Read Ranch & Coast Virtually Anywhere
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Now, all of us — the gamers, life's high-rollers, and those curious about the latest high-end hospitality offerings — can stop into Jamul Casino Resort and spend a night, or a few, in pure luxury. e 16-story, 200-room tower opened in August. Everything in the hotel is high-end. ere's a full-service spa. e rooftop Starlight Pool offers panoramic views. Smart rooms are equipped with Alexa-powered technology. An elevated buffet restaurant does lobster-dominant seafood spreads twice a day. ere's even a "secret" Roaring '20s-themed speakeasy called Fly Room. For me, a quasi-regular for poker tournaments in the adjacent casino building, the addition of a resort shines an entirely new light on the property. My wife and I spend two nights in an 870-square-foot Mountain View Suite. e room's floor-to-ceiling window views are inspirational and unspoiled. e surrounding scenery includes the Rancho Jamul Ecological Reserve. It's protected land that can't be developed. e suite's color palette mirrors the earthy tones and warm neutrals on display in the reserve. Concurrently, AI technology coexists in-room with Alexa voice commands. During our stay, when we ask "her" to turn off the light or turn on the flatscreen TV, Alexa's success rate is high- percentage. In-room bonus: ere's a TV over the bathtub. I soak while watching the compelling in-house mini-doc about Jamul tribal history. It's a must-see. One of the first things we do after a late afternoon arrival is get seated in the new, airy Jamul 23 buffet, which also has floor-to-ceiling windows. One of life's traveling joys is the post- pandemic return of self-serve buffets. Jamul 23 does a premium World-Famous Lobster Brunch and a VVIP Endless Dinner Experience Featuring Surf & Turf. After making the rounds, I find myself sitting at a table and marveling at my plate. Two kinds of lobster tails (fried and butter-broiled), jumbo prawns, scallops on the half shell, baked mussels. My wife indulges in server-carved smoked salmon. At the end, somehow, there's room for ramekins of crème brûlée. A new day brings a fresh start and our first morning is spent atop the resort at the 11,000-square-foot Starlight Pool. Panoramic views and a private cabana ease me into a state of reflection. My wife listens patiently while I recall my "bad beat" poker stories from last night. What she really wants to do, though, is scan the pool menu. at's actually a much better idea than recalling how my aces got cracked. I go for a trio of Ahi Sliders and a side of hearty Sidewinder Fries. My wife orders the Mediterranean Platter. It arrives at the cabana on a two-foot-diameter wood detour destinations << ranchandcoast.com 114 DECEMBER 2025 RANCH & COAST MAGAZINE PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY OF JAMUL CASINO RESORT