The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort

 

9

58

Jamie W.

Palo Alto, CA

10/7/2009

Definitely the most beautiful and gorgeous hotel I've ever stayed at.  I came here with my husband on our mini-moon.  We decided to splurge since we're not going on our real honeymoon for 7-8 months and it was WORTH EVERY PENNY!!  

The hotel is immaculately kept.  The rooms are gorgeous - I love the furniture!  The staff is very friendly and helpful.  And the bed ... is just sooo comfortable!  

The restaurants were good too - we ate at Motif as well as Stonehill Tavern - both delicious!  The pool is gorgeous and their private beach is nice and quiet and very well kept.

This was our first experience at a St. Regis and it definitely won't be our last!  Perfect spot for a nice weekend getaway!!

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Elite '09

158

169

Thu N.

Irvine, CA

9/11/2009

Beautiful.

We went here for our anniversary and had a nice ole day here.  We started off with a pinic on this big grass area that over looks the beautiful ocean.  

After a couple of hours just lounging around and enjoying the view... we then made our way to their spa where we proceeded to a couple's massage.  The room was so elegant and romantic, with a jacuzzi inside (extra $ I believe).  They have multiple rooms where you could just relax after/before the massage.  The  general spa area wasn't as extravagant as I'd hope... but the VANITY AREA.  Wow.  It was huge and came prepared with everything a girl could possibly need to doll up.  We spent 4-5 hours at the facility just relaxing (and me getting ready) for dinner time.

Finally, we ended the evening with dinner at Stonehill Tavern.  The food is sophisticated, the service is on point, and the decor is very classy, yet simple.  It was a perfect ending to a beautiful day.

This resort is a perfect way to celebrate your anniversary, and if you have the money...to hold your wedding.  Even though it's relatively close to home, you forget that because it's such a huge and (seemingly) remote resort.

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2

5

michael d.

Laguna Beach, CA

9/11/2009

The bar has a happy hour on Thursdays from 7-9pm with discounted drinks and some free "canapes," "cacas d'aperitifs," "amuse-bouche" or "hors d'oeuvres," depending which region of France you're from. Staff was very pleasant and views absolutely breathtaking.

The drinks were slightly discounted and the waiters sporadically go around with trays of canapes for the guests, so don't count on huge $ savings or a free dinner.

Nevertheless it's a great place for drinks with friends or loved ones while watching the sun set. I'll be back many times I'm sure.

Voila!!

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2

13

CM C.

Los Angeles, CA

10/30/2009

I was a BM in a fancy wedding here this past June, so I made sure to get a hotel room in anticipation of my 4 hour hair/makeup and then all the photos and actual pomp and circumstance.

Needless to say, the grounds are amazing, and the view is fantastic.  Our room was nice, but since it was one of the cheaper rooms we had a view of the bar down below. The bathroom is amazing, and really spacious.  The cafe near the lobby is somewhat of a rip off $11 for a bagel and regular coffee if I recall correctly.  

The staff was very helpful in my friend's wedding, but it just seems so commercialized.  As we were getting ready, we could see signs for a previous wedding (at 2pm) being removed and my friend's (at 5pm) being placed. And then once her wedding was over, there was another wedding right after.

If you can afford the $100k wedding, then this is definitely a fantastic location... otherwise it's a bit too rich for my blood.

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1

10

Amy J.

Beverly Hills, CA

10/3/2009

I'm sorry but this place was just eh.....

It realy sucks that there is no good beach access, that makes such a difference for us, and then the spa was ok but really not worth the spa "resort" prices.

The restaurants were good -- again too expensive and the quality of the actually meats and veggies, dessert ingredients, even the tea I ordered, all tasted like it had been sitting out too long, not fresh which we just can't tolerate.

THe grounds are beautiful and the staff are very pleasant.  But we probably will just drive the extra hour and go to San Diego where you get a better beach and we know more affordable places with better spa / food options.

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Elite '09

34

67

Jannies B.

