For fifty-one years this legendary California resort has been on the short list of serious spa devotees. LUXETIGERS' Victor Vargas walks through the Golden Door and discovers the reasons.

Few spas enjoy a loyal clientele that spans generations and even fewer can be called pioneers in the spa world but the original Golden Door Fitness Resort has managed to do both for 51 years. Since its inception back in 1958, the Golden Door in Escondido, California has served as a haven for mind, body, and spirit. Over the years, it has been host to Hollywood celebrities, New York fashion editors, international socialites, and countless CEOs. Most importantly, the resort has set the bar that world-class spas and their cuisine are measured by to the present day. Inspired by the culture of ancient Japanese Honjin inns, the property is serene and minimal in design with a soothing color palette. A Koi pond, meticulously landscaped courtyards, and various gardens surround the guestrooms, gyms, and common areas in the immediate compound while the surrounding natural rustic beauty of the terrain covers three hundred and seventy-seven acres in Northern San Diego County.