New poll ranks Pechanga Resort best casino west of Vegas

Pechanga Resort and Casino in Southern California has been named the Best Casino West of Las Vegas, the second-best Hotel Casino Outside of Vegas and the fourth-best Casino Hotel, according to a USA Today series of polling on “Best Of” categories for US casinos.

The top three venues in the category Best Casino Hotel were Mohegan Sun, in Connecticut; Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, and Foxwoods Resort Casino, in Connecticut. Pechanga finished fourth, the only California casino to be ranked on the list.

The list was the result of a panel of casino industry experts partnering up with USA Today’s 10Best editors to pick the initial nominees, while the top 10 winners were determined by popular vote.

Pechanga first opened its doors in 2002, maintaining a positive image throughout its nearly two decades of history: since the inception of the USA Today lists in 2015, the casino has been on the Top 10 every year. In fact, in 2015, it secured the No. 1 spot.

But this new poll isn’t the only one recognizing the venue. In 2021, Pechanga also ranked as the best Southern California resort and casino by the Press-Enterprise, Orange County Register and Los Angeles Times, reports CBSLA.

“It is a true honor to be voted the best in the west,” said Andrew Masiel, Sr., President of the Pechanga Development Corporation in a new statement. “Being named the best comes because of the hard work and dedication our team members demonstrate and we are grateful for each and every one of them.”

The casino resort is equipped with 200,000-square feet of casino floor, and features 1,100 hotel rooms and suites. It further has over four acres of pool complex, a luxury spa and on-site championship golf course Journey at Pechanga.

Moreover, it is home to 12 restaurants, plus indoor and outdoor spaces for concerts and other events. It is also strategically located minutes from Temecula Wine Country, which features dozens of wineries and vineyards.

The casino has recently undergone a massive renovation, which saw expansion on almost every level of operation. The latest part of the plan, finished earlier this year, saw renovation in the 532 rooms of the casino resort’s original hotel building.

Fifteen new rooms were added to the building, bringing Pechanga's total number of hotel rooms and suites to 1,100, "the most of any Southern California casino property," according to casino officials.