Been a couple times and must say it's become one of our go-to easy getaways in SD. Bumping vibes with a mix of hip hop and EDM, lazy river with fountains, swim-up bar, and a couple large wading pools and a hot tub in the middle. It's pretty clean and well-maintained and love that it's adults only. Great crowd for people-watching and appreciate that people return their inner tubes after use. Super friendly service and good poolside bites. Their nachos are huge and fully loaded, with a choice of chicken or ground beef. Their turkey club is stuffed with turkey and actually like getting it untoasted with extra crispy fries. Ranch and ketchup sauces included. Also enjoy their Peachy Keen with Patron and peach puree. Probs our favorite of the cocktails but a good selection of beers, cocktails, and blended cocktails. read more

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The good- good service, plenty of towels, clean bathroom and venue. The bad- Big changes from last year. Now, you pay the full price of the cabanas and day beds. No food and beverage spending credit that covers the day beds or cabanas. Additionally, they tag on a 20% food and beverage fee. The fee goes to all of the cabana servers to split. No way to tip individual servers unless you pay extra on top of the 20%. Individual tips have to be held up in the air for the cameras to see. Retreat needs to re-think this whole nonsense. Please go back to last year's set up and stop price gouging your clientele and put some trust in your employees. Menu choices reduced. You can order from the Deli as well , but no clear way how to do so read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - Lazy river in the back - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

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First time floating in the lazy river! Loved it. The water was perfect in the river and the pool. There was never a shortage of floaties, however can only imagine how crowded it could be at the peak of summer. We got a day bed and honestly, not sure if I would come here without a cabana or bed reservation. Food was delicious, drinks were expensive. Service was attentive and the DJ was playing the jams, all on a monday afternoon. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - lazy river - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

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Went to the pool Saturday morning. Service was great. Drinks were really good (try the pina colada slushy). We had the nachos but weren't really impressed. Gonna try something different next time. The pool, jacuzzi, and lazy river were awesome. Water was warm and comfortable. It was a really great time. One suggestion. The music was very one sided. Maybe a little variety would have been nice. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - The perfect spot !! - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

The lazy river at Retreat Pool & Cabanas at Sycuan Casion Resort is awesome. The entire pool area is awesome. There are two huge pools and large hot tub in addition to the lazy river. One of the pools features a swim-up bar. They've also added a gigantic Jumbotron sized big screen, and yes, this year the Padres games were on at the pool! We spent two nights at the hotel. One night I enjoyed the hot tub for a bit while Becky was in the casino. The following day some friends joined is and we spent the entire day lounging by and floating in the lazy river. We arrived early and scored a sweet spot with four lounge chairs and an umbrella under a palm tree. No outside food or beverages are permitted, but you can bring an empty Yeti or similar container to keep your drinks from the bar cold. Speaking of the bar, service from Martin was excellent. He was kept very busy by thirsty patrons but was a total cool cat. Drinks are not too expensive. We stuck with White Claw and Modelo; A bucket of six White Claws was $35 while the Modelo was $44. Don't forget your Player's Club Card and get the 10% discount! Great day at the Retreat! read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - The retreat as seen from our balcony of the Padres Suite. - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

We had some highs (The food & pool) and some lows (Wasps everywhere!!!!) We won't be getting food again. Pros: * Good Food; recommend the turkey sandwich * Pool is great Cons: * Wasps. So many wasps. We had to literally run with our food. We lost 1 drink to a wasp. We ate it back in the room, but It was a sour note to end the pool day * Server was not great. Extra: * it is possible to get a seat under an umbrella without paying * No outside food but you can bring in starbucks * This review is from August 2025. It left such a sour taste in our mouth I put it out my mind till I came across these photos read more

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We were Living the vida loca with two Day passes on this beautiful Tuesday at Sycuan Casino Retreat Pool. Day passes can be purchased on Their Website along with cabana and daybed rentals. We received two towels and two water bottles with our purchase. The hubby and I arrived at 1045 and were able to Find some open seating around the main pool. We ordered a bucket of beers, a mixed cocktail drink along with chips and salsa and a cup of seasonal fruit and not too expensive for hanging out poolside. Thank you Mayra for being attentive. Hubby and I just chilled and enjoyed some much needed R and R! Definitely worth it especially during the week! Weather was Also perfect! read more

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Soak up the sun and cool off in the adults only Retreat Pool. Food choices and drinks are good to satiate your cravings. You can order at the bar or have the lovely pool staff to take your order. There's also a retreat casino, if you want to take a from the sun. Also there's plenty cabanas and daybeds. So excited for when summer comes with their pool party vibes My recommendation Get a souvenir cup. It's more bang for your buck Food, Prawns and pizza! read more

