This place is beautiful! Now considering I had just a normal room (didn't even have a ocean view) it still cost an arm and a leg and wasn't very impressive. However the linens are something else, there are no words to describe the luxary of it. Go to the gift shop and buy yourself a bath robe, it will quickly become a prized posession.
The food is amazing, if you can afford the lobster, splurge!!!
The staff treats like you like you're worth a million bucks even if you're not.
Just walking through the lobby is an experience.
The pool is beautiful, there is a spa inside the hotel as well.
The beach is clean, the view is amazing.
If you're looking for a nice weekend get away that is local to Southern California, this is the place. If you are visiting in the area and want to stay someplace that is above par, this is your place.
I can't wait till I can come back.
Ritz Carlton Nail Salon. I enjoyed the Ritz Carlton Pedicure although pricey at $100. I was disapointed in the Classic Manicure as it wasn't really any better than a cheap one but cost $50. The great thing about going to the Ritz Spa is that you can use their facilities including the pool all day. That is worth the money.
Review Source:I have stayed here a few times, and although the rooms are no big deal (actually a little disappointing...especially the shower/tub combo), the views are lovely, and I get the most incredible feeling when I walk into the lobby, or anywhere throughout the hotel...fresh gorgeous fragrant flowers everywhere. Beautiful and unique arraignments every 10-15 feet. I LOVE that. And it smells so wonderful when you walk around.
Service is attentive, but not intruding.
My hubby and I are regulars to Laguna Niguel/Dana Point. I also always meet up with my girlfriends from LA here since I'm in SD and this is the halfway point and a beautiful town to hang in. I hate writing negative reviews especially about a Ritz...
Ok I know 2 stars may seem a bit low for a ritz. This was my first stay at this particular hotel in Laguna/Dana Point...But let's be honest here, with the name comes an expectation. We stayed here on Saturday night and got the firepit oceanside room expecting a very romantic room with incredible amenities for the price we were paying. Well our expectations were definitely not met. The room did not have anything out of the norm except for the firepit. On the website it looks like the ocean would be right outside your balcony but in reality there's the balcony and then there's a lawn with chairs where hotel guests can sit and look at the ocean. So basically I paid $$$ to stare at people staring at the ocean. The most annoying part was that kids were running around on that lounge while hubby and I were trying to enjoy our balcony and supposed "oceanside" room...talk about false advertising.
For the amount I paid (you pay higher for these rooms than the other rooms on the property b/c of the firepit) I would have expected way more privacy. Now moving to the inside of the room, small, the bathroom was nothing extravagant. I've seen better at Westins and Hiltons...yes lower ranking hotels. No coffee in the rooms, no mini bar just 2 bottles of water and an icebucket. The bath tub had a shower curtain and was not really that luxurious. It's sad b/c I was really looking forward to the luxury experience here and did not feel that it met the price point at all. 2 stars for the nice bellboys and valets. The grounds are nice but the views are better at the Montage down the street. Oh and on top of my hefty room bill I had to pay for valet parking...um when you're throwing down $$$ for a room you would think they would include parking??
This is an amazing place to stop for a bite to eat and the view. Â I haven't stayed at the hotel yet, but stopped on road trips to get lunch or dinner. Â The view from the restaurant to the left of the lobby bar is phenomenal. Â I could spend all day by those windows. Â It's tough to get in there though, so a reservation is recommended. Â We stopped over the weekend in the evening hoping to get a window seat but they were full. Â We went across the hallway to the Marketplace where they serve paninis and other small treats, desserts, etc. Â The fireplace was going and very inviting. Â The sandwiches were delicious, and pricey. Â But, this is the Ritz, so I wasn't expecting a bargain.
If you ever get the chance to visit this property, you won't be disappointed!
Ritz Carlton Dana Point is breathtaking and beautiful. Â If I would ever get married again I would choose this venue. Â I came here as a guest for an event and fell in love with the charm of the hotel, view, and food. Â The service was impeccable and the rooms are charming. Â Everything about this hotel is perfect and beautiful. Â Aside from the Ritz Carlton in Kapalua this is my second favorite Ritz. Â LOVE IT!