Carlsbad, CA

8/31/2009

I've been to a few St. Regis hotels in the world (Rome, San Francisco, shanghai) multiple times, and this still has one of the most beautiful grounds!  Although the rooms do not have intricate wooden engravings and murals painted by
Michaelangelo like the one in Rome, I still like it better because of it's proximity to the beautiful ocean and the large open grounds.  

Took a class (beach workout) and had a lot of fun!  The swimming pool in the workout area with water playing underwater is also great for doing laps!  

As always, awesome service.  One star off because valet is forced and $30 (add tips and you're up to $40 per day).  However, which nice hotel does not charge you $50 for valet nowadays?

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10

44

Kara P.

San Diego, CA

8/12/2009 4 photos

I have stayed her numerous times when I worked in OC, our company used them for events and over time, I can say they are consistently a 5 star establishment.  

BED: Sink away and sleep forever in the luxury of these linens.  You have to force yourself to get up and get out. Turn that doorbell to do not disturb, I can sleep forever in this bed !
SERVICE: Top all around, true professionals from valet, bartender, maid service, and spa therapist.  
RESORT: Spacious, Intimate, and breathtaking.  I suggest taking out of towners here for cocktails and to walk around the grounds.  It is impressive.  

If you have the $$$$ to fork out for a wedding here, you will not be sorry.  I have experienced different menus and service staff here and they do an AMAZING job.  Food is always a fine dining experience.

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2

51

Tim M.

West Los Angeles, CA

8/31/2009

Put me down as a fan.  Beautiful property and excellent service.  I'm an SPG Platinum and so we were put in an Executive Suite with butler service - definitely a plus (including free morning coffee service).  The room was beautiful and well conceived, with an ocean view.
Normally the resort fee ticks me off, but here I thought I actually got value.  Use of the health club and excellent spa facilities, 2 newspapers, plenty of beach charis, towels & toys, internet, ice water & nuts & grapes & dried fruit strategically placed mean you're actually getting something for the $25.  I also liked that the on-site dining, although a little pricey, was not usurious (I think a muffin at the coffee bar was $2.50, as opposed to $7.50 at the La Quinta Report & Spa).  They also gave my son a free sand bucket, and had a butterfly release and story-telling & smores party for the kids
We did have a bad experience at Motif - 45 minutes after ordering we still didn't have our food.  They partially recovered by bringing to our room, not charging us, and bringing cookies and juice for my son.  While I didn't lvoe waiting for the beach shuttle, they did their best by keeping a waiting list, and the drivers were super-friendly.
My wife & son were definitely of the same opnion, they begged me not to leave and want to know when we're coming back

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0

17

Adam Vincent G.

Dana Point, CA

7/29/2009

I have stayed at a lot of resorts and this was hands down the best. Not only is the service A+++. St. Regis is one of the most beautiful hotels in California. I live close by so again this works for me. A short walk and I am there. Great golf as well.

Come and visit its a lot of fun here, both the food and the spa are fab as well.

The Gilmer Files - "Adam Vincent" and "Adam Vincent Gilmer"

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0

46

Nooshin X.

Tarzana, CA

9/15/2009

Went here over the weekend for a friend's bridal shower. The hotel is beyond beautiful, but thats already obvious from the pictures. I wanted to write this review for the service. They were all very friendly and were available at all times to cater to all of our needs. We were very loud but they provided us with a closed off area in the restaurant and basically gave us our own room with the most amazing view and balcony area. This is an excellent place to hold such events.

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Elite '09

944

467

sarah p.

Minneapolis, MN

5/1/2009

Came here for a wedding.

Stayed only one night bc we went to Laguna for the nught before. THe swimming pool was closed for maintenance. Sucked, but they did let us know in advance. But granted we were on our way down to the hotel.

Checked in . Lovely hotel. We assured that the trolley would run every 15 minutes to the beach (as the pool was closed). Not true. Wait 1/2 hour. ANgry people. GOt down there hoping to eat lunch. They were no longer seating people or accepting orders. WHAT? Your pool is closed. IT's 2:30 and yoru no longer accepting orders bc you are swamped with people who would normally be lounging by the pool? BTW it took us forever to get here. Ugh.