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Nachos looked delicious, but it was overpriced. Especially because I added the grilled chicken on top and there was barely any on it. They're good if you're hungry, but don't expect much flavor. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - Nachos - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

I am writing to express my deep disappointment with my recent stay at your property. The experience was the worst trip ever, and it was made even worse by the service from both the day pool resort staff and valet staff. Sycuan Casino claims to be "LGBTQ friendly,"but in my experience they were the exact opposite.  This was especially disappointing since the occasion was my birthday and I had more than 28 people attend and paid to celebrate with me. I have spoken highly about Sycuan and I had previously had great experiences. Arriving at the day pool, I was met with a  disrespectful and demeaning staff. I felt overall it was a horrible experience.  When I tried to speak with hotel management about it, all they offered me was a single pool wristband for the inconvenience. Then after going to hotel to grab one of my guest, the resort manager and pool receptionist laughed and joked about my frustration, not knowing that I was the guest the " pool manager Sofia tells the pool receptionist Nia " if they don't like it they can go elsewhere" as we walked back to my cabana I tell my guest do not order anything from cabana instead go to the bar as I was not happy with the service. Manager Sofia then comes sees me at the cabana giving a half donkey apology for the service and then i confront her about the conversation I heard she stated she wasn't referring to us then after going back and fourth with her she stated that she was  sorry and what she meant was if we didn't like the cabana we were at we could go move to a different cabana" when in fact the cabana was not the issue the staff was the issue harassing my guest and myself and not treating the other cabanas with the same energy. Everyone one of my guest paid $50 to get in to the pool and 4 of my guest including myself had hotel reservations. As well as four guest ordering their own day bed. I then go to the pool middle bar and start crying of frustration to my gf who's ordering food there, and the manager again come up to us asking what she can do to help by now it's almost 4:45 pm pool closes at 6 pm what can you do? I replied, nothing, she then proceeded to tell us we will give you $100 food credit for the inconvenience to me that was just a slap in the face they offered us $100 food credit when kitchen was going to close at 5 pm makes no sense.  Sycuan promotes itself as a proud, longtime supporter , and devoted to spreading love and joy, ensuring people know Sycuan Casino Resort is a welcoming place for the LGBTQIA+ community. Your own site states you even donated money to San Diego Pride. That public commitment is exactly why I felt safe bringing my chosen family to celebrate my birthday, but In practice, I was mocked by management for voicing a concern, and treated as disposable. Other cabanas reached out stated the treatment we got was not same way they were be treated and offered to complain as well. Sycuan should do better. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

I came with family this Monday, which was Labor Day. This pool is beautiful and the set up is nice, the DJ was fantastic, good service. My complaints were: Why did they turn the music off 2 hours before the pool closed? I understand the DJ left but they could've had it on the speakers . Second, it was nearly impossible to acquire tubes for the lazy river. Maybe you guys should enforce a rule for patrons to leave the tubes in the water, instead of hogging them when not in use. Third, they should've kept the bar open until the pool closed! It's a holiday and people will keep spending if you make it available for them. The pool is wonderful, I will be back again to rent another cabana. Our server was amazing I forgot her name, Michele I believe. read more

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Horrible slow service at the pool and the bartenders/ servers are so rude especially a white male working Monday July 20 threw a fit because we modified an order, acted like a man child. Will be getting his name soon... so many bad reviews on their staff with generic manager message thanks for your review like no hire people who want to work??? read more

Wish I could say that I had a very different experience my second visit to this pool, but it was actually worse. We went for reggae Sunday which was a great vibe. The pool was packed and the wait staff was pretty non existent. Had to wave them down multiple times just to place a drink order. In addition the waitresses seem annoyed that you need more drinks or want to order food. We would of spent a lot more money had they just come over to check on us. It was so disappointing. Hope someone who cares does something about the lack of customer service at the pool. read more

