I made a reservation through Airbnb and highly recommend that route. The general going price for a direct booking through the resort, however, is $300 for a two bedroom and $400 for a three bedroom condo.
To the details.
This was such an enjoyable stay, and I genuinely look forward to a revisit. I will hit the highlights:
THE GROUNDS
Who was the master mind who built the attached garage? I mean, thank goodness for it, but it is nearly impossible to make it up without having to back your car up at the curve of each level because whoever designed this thing obviously either rode a motorcycle or drives a Mazda Miata. I know the whole reason you are even here is to relax and take care of your frayed nerves, but you will need a bit of patience just getting to your room.
You will find security throughout. They check your vehicle in when you arrive and let you out of the gate each time you leave. They will be checking your wristband when you head out to the pool and jacuzzi areas, and on foot monitoring behaviors. Overall, I felt safe and secure here and had not a single issue.
There are several pools, two of them heated. And there are pools for children and adults only, which is a boon. You will also find more than a half dozen jacuzzis facing the open ocean, which is insanely romantic and quite relaxing.
The only issues, as others have mentioned, is that the temperatures are off and they are not always clean. We tried four different jacuzzis and they were lukewarm. The warmest one, which was mildly hit, had a problem with the jets. In fact, there appears to be a problem with all of the jets. Instead of shooting out, they shoot up. As far as cleanliness, this is in an area built to look like the tropics, in some parts. Lots of trees and brush, and also a sand mount.
Unfortunately, when the wind picks up -- which is often -- all of that results in debris clouding the pools and jacuzzis. It happened multiple times during our stay. And even though we saw the team members working late and in the mornings to try and clean the water, there was often some level of debris present in the water.
THE CONDO
Love. Love. Love.
The first thing you see when you open the door is the wide open ocean behind floor to ceiling glass. Each of the units faces the ocean head on, and we had the good fortune of being on the 18th floor.
What a joy and a treat.
We never fully closed the sliding doors the entire visit, allowing the roar of the ocean lift in throughout the condo. I am a water baby. I felt I was transported to my home land with such beautiful views and sounds from the ocean.
Our rental had just about everything we needed. Again, rented through Airbnb, so if you are renting direct, you may have a different experience. In addition to a full kitchen that was partially stocked (the owner even provided welcome beers, some canned goods, cocoa, coffee and tea), we had two television sets, two portable fans, a one-unit washer and dryer, access to a surf board and a grill on the massively large balcony (outfitted with comfortable lounge chairs and an outdoor sofa), among many other perks.
Note: Las Olas has strict rules for visitors, including limits on how many people can stay in your condo and the noise level. I respect and appreciate these limits because it results in an overall family and couples vibe and less of a party vibe (at least it appeared that way during our time of visit -- not certain what it is like during spring break and the summer months).
LOCATION
While the drive to Ensenada will be about 1.5 hours (a little under, actually), you are right in the armpit of Rosarito. It's about 15 minutes away. That means you have easy access to all the city has to offer only a short drive away. Taxis are quite popular if you don't have a ride, though I am not certain the costs from the hotel.
Also, there is no sandy beach directly off of Las Olas. If you want a beach day with the family where you bring out the blankets, umbrellas and boards, you should head back up north or a bit further south. It's all rocky terrain and right into an ocean full of seaweed here.
OVERALL COST
It is pricey for the area. That's the undeniable truth. You can easily find a beautiful home or room to rent in the $100 per night range.
The amenities, location and views make Las Olas.
This location has a ton to offer, including a sauna and exercise room with ocean views and also a restaurant on site. They also have several fire pits lining the back of the property, overlooking the ocean swells, as well as a tennis court and a half basketball court, both painted blue.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic means that few of those amenities will be accessible to you and, indeed, those wonderful perks that make up for the steep costs were not open during our visit and will likely not be open for some time.