End of beach activity. Line was long waiting for "trollry" back. Way too long. we had done this before. so we walked and jumped the gatewith another dide who was there for the weekend on a "staycation". He was pretty pissed as well. Had to hike all the way back and had a tar heel (literally) due to jumping the gate.

Nice room. Wedding was nice as well. Service? Ugh. As a friend said, the St. Regis isn't a Ritz.

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28

43

Judy C.

Berkeley, CA

4/1/2009

I just returned from a FABULOUS vacation here with my boyfriend. Oh lord, I thought I stayed at nice hotels before. This one blew each one out of the water!

We arrived earlier than the check-in time, but the staff had no problem taking our luggage and getting it set up in our room while we had the sunny SoCal afternoon to enjoy their private beach. The so-called beach butlers were on hand to provide us with towels, beach chairs, water, etc. etc.

The hotel grounds are well manicured and the views are impressive, as expected. The entire staff are super-friendly, attentive, prompt and do their job very, very well. They do a turn-down twice a day apparently because every time we returned to our room, it was always cleaned with fresh robes and slippers. And they even organized my make-up and toiletries!

I enjoyed the Spa Gaucin and now I understand why AIG spent so much damn money there. My masseuse had magic in his hands, I swear to gawd. I also took advantage of the fitness center there and the girls working there were great. The equipment is top-of-the-line and the classes they offer were great. Orange and lemon infused water everywhere as well as a lovely selection of raw almonds, dried fruit and fresh fruit. I loved being offered a glass of champagne as I wandered happily from room to room.

On one of the days while we were there, my boyfriend had to rush from a business meeting to his surfing lesson so he didn't get to grab lunch. Well, since I was going down to the beach where he was anyway, I requested that a picnic lunch be packed from the lunch buffet that they had and it was no problem at all for the chef to throw together something extra special for our beach dining date.

The food was great and we didn't stay long enough to enjoy all the restaurants that the St. Regis housed, but we did make it a point to check out Michael Mina's Stonehill Tavern. Gorgeous decor! And the food was as great as it gets.

We only stayed there for four days, but there was always something to do! Pools everywhere, the private beach only 5 minutes away, twilight beach bonfires (albeit $500 for one), the spa, the incredible golf-course, constant shuttling to Disneyland, Laguna Beach or the San Diego Zoo, and of course, all the free stuff just for being a guest at the St. Regis.

Seriously, the only place that can top this resort after having as enjoyable of an experience that my boyfriend and I did is the Ritz-Carlton down the street from the St. Regis. Only because it looks like it'll only have a better view of the Pacific.

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24

136

Patel E.

San Diego, CA

10/2/2009

our friend had their b-day bash here and the food was terrific and the service was great, the ballroom had its own bar and the bar tender quickly became our friend.  the valet was cheap and the whole staff was friendly,  this place is good competition to the ritz carlton..........

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Elite '09

84

425

anne marie p.

Irvine, CA

4/12/2009

I'm dubbing this the "pre-pre-honeymoon" vacation.

While I could not get myself to shell out $175+ for a spa treatment, here's what I did do...

Friday night:  Get home from concert at Coach House to our spacious 535(ish) square foot room.  Poured over the Orange Coast and Coast magazines on the side table next to the comfy reading chair.  Slippers, dual sinks and ottomans are a welcome sight as we turn in for the night.  

Saturday:  Get in a workout at the fitness center.  Helped myself to chilled washcloths, gym towels, bottled water, dried fruit, almonds and elixir syrups.  Found some much needed bath salts in the spa shop and used in our deep tub.  Started spinning a cd in the Sony Dream Machine.  Had tea at Motif (I have a separate review posted), where we received lovely service.

Walked thru the property.  Chilled out on our balcony.  Watched a little on the LG flat screen.  Then shared a lively dinner among friends back at Motif for another two and-a-half hours.  Came back to turndown service (my favorite) and chocolates.  