This place is awesome! Best way to celebrate a birthday is with a pool cabana rental and a stay at this awesome resort. The Retreat Pool is exactly what it says, you are in an oasis of beautiful pools, jacuzzis, and a great lazy river. The ambiance Mon-Fri is chill, with a dj on Tuesdays mis day, that I know of. Friday it is the perfect day to come out and have a great and relaxing day at the pools. This whole setup is perfect. Cabanas come with a fridge filled with sodas, waters, and juices. There is a large screen tv, a sectional sofa, 2 sun loungers, a ceiling fan, a buffet server table, 3 small coffee tables, and an awesome cabana host. The host takes your food & beverage orders and also gives you insight on where the pools are, how to navigate the retreat, and is overall experience guide. We enjoyed a full day 10:30a-7p of fun and celebrating. Lazy river is small but super serene and awesome. Get your personal inner tube and cocktail and ride the serene lazy river in the sun to your hearts content! Food was DELICIOUS here. Guacamole is fresh made daily. Everything we had was delicious! Drinks are very well made. I recommend the "Mezcalita" Margarita...Tajin rimmed deliciousness. I decorated my cabana and they allow no glass vases nor outside food or drink. Mylar only balloons and birthday banners are also welcome. Our awesome Cabana Hostess, Olga, was AWESOME. She helped us decorate, and had great customer service! read more

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Great place for a staycation. Food and drinks are average in quality and price. I love coming here every summer. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - Excellent place for a staycation - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

Could not ask for a better person. Super funny, very kind, and knows all the coolest people everywhere. 5 Stars, would friend again. read more

Been coming for a couple years and yes it's changed. It USED to be chill now it's all about the waitresses stalking you to buy food and drinks..I get it that's their hustle, but common' some people just want to relax and not be bothered.... The pool seemed to be EXTRA warm this past week (maybe b/c more people), it was pretty crowded for a Tuesday and Wednesday. Mostly older, DRUNK people, several on oxygen tanks....but hey they gotta get out too! They allowed someone to bring in their own floaty which was cute..it was a shark, but it was big and if you allow one person you should allow all............ The food is expensive BUT, I have to say that is one of the best burgers I have every had, the Retreat Burger. It took over 35 mins for me to get it, but it was worth the wait. My server apologized and gave me a few refills of my soda for free b/c of it, so can't really complain. My only complaint is the music gets louder and louder as the day goes on, I didn't see much security walking around like I have in the past...and maybe get some sort of device if you need the waitress you can ping them (like a light on the chairs or something). They are either hawking your or they are hard to find......... I'll be back...I love floating and meeting new people! read more

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Just want to give props to our service hosts. Mon Sep 9 to Jazmin (or is it Jasmine?), and to "Z" on Mon Oct 7. Both were attentive and fantastic. We always enjoy the pool and they both made our experience even better. We always look forward to our stays at Sycuan. Until next season, we will see you again in April/May. Fyi daybed rentals are the way to go, one day we will have to do a cabana. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

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2025 update: Still terrible and bartenders can't make some drinks to save their lives. 5 drinks at over $15 each should make you feel something right? Not here. Expect overpriced watered down drinks. A 4th of July event that costs $75 and is unclear if you get food or drinks with this (probably not), are you out of your minds? Original review: This place used to be a lot better just a few years ago, had great bartenders and great events which don't exist any more (I'm looking at you, summer movie nights and Snoop Dogg DJing). Fast forward to today the staff aren't friendly, the bartenders suck and it's no longer worth the $25 just to get in. Current staff needs customer service training along with bartender training. One of the bartenders couldn't make a Mojito to save his life. I've had better Mojitos at dive bars. After he made it he said they were out of mint which is a key ingredient and should have been mentioned before making it, not after. He did not ask me if I had a rewards card and just charged me and my friend's drink on the same card without asking. After taking a sip of it I could tell right away it was awful, even if it had mint and decided to try to just have another drink made instead because it just tasted like watered down soda water. The bartender was insistent now on finding some mint which I guess now magically exists? He threw it in there and didn't care that I wanted a different drink at this point. It was in no way shape or form worth $17 (was supposed to be $15 with the rewards card that he did not ask if I had). I had another incident with a different bartender when trying to order a frozen Piña Colada which is on the menu. He informed me the frozen "machine" wasn't working yet basically wasn't cold enough because he just added ice recently but said it would be ready in about 10 minutes. 30 minutes go by and I try to order it again and he tells me it's still not ready. I ended up ordering a spicy margarita which wasn't spicy at all and he forgot the jalapeños. Now onto the gambling room which I took a look at only to see 5 (count em), 5 slot machines, no gamblers and no black jack dealer. Might be the saddest room I've ever seen. Overall with incompetent and not so friendly staff, overpriced drinks and admission, lack of events and gambling I cannot recommend "Retreat" Pool to anyone. read more

