Quick Review: Pechanga Resort & Casino

Pechanga Resort & Casino deserves its claim as the best and largest casino and resort in California, if not the West Coast.

We were lucky to stay in one of the resort’s 63 suites (a very affordable $189/night early in the week, higher closer to the weekend), and I must say it was absolutely fabulous. First class all the way, the generously roomy suite was appointed in tasteful, modern contemporary furnishings and fixtures, with flagstone accents on the walls, along with a granite topped wet bar. And that was just the living room area!

Pechanga’s wide open, Vegas-style gaming area, adjoining the hotel tower, is a 188,000 square foot casino floor with 2,000 of the latest and most popular slot machines. According to public relations manager Ciara Coyle, the Pechanga casino floor, after the recent expansion, is actually larger than the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas. Accompanying Coyle on a tour of the casino, I wouldn’t bet against that statement, and it certainly justifies Pechanga’s claim as the largest casino on the West Coast.

On our first night, we dined at Kelsey’s, a bistro-style ale house pub. Sporting a warm, dark wood décor, the two-level Kelsey’s features the imaginative food stylings of Chef Javier Castro. Not content with just serving standard pub fare, Chef Javier has created a menu that elevates standard bistro fare such as burgers and pizza to a new level.