Review Source:Overall:
This review is only on the event portion of the hotel. Take into account that I only went to one event room and can't compare to the rest they may have. I came here one weekend to attend my dad's cousin wedding. Once we arrived, the valet people who took our car greeted us and they immediately asked for our names and were escorted by one of the ladies who took us to our destination. The hotel itself from the inside was very sophisticated and elegant, and I felt like I just hit the lottery. The view from the wedding was overlooking the beach, which made for wonderful pictures. However, it was very uncomfortable sitting outside facing the hot sun, while my dad's cousin was reading her vows with her fiance. It was also difficult to hear the pastor/minister/priest (not sure who it was). I'm surprised that such a fancy and expensive hotel, didn't even give fans/umbrellas for us to sit outside.  At least, if you're going to make us wait outside in the sun, than start the ceremony faster. They did  have water on the side that you had to get up and get, but everyone was using their wedding pamphlet to block the sun from their face. Once everything was done, we were waiting to have the reception in their exclusive ballroom, which wasn't going to occur for another two hours. The awesome part was being able to drink alcohol freely (only giving tip) at the open bar outside the ballroom, eating hors d'oeuvres and taking wonderful beach photos during the sunset. Â
Once the reception started, I believe there was a jazz band playing in the ballroom. I was also impressed that they served Moscato sweet dessert wine, which I've never seen at a wedding (especially it being quite expensive per bottle). The ballroom is quite small and wouldn't accommodate a huge party. I think there must have been only 100 people total. People were able to drink alcohol freely throughout the whole night until 11pm or 12am at the outdoor bar. I remember eating a corn soup, salad and steak that night. I love corn soup, so I enjoyed this quite well, but the steak was dry in my opinion. I was quite disappointed.
Although the location is beautiful, I don't think I would ever have my wedding here considering what we had to go through sitting outside with the older relatives in the blistering sun. I ended up getting sunburnt on my face that lasted for a week. It had a beautiful view, but I still haven't seen the rest of the hotel. I would like to try the hotel rooms and see how they are like, but that will be another review some other day.
Our family has made a tradition of celebrating many holidays at the Ritz-Carlton not only here in Laguna Niguel, but in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Â This past Thanksgiving our tradition came to an end due to our unusual experience at Laguna Niguel. Â Our family & friends of 9 celebrated Thanksgiving here in Laguna Niguel in the lower level banquet hall, paid over $1200 (+they added on an additional 18% tip and left space on the charge card for me to add an additional tip, which I felt 18% was sufficient), it was very fancy, elegant, service was OK, nothing outstanding and some of the food was below average. I'll start off with the positive, the scallops that were cooked in front of you were excellent. Â The pasta ravioli was excellent. Â That's about it for excellent. Â All the other food did not seem to be up to Ritz-Carlton standard. Â The pastries were absolutely beautifully decorated, but bland tasting, they seemed to have been prepared days ahead. The sushi/sashimi did not seem to be the best quality as we've had in the past. I notified their manager a few days later and she replied that I was the only one complaining. Imagine this....we had 9 people in our party and it was unanimous the food was not to Ritz Carlton standard. Â The manager had the top chief manager call me, it was the same answer, he stated I was the only one complaining. Â That was really no answer, it made me feel like a liar. Â I told many neighbors, family and friends, all stated that I should call the Ritz Carlton and they should do something about it, well they did, they apologized and said "hope to see you in the future". Â Note that Ritz Carlton was decorated beautifully, just that their food was below standard comparing what we've had in the past. Staff was OK but at times our dishes piled up at the table. Once I had to walk over to the waitress and give her some used plates from our table. Coffee as always was delicious, too bad the pastry was not.
Review Source:My family and myself stayed at the Ritz C. Laguna N. from the11-24-12 till  the 11-26-12. Very nice beautiful and peaceful Resort . All the staff is very kind and gracious . The check inn was not so quick (we missed the  pre wedding cocktail reception) and they promised PS 3 game box( which I had asked for 6 weeks earlier) which was not available by check in. My son was off course disapointed!! On Sunday night we had dinner at the restaurant raja , the chicken soup was cold ! Everything else what we ordered was 3 star worth ! The Hotel is very clean and the staff is great ... I would stay again and we are planning to go around Mai again . I just hope that those smaller issues are getting worked on ! I would recommend this hotel to all family's with children!!!! Great job , thanks to the management and their teams
Review Source:Very rarely does a Ritz Carlton dissapoint. That's the great thing about paying $500 per night to stay somewhere ... it might cost twice or three times what the place down the street does, but you are 90% sure everything is going to be perfect everytime. This is so at the Ritz at Laguna Niguel (technically its in Dana Point).