Although what you'll likely think of when you hear "Sycuan" -- and if you're familiar with it-- is gambling, that isn't what we came here for yesterday (09/03/22). Yesterday, we went for their Night Swim event. We just had to; it was their last night holding this event and with San Diego temperatures rising to all time high, this was an escape. It was a 21+ event (yay, no kids!), $40.00 per ticket (GA), live DJ, pool, and a lovely lazy river. Or so we thought... After the almost-40-minute drive through the windy roads of El Cajon, walking through the cigarette-scent lobbies of the casino, getting semi-lost (of course), and finally finding the pool/resort area... we checked in with ocean blue paper bands around our wrists. We walked over to the lazy river...only to discover that it was CLOSED. A few access points to it were barricaded. My fiancé walked over to a man pulling out some floaties and asked why it was closed. The man vaguely answered dismissively that it was just that - closed. Unsatisfied, I flagged done of the the waitresses in their white flippy skirts. She gave somewhat of a more detailed answer, "they don't have enough security" and "it's only open during the day." But... there were at least 4 security personnel walking around? And there was nowhere on Sycuan's website that said/says the lazy pool would be closed, nor are there are any hours posted (if there is, it's not EASY to find). As we sulked our way disappointedly in the dive pool (which isn't all that deep or big - that's what she said? - at all compared to Harrah's and we were just there last weekend), we watched more and more people going to the lazy river entrance. This happened all throughout the resentful two hours we were there All of them were turned down. At one point, one of their security personnel "guarded" the area. Again--not enough security? I call BS. We waded and people watched in the not-lazy-river dive pool until we eventually got fed up, packed up, and left. The DJ was OK and there was no way in hell we were going to buy overpriced drinks... Before we left the resort/spa area to grab dinner, we asked one of the ladies that checked us in (I saw her name tag but I will not disclose it) to ask why the lazy river was closed. She told my fiancé something... disgusting and disturbing... as to why the lazy river was closed... "Too many people were f*cking and we couldn't keep up with it." So, there you have it ladies and gents.... Too many people were, simply, just ho*ny. It is a 21+ up event, but that sounds like a, "yes, you should probably have lights and people around the lazy river at all times." We attempted to get a refund. After all, we were not provided the service (aka, the lazy pool and access to the lazy pool) during our visit. We paid $120.00 for all our tickets, ate dinner at the casino, and not to mention, our time and gas. I think what is incredibly annoying is that I had called a few hours before. Again, since we were just at Harrah's the weekend prior and we were allowed to bring our own floaties there, I assumed Sycuan would to the same... so, when I called, I only asked if there was an area or place where to inflate our floaties. The nice gal I spoke to said there isn't and that Sycuan provides their own floaties/no outside floaties allowed. Keep in mind that I told her I bought tickets for the night swim. She didn't mention anything about the lazy river being closed... No lazy river, no refund. All thanks to hor*y people and Sycuan's failure to provide enough security (come on--how many do you need?!)! Disappointing and not returning, but I'll be sure to come back to Harrah's. Cheers and please keep your private parts in your parts and away from public pools. read more

I had a great time here, drinks were good, and the atmosphere was perfect for a chill day by the pool, will definitely come back

Be aware that once you leave the pool area with a drink YOU BOUGHT AT THE POOL, they will not let you back in with that same drink. They claim that this is to stop people bringing their own drinks into the pool area, but they search you when you book in to the resort to make sure you aren't carrying any alcohol, so the only alcohol you actually have on the premises is alcohol YOU BOUGHT AT THE RESORT! Just idiotic behavior... Just avoid this place, it's an overpriced resort designed to milk as much money from you as they can, especially with their vastly overpriced drinks. read more

Do not come here to eat. We came here a couple months ago and thought it was excellent. However, our last visit was horrible. I had a food Comp and we wanted to dine outside. They hassled us at the entrance and wanted to charge us 30$/person just to eat here!!! Really?? I've been a player here for years and they were trying to turn us away unless we pay! Finally a nice security guy came over and escorted us to the bar/food area and said it's ok. Then we went to order food and saw they no longer carried some things we liked before. A male bartender was very nice to us and took our order, but then handed us over to a female bartender that was not friendly. She obviously does not like her job. Unfortunately, the food was not good. The coconut shrimp were terrible and tasted like frozen out of a package and the Buffalo wings tasted like they got from a frozen package as well. The chicken was dry and tough and the shrimp were tasteless. The burger was ok, and the fries were the best thing out of everything we ordered. We ordered a souvenir cup drink, and it was so packed with ice, it diluted the beer in our Michelada. There are better places to eat at Sycuan. Do not come here. I will not be back. read more