Sunday:  Up early to participate in a body toning workout utilizing ankle weights and a yoga strap wall (?!).  Got motivated enough to follow a hiking map down to Salt Creek beach, around the resort golf course and back for about three miles.  Took a bubble bath, packed and enjoyed a leisurely brunch buffet comparable to Vegas spreads.

The staff went out of their way to keep us content.  My wake-up calls were on time.  The Remede bath products were a super sized 2.4 ounces.  Sleep was restful.  I was happy.

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14

69

Erin B.

Mission Viejo, CA

2/26/2009

This review is for the lobby bar and patio area.

I normally shy away from places like this since I am sooooo NOT pretentious.  However,  a friend of mine raved about the gorgeous sunsets here and I had to check it out.  

The parking is $5, which honestly isn't too bad for Orange County.  I walked in and it was somewhat intimidating, but I got over it.  I was there to enjoy myself, and I really did.  I can't even say that they really boast a "happy hour".  I had two Cosmos and sliders (which consisted of a mere two chiqui-burgers vs. the standard four or five at a place like Dave & Busters).  I began to catch a buzz but I asked the server for my check before I could do more damage.    

Two Cosmos and sliders came to...$50.  *THUD*  AAAAAAARGH!  Don't get me wrong.  I went the day after my payday so the money was there but it was still a major sticker shock.  I had no problem making my way to the dance floor while the plastic figures stared and wished they had the courage to have as much fun as I did.  

I can see myself going here about once a month to treat myself.

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3

59

Joe C.

San Francisco, CA

8/17/2009

Fantastic hotel. As would be expected for a five star hotel, the service is as good as it gets. I've only experienced slightly better at a Ritz Carlton. The hotel itself is quite posh (both in common areas and the rooms), offering all amenities you could ever need.

Now for some negatives about my one-week stay. We were surprised with a $25/day "resort fee". This fee apparently gets you internet access and use of the gym. Firstly, I've always been annoyed by a hotel that charges for use of their on-premise gym. Secondly, the internet service (which used to be optional and only cost $13/day) is pretty bad service. You need to be tethered to the desk in the room. The only way to get wireless is by hanging out on the main floor, or sitting out on the balcony. How can a hotel of this level not offer wireless access to every room, especially if their going to charge $25/day!?! This charging thing became a theme, and my wife and I felt we were being nickel-and-dimed the whole week. Another example is the day we decided to play tennis (as advertised on the hotel's site). It turns out, we had to pay $30/hour to use a court at the tennis club across the street. Again, very lame... The only good part of that experience was the fact that the concierge had racquets for us to borrow (surprisingly at no cost).

OK, got that off my chest, and am back to the good stuff. The gym, although hard to find, is nice and larger than usual with a lot of top-of-the-line equipment, and a lap pool. The pools are sufficiently large and relaxing (one dedicated to families). The Beach Club, which is unfortunately not really walking distance from the hotel, is very cool. There is a restaurant, picnic lawn, and full beach service down there. The shuttle to get down to the club is quick and comes frequently, so the separation from the hotel is not a major inconvenience.

So, as expected, the hotel is gorgeous and continues to please during the entire stay. I'm not sure if the value is truly there, but if you can afford it, you will not be disappointed. There are several very good food options on the campus, including a Michael Mina restaurant. But, you are fairly isolated at the hotel (no surprise since it is a resort), so you'll need to hop in a cab to get to some of the local towns to experience new things (Laguna Beach is a great town about 10-15min away).

Enjoy!

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Elite '09

212

218

Marian B.

Tustin, CA

2/26/2009

Attended a three day conference here and let me tell you.... almost the entire time I was in those conference rooms, I wished I was outside enjoying the beautiful SoCal weather (I'm from OC but I can never get enough) or laying out by their pool.

This facility is gorgeous! Everything is pristine, polished, beautifully decorated and definitely lives up to the St. Regis standards. The lawn area was perfect of the luncheon we had on the last day. The grass was perfectly manicured and so green. I felt like I had to wear those large hats and sip on a cup of English tea with my pink y raised up. Haha! That's what my imagination conjured up at that moment.