The rooms here aren't ultra-luxurious. I'd compare them to a very nice Hilton or Marriott ... but the grounds of the resort are what you'd come back for. I stayed at the Ritz one night and the Pelican Hill Resort on another. It's hard to completely blow any Ritz Carlton out of the water but Pelican Hill managed to do it. If you want to stay one place in the Newport Beach area and money is no option, Pelican Hill is the way to go. However, the Ritz does have dramatic cliffside views of the ocean, whereas Pelican Hill doesn't really. So ... that may be a factor as well.
The view doesn't get much better than the Ritz Carlton Laguna. The same thing that makes the Ritz views amazing might be a deterrance for some people because the beach is at the bottom of a very high cliff. You have to call for a golf cart type thing to take you to the beach and pick you up from the beach. I'm pretty sure you can't walk there. This might be annoying to those who want to take a quick walk on the beach to watch the sun set.
Some of the most fantastic sunsets can be seen from the white Aderondak chairs perched at the top of the cliff. Or ... the BEST VIEW in the house is upstairs on the roof deck restaurant. Despite seagulls who will literally swoop down and take food off your plate ... the view here is worth it. I'd put the view from the rooftop bar at one of the best sunset viewing spots I have run across. Unfortunately, the awkward set up of this area makes it kind of hard for everyone to enjoy who is dining there with larger tables being occupied by couples next to the rail ... but if you go up there around sunset you are really in for a treat. You can stand and have drinks or take pictures and there are comfortable lounge couches with tables and those tall heaters.
One suggestion is to make sure that the table is wiped down as soon as you sit there. I sat at a table and the waitress came and put the bowl of handmade potato chips down and I noticed there were fresh seagull droppings on the table. Not exactly the most appetizing chips and dip combo. Ugh.
I like the rooftop restaurant better than the actual restaurant inside ... however, it isn't as easy to find as one would think. And it isn't really advertised as a rooftop restaurant. Its called the H20 Lounge or something like that.
The food choices are very good in the main restaurant ... tapas style ... or entee portions. Avoid the burger which sucks. it is dry and tasteless and impossible to eat because it has a runny fried egg on the top. Everything else on the menu looked good.
Even if you are not going to drop $300 - $500 per room ... its worth it to go here and eat dinner or lunch and watch the sunset. I believe valet parking is only $5 if you purchase food in the restaurants and you can also walk around the grounds and see the amazing views.
Love, love, love this hotel!!!
This place feels so magical. Maybe because it sits right off the coast of the Pacific Ocean. The Ritz exudes luxury to a tee. The staff is phenomenal! The restaurants and bar are amazing!
This place can do no wrong in my book. It's no wonder the BF an I keep coming back here time and time again.
An amazingly beautiful place on the water. I came to a wedding here and both the luncheon on the lawn, the ceremony against the water (though entirely covered by fog), the 404 bar upstairs, and the reception area were awesome.
The valet service was also really good and dealt with tons of people at once in an efficient manner.
Would love to stay here sometime. Beautiful place.
Visited with my husband on a spontaneous getaway! The customer service was excellent the rooms were nice but it smelled like tobacco and the bed was squeaky when it came to love making :/ I gave it a 5 because of the breathtaking ocean view and OH we had a baby eagle chilling on our balcony!
Review Source:This review is specifically for 180 blue bar where I had dinner with my husband & some family.
The service was really good, the food was decent, definitely a variety. The view was spectacular, that is probably the best part of the whole meal. It is a gorgeous outside bar (with heaters at night for when it gets chilly) that overlooks all of Laguna's homes on the cliff as well as the ocean.
It is just completely beach front view. Awesome. Amazing. Gorgeous.
A good place to go, enjoy a drink or a quick bite, they've got a lot of appetizers, open fire pits with gas heated fires, really peaceful & definitely romantic.
They had live music come around sunset which was also really nice, the guy was doing mostly covers which is fine by me! He had an extremely good voice & it was a perfect vacation-y feel the the palm tree atmosphere as well as the beach at sunset.
Absolutely amazing. Â Decided to have my first lux vacation here last weekend through Monday. Â Every single thing was perfect. I was definitely Reaganing for 4 straight days.