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It's a real shame I have to even write this. But here we go. Decided to book a room for 2 nights for my 31st Birthday. Was extremely disappointed in the level of service I received at the pool. We purchased a day bed, they never warn you about having to "pre authorize" your card, and then when you close your bill having to PAY AGAIN... that's absolutely ridiculous for your customers having to pay double because you guys want to preauthorize a $200 day bed like wtf! I understand the cabanas but a Day Bed??? Bullshit! I still haven't gotten my $250 back! Secondly, our server Saige was rude, unpleasant, spent her time playing on her phone near the bar, anytime we asked for anything included bottled water she made it seem as if we were asking her to do the most, as if we were inconveniencing her. We then asked her for our bill at the end. She gave us our bill, and just walked away, about to let us PAY DOUBLE!! We had a $200 food and drinks credit that wasn't applied and she didn't bother to explain to us that our card was already pre authorized... she was about to just let us PAY AGAIN! Also why TF does she deserve an automatic 18% tip... her service deserved $10 MAX!!! She barely did anything like what the hell!! It's a real disappointment I had such a bad time at the retreat pool. As a local in San Diego for 22 years, I definitely won't be recommending this casino or Retreat to ANY of my friends or family. Positives: the Bull and Bourbon steak house it's FANTASTIC!! We got the surf and turf and the lobster was insane!! One of the biggest lobsters I've ever seen plated. Fernanda at the front desk was helpful when we addressed our concerns to her, even though I think a $30 food credit was a little low for the amount of inconvenience and attitude we had to deal with from Saige. I recommend putting her in BOH because her hospitality and customer service was FAR below my expectations of a multi million dollar casino... read more

I updated my review to a 2 star , because if you come here on a bad day for their staff , you don't feel like this place is luxurious at all , frankly you feel very ripped off and annoyed. The last time I came here the staff were rude and offensive. It was quite shocking . After spending over $200 just on myself I was not very happy to be here . read more

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This place, located at the lazy pool area at the Sycuan Casino Resort, could be so much better if they would simply focus on quality of service. During my stay at the resort, I visited the Retreat a few times. One time I came for lunch and relaxation, and the other time pure relaxation a drink. The first time I came, I arrived in a wheelchair post knee surgery. I wheeled myself sat right out in front of the bar and grill's seating area. I had a seat in the anticipation that someone would bring me a menu and allow me to order. After waiting for about 15 minutes and watching server after server walk by me without even a glance nor a smile, I finally took the initiative and firmly but politely asked if I may see a menu, as a young lady walked by. She did not say a word, but walked over to the counter, picked up a menu, drop it off at my table, and then walked a way. I did not even have the opportunity to ask for water. What happen?? Was it the wheelchair that scared people off? It gets better. After waiting for another 15 minutes, none of the servers nor the lady behind the bar would ask if I would like to order anything. Please understand, I'm sitting there with menu in hand looking around for service. Finally, a young man, from the back of the house, mind you who was not one of the servers, finally comes over and asked if I would like to order something. I could tell he was a little concern over the lack of attention and service I was given. I finally ordered the Baja Chicken Sandwich with a side of fries, only because they were out of turkey for the turkey club I wanted. The turkey should of been fully stocked at the onset of opening. I arrived about that time. The Baja Chicken Sandwich was pretty good. It came with a tender chicken breast, pepper Jack cheese, pickle onions, shredded lettuce, oven roasted tomatoes, and guacamole for $12. It was a good sandwich and certainly worthy of better service. I was very fond of the roasted tomatoes and the tenderness and flavor of the chicken. Good seasoning. The fries too were very well seasoned and had a good crispy texture. However, one thing I did fine very distasteful was, while I was having my meal, the female bartender, I will not mention her name, starting laying F-Bombs several times regarding her ex-boyfriend with another employee. I was like really, "you are going to do this now," when I am not only trying to enjoy my meal at a "retreat" where I came to relax, but also where there are families and children within ear shot. I was literally floored. Not only was this unacceptable, but embarrassing for the resort. We need to demonstrate some class. The next day, I came again without the chair but with walking support. To make a long story short, it was not much better. You know, an employee from the resort, who had to leave the area for a meeting, brought me a drink that I wanted, had room service bring me some some extra pillows to support my leg, and she specifically told the staff to make sure to check on me, given I was not very mobile, to see if I needed a refill or anything else. Well no one ever came. They walked by countless times, even while holding my empty class, did anyone bother to ask if I wanted more to drink or anything else. I was there for over an hour and a half! I finally gave up, slowly went back to my room, and had me a little water. This whole experience was very sad, because here you have this beautiful lazy pool, cabanas, seating arrangements with comfortable recliners and sofas, and not to mention some pretty good eats, but it's all spoiled due to the lackluster service. Fortunately it's an easy fix. The servers need to be trained, to not only greet people with a smile as they walked around; but they need to be trained to clandestinely scan for patrons' needs, as they walk about on their duties. They need to look for patrons who may like to order, need a refill, have question, or simply to ask if they are enjoying themselves or need something, like a menu perhaps. Oh yes, and the employees need to keep their personal conversations out of ear shot. Save that for break time or after hours. This process is huge, if one wants to succeed in customer service and if an establishment; such as Sycuan Resort, wants to be considered a top rated resort and destination. In the end, I just want them to do better. 4 stars for the food & 2 stars for the service equals 3 stars overall. read more