One thing you HAVE to do when you come here is to sit on the balcony near the bar and enjoy the sunset. You will see the sun slowly set on the ocean horizon and turn different shades of orange and red. It's beautiful and makes you truly appreciate nature. I was out on the patio with a few colleagues from the conference and most of them are from the East Coast. They were in such awe at the beauty of everything and loved the weather. While we had weather in the min-70s, back in the east, they could have been in 10ft of snow. They did not want to fly back that's for sure.

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2

10

Trip T.

Tustin, CA

1/27/2009

I have exceptionally mixed feelings about this place. So let's break down the pros and cons.

Pro -

(1) It's very pretty - but like much of Orange County, you have a nagging suspicion that it's all a facade. For example, it's right near the beach, but you need to have a cart take you to the beach.

(2) It's a good location - Right near the ocean and close enough to Laguna to beat it if you're bored.

OK, that's it for the pros... not exactly a stellar effort.

Cons -

(1) It's lost it's service edge - I've stayed there a few times. Recently, the service is just OK. It started to go downhill right after the Montage opened.

(2) The prices are astronomical - I think they're playing a crazy game of yield management, where they keep jacking up the prices until people just stop coming. As a result...

(3) The place is kinda dead - It seems like the bar is always empty. There's no vibe, no excitement. But maybe that's what they're going for...modern mausoleum.

(4) It's a bad place to bring a date - once you go here, The Holiday Inn just won't do. It sets a very bad precedent.

So the Cons win, 4-2. I would highly recommend staying here, as long as someone else is paying.

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8

54

FoodieDuo B.

Irvine, CA

4/25/2009

LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. So much that we're getting married here next year - yay!

We stayed here for a night this past Valentine's Day and I can't say enough about the service and the beautiful rooms. We stayed in the executive suite (which they upgraded us to, by the way) and it was very spacious and comfy. Plus, we love Stonehill Tavern and the bar upstairs so we were in foodie heaven :) Definitely a great place to go to relax...

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Elite '09

94

203

Shirls K.

Los Angeles, CA

3/31/2009 2 photos

The hotel is elegant, clean, with a complimenting view of the ocean, and is employeed with attentive, friendly, and helpful Staff.

Also, it is pet friendly. This is how far they go:
Pamper Your Pooch Package
The package consists of an overnight stay in a Resort view guestroom, a personalized welcome letter to the pet, the exclusive St. Regis doggy bed, pet amenities including "Sniffany & Co.", "Bark Jacobs", "Dog Perignon", or "Jimmy Chew" toys, personalized silver food and water bowls, an array of treats, biscuits, and bones, along with an issue of Hollywood Dog! Pricing for this package begins at $545 per night. (two-night minimum required)  

Room rates range from $345 and up.

Bedroom slippers only comes in one size (big enough to men with a 12 shoe size).  Every room has a balcony (second level or higher) or patio (if you are on the first level).

Breakfast items that shined: Crispy waffles, roasted potatoes, wide selection of fruits (honeydew, cantelope, blueberries, watermelon, mangos, strawberries, & papaya), and whole-leaf tea bag selections (recommend the African amber Tea and the Green Tea).

Breakfast item to avoid: Scrambled eggs sprinkled with shredded cheese.  It lacked flavor and the texture is similar to that of cottage cheese.  

Gym, located one level below the Spa, is open to all room guests.  Dried fruits, almonds, washed and unsliced oranges and apples, and water are provided in the Gym & Spa facilities.

Valet parking: $5

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0

1

Linda W.

Long Beach, CA

8/4/2009

I ate six meals at this "luxury" resort and felt ill each time (hey, taco bell doesn't upset my stomach, okay  : ).    I was there for a business function for three days where the hotel served a buffet breakfast each morning.  They served eggs that were either from a powder or mix.  Unbelievable.   Each meal buffet was awful.    And, the servers had no interest in their jobs - with rare exception.