First off the weather couldn't have been better. The room was immaculate, staff impeccable, and grounds extremely beautiful. Â Every morning I woke up and did yoga in the gazebo on the edge of the cliff, had an amazing breakfast at Raya, drank by the pool, and took a drive in the afternoon to Laguna to the shops, restaurants, and beach. Â
Definitely stay club level if you decide to go! Â They serve free breakfast, lunch, mid-day snack, twilight lite dinner, and dessert hour. Â Oh ya and free booze! Seriously all the money you will save by snacking here will save you the extra cost. Â
One disappointment was the restaurants. Â 180blu's menu was Raya's menu, and enoSteak wasn't amazing or that different. Â So make sure to rent a car, as off-site options are limitless..
Can't understand giving this establishment anything less than 5 stars. Â I definitely felt like a king for all of 96 hours. Â Won't hesitate to be back again in the future..
Indians taking over, wedding season wrapping up. Great venue for wedding receptions, unlike any other. Beach front is normal but from the cliff it's definitely something else. 180 degree view of the pacific is breathtaking. The staff of course is amazing. The wife and I have had dinner on several occasions here as well. Can't say enough about it.
Review Source:I've wanted to stay at this Ritz location for a long time, and I finally did for my birthday. The hotel is beautiful and the views of the ocean are unparalleled. Our room was nice, but the bathroom wasn't my favorite because the lighting was not great. We had a great ocean view from the balcony too. I would definitely stay here again. The concierge did say they updated the rooms recently but it didn't really look like it. The rest of the hotel is really nice, though.
Review Source:This review is for the dinning areas.
I Had the pleasure of coming here not too long ago, and it's as good as it gets! Classy, professional, and as the one of the many old sayings go...you get what you pay for! The service was excellent, the decor flawless, entrance, grand, not to mention, clean, neat and organized and flowers spectacular. A+ all the way! I look forward to my return visit.
The outside grounds of this hotel are breathtaking with a beautiful 180 degree view of the ocean!
The inside of the hotel is kinda weird.
A mix of old and new, trendy and dated.
From one point of view, it looks modern and trendy.
But if you cross the room and look back at it from a different angle, it looks dated and old.
Hmm...maybe I need to get my eyes checked?
I expected the lobby and front of the hotel to be more grand but it was just plain and low key.
The floral displays in the lobby were beautiful though.....I wonder if they were Jeff Leatham inspired?
He's an AMAZING florist!
Great service.
Nice rooms .
Friendly staff.
My only compliant is the shower/bathtub. Â First of all it was a little weird considering the front desk said these were "new" rooms. Â But my main complaint was that they use the curved shower poles to try to make it seem more luxurious but put them too close to the wall so your arms still touch the shower curtain. Â I mean really, what's the point then, right? Â I've seen that at low budget hotels but never at a five star hotel.
Hint: those curved poles were designed to give you MORE room, not less!
I had an ocean view king size bed.
Great hotel, even by RC standards! We stayed in the Ritz-Carlton Suite and it was comfortable. Not too big, but it is a one bedroom with a living room. You also get RC lounge access. Interior was very nice, neutral colors. Typical of an RC. The bathroom was all white marble, although I wish the marble floors were heated. We stayed during the holiday season and they also had a mercedes SL for you to use while you stay there. That's pretty convenient. Also, being able to walk to the beach from your back porch is so fun! Your back porch area is like a little backyard, complete with grass and everything. And it's wonderful to hear the beach at night. Very romantic. Did not try any of the spa services since we were short on time, but will definitely try to next time! All in all, it was a wonderful stay.
What sets this apart from all other RC's is the impeccable view. Really. I mean, maybe RC's in Hawaii can compare... but that's about it. Really spectacular. Definitely will return!
Excellent service and gorgeous ocean side views!
But...
Their events department sucks ass! I had to pay $15 for valet parking for a wedding I went to (I wasn't supposed to be charged in the first place) and granted they sent out a letter stating a refund check would be on its way, but its been 3 months!
I've called the events person Britney Thomas several times, left several messages and rarely got a response. When I did reach her over the phone, she would say "I'll call you back today and let you know", but nope, nothing. It was like she was avoiding me. I had to contact the accounting department directly and I did get more responsive people there, but still no check. Just like any other business, when it comes to taking your money, they want it now, but when it comes to giving it back, they'll get to you when they get to you, well at least for their events department. I didn't get a room here, but I'm sure the front desk is courteous and friendly like most hotels, especially one of this caliber.
