, CA 92101. Phone: 619-236-1212.