Dramatically nestled onto a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is more than a dreamy Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Award winner; it is a blissful homebase that goes out of its way to create unforgettable memories for all those who enter. Here are the top nine musts – from booking an appointment with the Fifth Avenue Club Laguna Beach to savoring a 16-course chef’s tasting experience – when visiting this California escape.
The Spa
Utilizing natural remedies provided by the ocean in treatments ranging from marine collagen facials to restorative seaweed treatments, SPA at Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Beach is a whole-body sensory experience. For the most opulent of experiences, pair a customizable “California Dreamin’” or Beach Stone massage with a Mandarin orange-infused California Citrus Scrub and finish with the Ocean Inspiration Facial, which blends sea minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins to stimulate, firm, and nourish the skin.
Taikun
Through the end of the year, the resort is home to a Taikun pop-up experience, a 16-course chef’s tasting experience presented by New York City’s iconic Taikun Sushi, complete with sake pairings. During the intimate dinner, which is limited to about a dozen guests per seating, expect a front-row seat to one of the top sushi masters in the world as he crafts each dish by hand, often with a paintbrush, to boot.
The Fifth Avenue Club
Yes, there is a Fifth Avenue right on the property. The Fifth Avenue Club Laguna Beach is by appointment only and offers personal styling and shopping, special events, and luxury fashion services. It is one of only a handful of resorts worldwide with this partnership.
The Ritz-Carlton Club Experience
This “hotel-within-a-hotel” is the resort’s take on a concierge club. There are only rooms and suites with access, so it is not a benefit to be part of the Marriott Bonvoy program or something that can be purchased a la carte, making it ultra-exclusive. The club experience offers a private sanctuary – complete with a fireplace – as well as a dedicated personal concierge to curate experience and procure reservations across the resort and beyond to make the visit a once-in-a-lifetime memory. The Club lounge boasts culinary offerings from breakfast to dinner, but there are also in-room amenities like complimentary shoe shining and garment pressing as well.
Kahani
The resort’s permanent dinner hotspot is Kahani, which is led by lauded chef Sanjay Rawat, a true master of modern Indian cuisine. The name, which translates to “story” in Hindi, is fitting given that every dish tells a story through its plating, aromatics, and layers of flavor.
Whale Watching
Given Dana Point is the “Dolphin & Whale Watching Capital of the World,” it should be no surprise that The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel offers an excursion to see the marine mammals up close. But it is the way in which they offer it that stuns. To start, a private guide escorts one’s party to private transportation directly to the local pier. Then, rather than waiting in the public line, a virtual red carpet is laid out so that resort guests may be the first to step foot on the tour boat and get a personal introduction to the naturalist aboard. The resort guide then stays with the party throughout the duration of the tour, offering expert tips and fun facts about the region and its animal life while offering complimentary food and drink throughout.
Eco and Adventure Tours
There are several eco adventures from which to choose at the resort. Among the musts are Le Tour De Dana Point, which is a private custom guided e-bike tour with a naturalist; the Garden Tour, a guided exploration to seek out native birds, bees, and butterflies as well as an incredible variety of plants; the Sea Walk, a guided beach walk to the local tide pools with equal parts fresh air, fun facts, and history along the way.
Book a Beach Butler
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel has a team of beach butlers to set up beach chairs, umbrellas, and transportation down to the beach. The butlers are fully equipped with towels, sunscreen, and after-sun lotion as well. Plus, the resort even features its own surf school. Available daily and about 90 minutes in length, each lesson is meant to make surfing accessible to all, and if there are experienced wave riders in the group, special attention is made to give them a personal coaching session so they get something out of it as well. In addition to surfing, there are body boards, kayaks, and paddleboards available on the property as well.
Monarch Beach Golf Links
The resort is just blocks from the acclaimed Monarch Beach Golf Links, which is one of the few ocean courses in the region. The concierge team is able to plan an unforgettable day – including round-trip transportation – on the Scottish links-style course designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr.
Bonus: there is also 24-hour taffy. There is sometimes no substitute for the little things in life. The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel delights in this ultra-sweet little thing, offering myriad flavors of saltwater taffy throughout the resort’s lobby and concierge areas for guests, 24 hours a day.
For more information on The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, visit www.ritzcarlton.com.