Very disappointed Ritz-Carlton.
Short Story...
- Great Service
- Amazing Views
- Very Small Outdated Rooms
- Way Overpriced for what you get (Montage is a better value)
- In room amenities - None. Two bottles of warm water. That's it. No mini bar, no wine glasses, no wine opener, nothing.
Long Story...
We usually stay at the Montage and love it. However, last time we were in Laguna we had a cocktail at the Ritz at their new outside bar and it was really amazing. Great view, great drinks. Very nice spot for a cocktail at sunset.
This trip we decided to stay at the Ritz to try something new. We used Centurion card to book a $995 a night ocean view standard room. Â Although there were some amenities given, we were told they had no upgrades available. No problem, although it's $995 for a standard room and we usually get upgraded to a suite for that price, Â it's peak season....I get it.
So we pull up to Valet after a long drive to Laguna on a Friday afternoon. The valet guy is great and a bellman helps us immediately. We get to the front desk and were greeted immediately and checked in. So far, so good! The girl at the front desk tried to get us an upgrade (very nice of her) but was told by management that none were available. Cool...that's what we expected. No worries.
We walk to our room, open the door and this is where things go wrong given the price point and status of this hotel. Â Our room is very small, outdated and actually has a bit of an oder to it. Bathroom has a tub/shower combo with a shower curtain. Again, weird for this caliber of room and price point. To make things worse, we have two double beds instead of a King (which was guaranteed as part of our reservation). The bell guy arrives and we tell him to hold tight while we sort this out. He was great and totally understood.
We go back to the front desk with bell guy in tow and speak with the same girl. Again, she was very nice and after going into the back again, she said was able to move someone and got us a king room. Â We get to the new room. Same deal as the other room, but with a King bed. Slight odor, outdated, carpet was a little dingy, etc.
At this point, I've accepted that this place was going to be a disappointment, but will make the best of it. Now I just want to have a drink and relax. I go to what I think is the mini bar, but it's just an empty fridge. Not even a bottle of cold water. I call downstairs and order some water and a snack (since there was nothing to munch on in the mini bar). They say it's going to be 35 minutes...annoying considering we really just waned a cold water and some almonds to hold us over to dinner in a couple hours.
Luckily, I brought my own wine so my wife and I decided to pop a bottle and enjoy a glass while waiting for our order. After looking around, I realize there are no wine glasses in the room and no bottle opener (very standard for this price point room). So I call downstairs again. They tell me they can bring it up with our order in 35 minutes. Now we're sitting in our room waiting for items that should have already been there to begin with .
When the water and snacks come, I see that they charge 21% gratuity plus a $5.00 service charge! I normally tip 20% anyway, so it's not the amount that really bothers me but that they are auto adding 21%. I stay at the best hotels in the world and it's pretty standard to add 15% - 18%. Never seen 21% and the $5.00 delivery charge is just  ridiculous. This morning we ordered a pot of coffee and a fruit plate and it was $50 with all of their add ons. Not the price, but the principal of it that bothers me.
Don't get me wrong, the Montage is very expensive as well, but at least the rooms are top notch and you get all the expected amenities. Â
All things considered, the Montage blows away the Ritz in Laguna. Not even close.
2.5 stars - Before you question this, I'm comparing the Ritz to other "5 star resorts" so read on....
I really, really wanted to love this Ritz but I just couldn't. Don't get me wrong, it is a Ritz so it's definitely nice but compared to other 5 star resorts, it's lacking. And I'm definitely not a hotel snob having stayed at hotels across the spectrum from the Oriental in Bangkok (consistently voted world's best), Pelican Hill, Four Seasons to The Hampton Inns so I have a good idea of what a 5 star resort should offer. I stayed here for 8 days and here's the breakdown:
Decor:
Lobby is gorgeous - Floral displays are top notch. I can't say enough about the views and the only reason it got 2.5 stars.
Rooms:
Nice but  generic, the bathrooms are a little dated - it's odd to see a tub/shower combo - that something I would expect at a mid range Marriott or Sheraton but not the Ritz. Walls and doors are thin because I could hear everything in the hallway!!
Toiletries are just average - nothing to bring home, what you would get at a Sheraton. Maid service is pretty good though.