Every morning a newspaper was placed on each of our doors.  The rub ?  They charge you .75 even though you didn't ask for the paper.  You have to know that there is a charge by reading the very fine print on the back of the card you receive your key in.  I, for one, did not see this very fine print.  I hope it's worth it to this so called luxury resort to sneak their profit of .75 per day.  
The service was awful and they lied about having no personnel who could help me regarding a check-in issue.  Suffice it to say that they lied until I called them out on their contradictory statements.
Please do not support this hotel.   I could write many more complaints but I don't want to give them any more of my time.  I just want others to know enough to avoid this trap.

If you are looking for an amazing resort, try the Del Mar Grand in Del Mar, San Diego.  It is wonderful on all levels.  Wish I could live there.

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Elite '09

133

232

Austin C.

Newport Beach, CA

10/8/2008

yeaaaah...I can't say I came here for the spas, or the hotel room, or the food. I simply don't belong here. I came here twice for a wedding. I guess my friends are rich, or their parents took a second mortgage on their house to pay for their daughters wedding. Enough said, money cannot buy happiness, but throwing down a 100k for a wedding can get you the center stage for 45 mins.

You don't have to stay here to enjoy it. save up for a few weeks, wash your car, and come down here for a few drinks. I once crashed a pool party here. yeah, put it on room 233.

one word: extravagant.

A few weeks ago, after the government bailout, AIG came here with their executives and blew $440k of taxpayers money. I wish I could enjoy the presidential sweet: Here's a copy of their bill: http://tinyurl.com/4aqjph

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Elite '09

17

200

Bill C.

Houston, TX

1/3/2009

Not worth the crazy prices.

The grounds are nice, and you can see the ocean, but I have to agree that this place is incredibly sedate.  It probably didn't help that 3 of the 4 restaurants in the place were closed, including the Stonehill Tavern that I really wanted to try.

They have a lap pool with underwater music playing, which was a plus.  The spa was nice, but in this class of hotel is was nothing special.

This is the place where the AIG people went crazy after they got the taxpayer bailout.  I would have picked somewhere else.

Maybe it's better in the summertime.  I hope so.

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Elite '09

114

141

Deven C.

Fort Lauderdale, FL

10/23/2008

Technically located in the city limits of Laguna Niguel, I've always recommended the St. Regis to friends and family that happen to be traveling along the coast of California. While this is not for the traveling student, The St. Regis offers the same amenities as the famed Montage, just a few miles up the coast, at a drastically lower rate. The spa, in particular, has won many awards including the prestigious "Deven Recommendation." ;-)

The only reason I haven't given this St. Regis a five star rating is because I've never actually stayed at the hotel. But having been with friends and family who have, I know first hand how the rooms are kept, how well the concierge attends to guests, and why this hotel is recognized with five stars. The restaurant is also well known in the area, but again I've only had brunch.

The downsides:
Sitting on a bluff, this hotel is actually not on the beach (hence the reason for the much reduced room prices) but directly across from the beach with full views of the ocean from almost any point on the grounds.

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Elite '09

157

543

Brendon D.

Long Beach, CA

11/28/2008

St. Yawnish Hotel

Seriously, folks.  This place is not different than any other hotel in its class.  The fact that they are positioned on a hill and can see the ocean are two things that make this place "uniquely West Coast".  

This place is kinda lifeless.  Sure the grounds and the interior are pretty, but so is my neighbor's house.  I get the feeling that people "absolutely LOOOOOVVVVVVVVVEEEEEEEE this place" because they feel like they should love it.  Or maybe they really do.  To each their own.  

We sad outside and for the view and good service for breakfast.  It wasn't busy.  The servers or bussers were too lazy to clean the tables around us so the birds were all over the place eating the scraps.  Then they though our table was fair game too.  I'd say that a hotel with this much hype could get the staff to address the food scraps and dirty tables ASAP at a place like the St. Regis.  Or maybe not.