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We've been here a lot. We've rented Day beds, cabanas, gone as hotel guests and attended concerts. We went yesterday and got a cabana for my daughter's bday. We were also staying 3 nights in the hotel. Check in for your cabana is 10:30 and they close at 5. We checked in a couple min after 10:30 and were taken to our cabana by the swim up bar pool, right next to the big hot tub. At 11:15 no waitress had greeted us so I went to the bar but you can't order from the bar toward your cabana. Period. You must order from your waitress. Went back to the front and asked about our server. I was told she was on her lunch break and would be back in 10-15min. Sooooo for an hour of being there you aren't allowed to order any food or drinks toward the cabana you are being charged $500 for??? Sounds like poor management. That's the theme here. You can tell it's poorly managed. Every time I've gone it's new servers and none of them seem to love what they are doing. They also have been out of something every time. This time it was Pina colada mix and coors light beer!! In East county! It's like they don't want to make money...or they are so arrogant about the money they are making they don't care?! Once the waitress arrived she apologized and promised to do a bunch of things to make it better...our cabana had no towels / the mini fridge was almost empty and dirty on the outside, noticeably dirty. None of those things happened without being asked again - and we never got any cans of coke cause SHOCKER - they were out of those too!! They also don't have non alcohol beer , outside at a pool. Again it screams very poor management. The waitress was sweet and came around pretty often but the drinks took forever to get - food came out so much faster. Food was delicious actually! It always has been every time we've been there. We love the ground beef tacos and the fish tacos. The burger & fries is good too!! Salads are good and the fruit cup was so fresh & tasty!! Wish I could give the kitchen 5 stars!! The waitress deserves more than 1 star but I can't do more than 1 star after repeatedly having service related issues and they never have what we want. It's a fun, beautiful pool but don't expect too much from the service or bar. That's been our experience. read more

The only thing good about this show was our service. The food is mediocre, the view blocked by employees the handicap sign palm trees and more and to top it off we had to pay to sit there but the people next to us used the daybed the whole time and didn't order anything. Don't book a daybed or cabana if you want to see the concert. Disappointed read more

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Let's summarize this review in one word: WOW! Got the tour of the pool, cabanas, and pool bars on Grand Opening day today -- everything is brand new and gorgeous. There's even a small meeting room next to the pool which would be great for a company offsite or other event. Unfortunately, the pool bars weren't open yet, but it looks like they will be a great place to hang out once they're up and running. While the pool and cabanas are only for hotel guests right now, I was told they will eventually have a day use fee for locals. If that's the case, we'll become regulars here. Also, I really like the fact that you don't pay a flat fee for the cabanas -- instead, there's a very reasonable food and beverage minimum. They built it and we will come! read more

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The whole new scene of day club is in San Diego as in Dip DayClub in the whole new Sycuan casino. It's totally how they do in Las Vegas, though I think the place is much bigger and stylish. Built with big crowds in mind, this place seems not gonna run out of space for people with a lot of water stations besides bars on one sides of it. Very organized, with servers trying their best to accomodate the visitors and some cool beats on the speakers. With water in the middle, with cabanas and daybeds and pool chairs, it's got a lot to offer while the party lasts. read more

Angelique is an AMAZING hostess when you rent the cabanas and day beds. Could not ask for better service. The food is decent poolside fare.The fish tacos are good, they give you 3 with chips and salsa. Good value. The vegan sliders are good too, fries hot. The souvenir cocktails don't get you too buzzed, alot of sugar. I recommend beer, wine or mixed drinks. The bloody mary is the one excellent souvenir drink. The lazy river is exactly that, you just float and relax. We had a great day. read more

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Update: received a call the next day 8/31/21 from manager Desiree to apologize for the misinformation the previous day and that a refund was being issued . That was nice of them to rectify the situation. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - The bf enjoying himself Prior to us being evacuated d/t thunder - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