Service -
Inconsistent among the departments. Â For some reason the staff is overwhemingly pretty, young, tan, and Caucasian. (Hey I have no problem being served by any ethnicity, but kind of weird not to see hardly any diversity). Â Most of the staff and waiters in the lounge area, pool and beach area, coffee bar, valets and bellboys seem to be college kids on their summer job so maybe that's the problem with the inconsistencies. Â
Everyone is super friendly and there is plenty of staff in the hotel but they seem super clueless. Â Case in point, our lounge waiter didn't know how to uncork a bottle of wine and yet another kept getting our orders wrong. I kept having to ask for water and bread and to even have our table wiped off bc it was still dirty from the previous customers.
The pool staff is even worse. It takes forever to get anything served and the pool/beach guys just kind of stand around talking to each other.  I walked past 5 of them while struggling to hold a squirmy baby in one hand and push a  stroller full of stuff with my other hand and not one offered to push the stroller for me to the elevator.  Sure, they all smiled and said "Hi" but if you see a guest who could use some assistance - DUH!!!
I would say the valets and bellboys were actually the best at customer service. Very attentive, friendly and fast.
Restaurants:
Good but not amazing. The kitchen is slow. Â Even at the "coffee snack bar" I had to wait a while for my panini. Â I was a bit annoyed that with 3 "baristas" standing behind the counter and no other customer waiting, I had to get my sandwich myself from the bar. Â Couldn't he have walked it out to where I was sitting in front of the televsion instead of calling my name out and having me go to the counter?? Â Oh and how can I forget the worst food poisoning I've ever had??? Â I ordered a latte and the milk must have been rancid because I spent the whole night throwing up both ways if you get my drift. Â No one else in my party had the latte except me and we didn't eat anywhere else except for the Ritz that day.
So, I rest my case. I kept waiting to get wowed by the food and service but it never really happened. So, if the Ritz Laguna could just get their staff up to snuff, this could be worthy of 4 or even 5 stars.
The view from this place is SICK. Â It reminded me of Santorini, the way you are up on the cliff, looking at the ocean and cliffside below. Except here, there is actually a nice beach.
I can't imagine having a wedding here. Â It's so gorgeous.
Just a beautiful hotel and everyone treated us like royalty (I suppose because they thought we were rich enough to afford staying there. Little did they know.......... we were comped. HAH!)
There is a nice pool at ground level and our room opened right into the pool area. Â Of course this isn't as desirable as a room with an ocean view, and its a lot noisier. But they closed the pool at 10 (I think) so it's not too bad.
Started out great! Â Fun at the pool with our nanny. Â She left and we went to dinner. Â Angry waitress, Elizabeth, that I tried to bond with. Â Had a glass of wine while dinning with my husband, 4 year old and 3 year old. Â Ordered a second glass that my 4 year old knocked over. Â Ordered a third and was refused. Â My husband was told, while I carried me sleeping 3 year old to bed, that our table was loud and we dropped a drink.
Spoke with the manager, Drew. Asked him to come to my room to judge my sobriety. Â He did not and stood behind the restaurant manager. Â Will never stay here again.
My company holds a global sales meeting annually at Ritz Half Moon Bay. Â Will speak to HR tomorrow.
If u r coming to town, stay at Montage or St Regis.
You can never go wrong here.
My love proposed here ...
Customer service is always a ten
You'll always get what you want. I don't think they have "no" in their dictionary.
TRY THEIR REDVELVET CUPCAKE----you'll melt. (I promise)
If you stay here make sure to ask for the room facing the ocean. -of course.
I came here for a wedding and the service was stellar at all levels - entrance, ushers, bartenders, servers, and valet. Â The wedding venue was gorgeous and the ocean views were amazing! Â The food, especially the surf and turf, was delicious. Â The raspberry dark chocolate cake was pretty good too. Â All four courses were amazing and impressive. Â The lighting of the reception was perfect for photos and the size of the venue was great. Â The cocktail hour set-up was easy and seamless and everyone enjoyed the wedding. Â Everything was on point - impeccable. Â
The floral arrangement in the general lobby were beautiful. Â I also really loved the marbled bathrooms with the huge mirrors, white orchids in the Tiffany blue pots. Â Love the Ritz-Carlton!