My boyfriend and I were there on Saturday September 7th, 2024. We were so bummed to see that there were no floaties for the Lazy river. Which is the main point to go there. Everyone kept holding on to them. Several people had them in the Cabanas, other people had like 4, with no use. Very disappointed that management , didn't enforce people putting them where the go. We go there every year and this is the firs time , we experienced this and unfortunately a lot of people were just going into the lazy river without a floatie. There are two poles located right outside to place them, after you've already gotten into the lazy river, so other people can use them. It is not cheap t go there, when adding entrance, drinks, and food. read more

I had a terrible experience here this year. I come to sycuan's retreat pool and cabanas every year and i usually have a great time. However, this year the service was terrible. You should avoid coming here. Someone named Lauren was just awful. We kept seeing her walking around the entire time looking like she's judging all the guests as if she's better than everyone there. I asked her to get me a water, she never did and when i asked, she had a sour face. It is normal to ask for water as it gets very hot and the workers should not want their guests to get dehydrated and faint. I don't understand why she has such an attitude every time i am there. I later found out shes actually the manager which makes things even worse. As a manager, you should be nicer than the servers if anything and ensure things are running smoothly instead of letting guests overheat by not providing me with water. The last thing the manager should want is a guest to faint and call an ambulance....All lauren said was "ok" and never came back to me yet continued walking around with her head held way too high. I'm not sure why she didn't just tell me that i should ask a server or someone else, but regardless this left an awful taste in my mouth. Most of the servers are new and cant really answer questions on the menu or anything so don't expect help on that. read more

My fave casino pool in SD. They have a lazy river but the glories have been removed due to COVID. They even have an adult pool but doesn't matter right now because I think you have to be 21+ to be on the premises. The adult pool doesn't look like it has a jacuzzi but there is one at the main pool. They have bathrooms, bar, and food to order. Servers walk around as well if u don't want to walk up to the bar. There's bar seating and a few umbrella high bar tables near the bar. Pool lounge chairs have been spaced out for social distancing. There's tall palm trees providing some shade for the open seating. They also have day beds and cabanas for reservations only. Current operating hours mon-wed 9-6p. Thurs- sun 9- sunset I believe. Website says Friday nights they have dive in movies for a fee. You also need a pool key to enter the pool. One key per person. We stayed at the hotel, so it was free for us but I don't know what the limit is for pool keys per room. I believe they offer day passes for a fee. They took our pool keys as we entered and provided towels. They asked for our room numbers as they have a binder that holds the pools keys. The day we checked out of the hotel, they allowed us to keep the pools key still for the day. Just have to return it to front desk as it costs $50 per key unreturned. It's hot out but there's a nice breeze at the pool. Don't forget to sign up for sycuan rewards card. U may get a discount on purchases. Forgot to mention they have coasters on the side tables that have QR code to scan to view the food and alcohol menu on your phone. Reservations and pricing can also be navigated through that webpage. We ordered the small platter - comes with mozzarella sticks, buffalo wings, coconut shrimp celery and carrots, side fries and side onion rings. Cobb salad. Everything came out in to go containers, plastic wrapped utencils, condiments in sauce cups. Water bottles, I asked for ice tho, so they brought that in cups and straws. We were so full and the cobb salad was ordered late and came out late. By that time, we were full. Everything tasted good. They have a fries or onion ring platter, but they don't let u combine. I was surprised the sides were huge potions but they were pricier $8 and $10. So at least they weren't stingy about it. The buffalo wings were a joke size size, hey looked cute in half and my husband pointed out that they look like wings cut in half to look like drummettes because they separate each half with a bone. It's in my photo. Wings were good tho! I work what a regular order would've looked like. We just spoke with our host friend that says they limit capacity at the pool. And the weekends are packed. So even if u have a pool key, u may not get in. read more

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On our previous stay we were hotel guests and we just came to the pool to get a bite to eat. They had just opened the pool area and the staff was super friendly. There was no charge (normally $30 Per person, Yikes!!!) to enter the pool area since we were staying on property. We had calamari, a burger and a shrimp cocktail. All were amazing and delicious. So fast forward to last Monday we came to enjoy the calamari again. Staff said sorry, not on the menu any longer. This is when it all when down hill. We had once nice gentleman helping us take our order and then said this lady will help you finish. Sadly, she must of been having a bad day, as she seemed angry and didn't want to be there. She never smiled and the rest of the staff seemed like they hated their jobs. It's was an entirely different staff than we had previously, so that should tell you something. We decided on chicken wings, a burger and coconut shrimp. The coconut shrimp was not even close to coconut shrimp, it was a previously frozen shrimp like Mrs Paul's. The burger wasn't even close to what we had previously and the wings were something out of a costco package from Tyson. Flies were covering the entire bar and food tables, so be prepared for that if u go. Even the angry bartender was swooshing all the flies away. It was a complete 360 from the last time we came here. The souvenir drinks are filled with ice right to the top of the cup. Only two shots come with your $30 drink in a 32oz cup. This equals a major rip-off and very weak drink. I'm not sure if the workers here are hired by Sycuan or by an outside company, but they are the most unfriendly group of staff I have ever seen. Do yourself a big favor and avoid this pool Retreat. It's not fun, nor is it relaxing. read more

Very upsetting. Came here to lay by the pool and get poolside service. I had to several times go up and find someone for service. I just see the girls just hanging out with each other talking instead of making rounds to ensure the guests are taken care of. I have asked too many times to order drinks / food. Zero tip for them when I feel like I'm working for myself. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - All they do is just talk to each other and hang out instead of asking if us need anything. - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

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08/07/21 - No kids allowed. We came here and booked a cabana for a birthday celebration. I would've rated it higher but as you will see from my review, the three stars may even be too much. The minimum for the cabana was $400 towards food and beverages not including the tax and gratuity. We went there for their "night swim" which all the guests had to pay $40 each to stay from 6pm-10pm. They have a DJ playing music and they had the UFC fight on T.V. For a big group, this is a good deal, since the alcohol alone can eat up majority of the budget. I enjoy the pool here at Sycuan. They have a lazy river and two other pool areas, one of those has the bar in the pool for easy ordering. Staff is always so friendly too. All good things.. except for our stay this past Saturday. Just a quick tip if you decide to do this cabana thing. Make sure you already have your food orders situated, double check to make sure you receive everything and keep a really good watch on the bill. We didn't have a big group so it was easy to monitor. We also made sure to check with our host to make sure we didn't go over our minimum. I was the sober one in the group, so it was my responsibility. Everything was good until we settled the bill. They told us they can accept three forms of payment. So we had cash, a gift card and a credit card for payment. The rest of the amount was going to be charged to the room. When we received the final receipt, the cash amount was off by $100. Good thing I brought this to our server's attention and she still had the cash in her fanny pack. Aside from this situation, she also charged the amount to the room to the credit card we gave her. She supposedly caught it and they eventually sorted it out. We were the last ones there other than the workers. Our host said that the computer was acting up. She told us that the additional charge to the credit card should disappear. Here comes Monday and my friend who had stayed over, found TWO additional charges to her room and the lady that owned the credit card, found one additional charge to her credit card. They called Sycuan and was told that they don't see the charges on their end and will have to wait till it goes through. Now, they have to file fraudulent charges on both of their cards because of this. This is not worth all the hassle. I am glad I did not use my credit card because I will probably go through the same thing. Sycuan, please sort this out. I would hate to think that your customers are being robbed of their money just because they may be drunk or something. That $100 that was "missed" was in cash and could've easily been pocketed if I didn't contest it. So anyway, the lesson to be taken from this review is to make sure someone is watching the bill. Keep your host accountable for all the charges. read more

I've been to the pool during the day a few times and it's always been a great time. My review is for the Night Swim. It's advertised that it's open from 6-11. And that there's a DJ playing until 11pm. We got there and were informed the lazy river closes at 6pm. No where do they tell you this on their website. The poolside bar was also closed. The DJ stopped playing at 8pm. He literally just walked out and none of the staff knew why. Then we were told they would be Ian early because there weren't enough people there. It wasn't very crowded but now I can see why. Why would I pay regular price ($40) when everything is closed and we only were able to stay for 4 hours?? Also the bar service was terrible. We were the only ones at the bar several times and were ignored. We had the flag the bar tender down to get a drink and even then they'd grab one of our orders and then walk away. I understand when it's really busy but the place was dead. There was no excuse to ignore us. When you go during the day you have access to all the amenities and it's open much longer and you pay the same price. We had someone visiting from out of state and I was pretty bummed that we waisted our time and money on this place. I'll never come back for the night swim it's basically just an over priced pool with crappy service. read more

Retreat Pool & Cabanas - This is what's advertised for the Night Swim. - New American Near Me - El Cajon, California

First time here & I have to say, the pool service is lacking. There's no obvious place to order potteries I would have done that but there's servers walking around and don't think for a second that they ask for help, your trying to flag them down. They need more training and help, otherwise I may never come back. The whole point to your strict rules of no food and drink that Sycuan doesn't allow us fine but then step up your damn service so I can get a drink and food! If your going to offer poolside drinks and food, don't you want your patrons happy? Guess not... read more