There is simply nothing like the Ritz! Â Such gorgeous grounds, incredible service, and posh settings - simply serene! Â We enjoyed a beautiful sunset and walked the grounds with a glass of wine in hand. Â
Although pricey, it always exceeds my expectations. Â Like the old saying, "yes, but I'm worth it!" Â I dined in several of the restaurants. Â Both the food and service were outstanding. Â I just loved the view of the restaurant (name?) that spans the long hallway with the large windows, just breathtaking.
I didn't have an opportunity to experience the spa, perhaps on a future visit. Â You can't go wrong with the Ritz in Laguna Niguel.
This review is only for the food served during a wedding that I recently attended here.
A solid 1.5 hour drive from Pasadena w/o traffic, found myself late for my lil sis' wedding here on a Saturday afternoon. Â I thought I was only 15 minutes late but ended up waiting a good 20 minutes before dropping off my car for the valet. Â Apparently they had 4 weddings going on all at the same time this weekend. Â Poor planning on their part as they didn't have enough people running the valet station. Â What also sucks is that they do not offer self parking so valet is your only option here. Â I do know that the St. Regis across the street offers both to visitors.
It has been close to 6 years since I've last visited this property since I left the consulting industry and forgot how beautiful the property was <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=IIN477AWFTqye9-iVfKkcA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a> and why my lil sis chose this hotel for her wedding <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=_XH743IRatAdwMr3vPBz2w">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a> and <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=Frv0lNCrMsl-dUNH1MVixA">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>. Â
As with most weddings, hors d'oeuvres and an open bar followed after the ceremony. Â Staff and bartenders were attentive to all guest and ensured everyone had a drink and something to snack on. Â The hors d'oeuvres that were served were chicken satay, coconut shrimp, a fried wonton, ahi tartare, and some sort of soup in a shot glass (didn't get to try this one). Â I personally thought all were just mediocre with the exception of the coconut shrimp and the ahi tartare. Â
Closer to 7, the dining room was opened up to guests where in one corner, my lil sis had an ice sculpture Disney's magic castle which was pretty awesome. Â We found our table and the waiters came around offering guests champagne along with a few choices for wine and brought out the warm baskets of bread.
After the bride and groom's first dance, the appetizer was brought out to guests.  A five spice seared scallop w/ gingered kabocha squash with a miso broth <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=-8ZUKu36a6NwOzFny-Hlrg">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  The scallop was seared and salted perfectly and the kabocha squash added a nice sweet aftertaste on the palate.
The next course was a heirloom tomato carpaccio, a field green salad w/ a shallot and herb vinagrette <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=YUKmymxBnmIAZ1tILomkwQ">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  Again the tomatoes were perfectly paired with the shallot vinagrette.  Almost wished they had drizzled a bit more of the dressing onto the heirloom tomatoes but then the sweetness of the tomatoes would've been masked.
For the main entree guests had an option of either a mustard and herb marinated chicken breast or a pepper crusted filet.  Of course I opted for the filet <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=cHH2yP15SF8yO_Kpa1Ik8A">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  The filet was served with a herb roasted prawn along with roasted garlic brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes.  The filet was cooked a perfect medium rare and was perfectlly seasoned.  The prawn on the other hand was perfectly cooked but lacked flavor.  This ranks as one of the best entrees I've had at a wedding dinner in a long time.  Most hotels/restaurants always seem to over cook everything or just have everyting sit under heat lamps. Â
For the wedding cakes guests were brought out 2 slices, one which was an almond cake w/ waffle crunch, nutella mousse and frangelico syrup.  The other one was a lemon cake w/ vanilla mousse, lemon curd and fresh raspberries <a href="http://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/AKVlclx0gOvUFVgi5-Bc4Q?select=HnfiV6Qoy31RvkLG_KgAug">http://www.yelp.com/biz_…</a>.  Both were awesome and wish I had taken notice of the cakes as one was of my lil sis' BMW.
They had a live band singing and playing music during most of the evening but the DJ arrived and started spinning at around 10:30. Â Additional appetizers were served but being stuffed and a lil drunk I decided to pass on them.
As with the chaos of guests arriving the same chaos echoed as we waited for our car to be brought out. Â Once again it took another 20 minutes before my car was brought out. Â
The staff here at the Ritz was friendly and ensured all guests' needs and wants were taken care of. Â Deducted a star for the long valet wait and also with the mediocre hors d'oeuvres that were served.
Love this hotel.
Complimentary beach butler service- call down and they'll have a guy ready with a tram to drive you down to the beach, set up beach chairs, towels, bottled water and all so you can lounge and relax by the beautiful ocean. The concierge desk was so helpful and provided us with great information on their wedding venue options as well as just hotel activities in general.
Plus, dog friendly! We saw a few doggies on our vacation here and the staff was just great with them. Plus, best gym ever- water, towels, fruit, and floor to cieling windows so you can pretend you're running on the ocean - THE POWER!
No, but seriously, this hotel has great amenities and even if it's a bit far (Dana Point) from LA, it has a very resort feel. The bedrooms have balconies too, so you can look out and enjoy the view, whether it's the beach or the koi pond by the pool.
I don't spend a lot of time hanging out in Ritz Carltons, so maybe those who do will find it just par for the course. Since I'm more of an Ace Hotel kind of girl, I have to admit I was really impressed by the over-the-top opulence and gorgeous, scenic views throughout this property when I made a stop here on a drive up from San Diego to LA to meet some family for dinner.
First of all, the entire place was impeccable, and so classy. We wandered down their many staircases to the little beach which I think is a public beach but felt super quiet and private, almost as if it were reserved just for the hotel. After watching the sun set, we retired up to their little outdoor bar where we settled into some comfy couches and were offered warm blankets as night fell. We kept warm in front of the fire pits and enjoyed our cocktails before dinner at the hotel restaurant (review to come of that delicious meal).
The service was first class as well, from the valet to the waiters to the front desk. It was a perfect short getaway. Though I didn't get a room I now know where I'd like to go if I'm in the mood for a luxurious weekend vacay!
Not so quiet luxury, unless you stay on a week night. Â We enjoyed relative silence until the weekend rolled around. Â You are paying primarily for location, location, location since they skimped on sound insulation. Â Expect to be able to hear your neighbors' music and conversation, even if they are down the hall. Â Ask for a room near the Monarch wing's quiet pool if your room overlooks the pool, as the Dana pool can get spirited on the weekend evenings due to wedding parties, etc.
Service was ok- not exceeding or over the top. Â Unless you count the lollipop bouquets that they offer kiddos, it was industry standard service.
The food from Raya was fine but pricey. Â An app of shrimp & mushroom quesadillas ($14) consisted of 10 bites. Â They were two potsticker sized "quesadillas"- really two small dough circles closed in a half-moon. Â Did I mention the 10 bites? Â Tasty but not exceptional. Â Breakfast is a better bet- got the American that came with coffee, fresh squeezed oj, eggs, ham, potatoes, grilled veg & toast. Â Given that oj and tea was $5- $7 the previous evening, the American was the way to go. Â Plus at breakfast you get more of a chance of a window seat. Â The view alone is 5 stars, as several have mentioned.
If you go in the low season, the pool and beach service is sporadic.  Better to call ahead for amenities like chairs or umbrellas.  You'll get a complimentary lift to the beach, necessary if you are toting a toddler.  They'll tack on a 21% tip if you do  poolside dining.  A burger and iced tea came up to $31.  It was a great burger, but at the Marketplace the same burger was $12 the next day.  Ouch.
Come for the sheer proximity to the beach but eat off site as often as possible.
This is one of my favorite resorts. This property is stunning, and the customer service is beyond amazing. Spending the day here was a wonderful way to start the New Year!
I hadn't been to this resort in many years, and what a great weekend we picked to go! The weather was perfect, and the customer service was as good as I remembered. Jess checked us in and was extremely helpful. It was nice to remember why this Ritz Carlton location has by far the best service of any hotel in this area.
The property is still as beautiful as ever. The Christmas trees, gingerbread boat and lighthouse displays, and the lights were still up from the holidays. It was so nice to see these pretty displays before they were taken down the following day. I love the holiday season and was glad to hold on to this feeling for as long as possible.
The magic doesn't end here. The spa, restaurants, pools, and coastal views are breathtaking. It was so nice to walk to the beach in the morning, enjoying the wonderful ocean views.
As with many older resorts, the only thing that could probably be improved upon is the updating of the rooms. Since the last time we were here (which has been a really long time), there have been little changes to the rooms themselves. But this really wasn't that big of a deal.
The most remarkable thing about this resort (besides the ocean views) is the customer service. Everyone that works here, including valets, room service, and front staff, are really focused on each visitor having an amazing stay.
With extraordinary customer service and awe-inspiring views, the Ritz Carlton will remain one of the best resorts in Orange Country.
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