Nobody was rude to us.  Everybody treated us great.

Don't half step.  Spend half the money and get closer to the beach for some good legit SoCal fun.

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20

67

Aimee P.

Irvine, CA

9/9/2008

Marble floors, aromatherapy towels and cucumber slices, and a professional staff were only the beginnings of my incredible experience at Spa Gaucin at the St. Regis.  

As soon as you arrive, you are led to a locker room, where you are given a key to a locker, a soft, oversized bathrobe, and a pair of slippers to wear throughout your spa day.  Before your treatment, you can relax in the sauna, steam room, aromatherapy steam room, or the indoor jacuzzi, complete with a waterfall.  Or, you can simply wait in the lounge while you enjoy the complimentary dried fruit and nuts, or refreshing orange or lemon water.  Along with these amenities, you are also allowed free reign of the pool, gym, and whatever exercise classes the hotel may be offering on that particular day.    

Spa Gaucin really knows how to take care of the details.  You don't need to bring anything with you, as the spa is so well stocked with everything you might need, including contact lens cases, brushes, combs, makeup removal wipes, hair ties, hair products, blow dryers, and flat irons.  The showers, similarly, are fully equipped with yummy-smelling pear lotions and shampoos, as well as things like loofahs, razors, and shaving cream.  You truly do feel pampered while you're here.  

During my visit, I got a body wrap.  It was a very relaxing experience, from my wonderful therapist to the heated pillow and blankets to the fresh fruit and champagne included with my treatment - and, of course, the amazingly calming and refreshing treatment itself.  I appreciated that I was given options as to what products would be used on me.  

No, Spa Gaucin isn't cheap:  my body wrap treatment, along with a salad for lunch, came out to just about $240.  But considering other less luxurious spas I've been to, Spa Gaucin isn't significantly more expensive, and the amenities more than make up for it, in my opinion.  Use of the spa itself, without a treatment, is $25 for the whole day - making it easy to join your friends in this lavish setting even if you can't afford a high-priced massage.

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Elite '09

63

213

Robert M.

Irvine, CA

5/16/2009

Wonderful place to stay.  I just loved how our room was decorated - in fact, I took pictures to remember the stylish decoration.  Room service was fantastic.  The lobby bar and the dramatic view of the ocean was wonderful.

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115

146

John S.

Redondo Beach, CA

10/9/2008

In the words of  Ferris Bueller "If you have the means I highly recommend it. It is so choice."  That's about all I can say about the St. Regis Hotel at Dana Point.

I recently spent several days there at a work conference. It is 5 stars all the way around. When I arrived to check in, instead of just handing me a room key and telling me where the elevator was, they had a guy walk me down the hall explain all the highlights of the hotel..."this is the pool that is warmed to a constant 85 degrees year round...here is our restrauant where you can eat lobster etc..."

The hotel sits on a hill overlooking the beach. Everyone on the staff was so friendly. I had a couple items on my final bill that I questioned, and they just removed them without any questions at all. Each room has this electronic button that you press "do not disturb/come and clean my room" that you press instead of hanging up a sign.

The food was outstanding. Although admittedly, I'm not your typical yelp "Foodie".

Hats off to building the hotel near the San Juan Capistrano Amtrak station. You can easily access this hotel as i did via Amtrak. If you want, it is also an easy bike friendly ride from the San Juan Capistrano Station to the hotel(about 4.3 miles-almost all on low traffic streets with bike lanes.)

It's very expensive. Rooms range from $400 to $1,000 a night, so I don't see myself going back there any time soon on my own dime. But i look forward to the next time my company flips the tab.

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9

44

Hello K.

Newport Beach, CA

4/25/2009

I HATE ST. REGIS!! I took my gf to Spa Gaucin for Valentine's Day, HUGE MISTAKE!!! I had a therapist, I believe her name was Lynn, anyway, worst massage of my life, I was praying for it to be over. I don't even know where to start explaining what was wrong with it. Her hands were SWEATY and I could feel the wetness combined with the massage oil, it was gross. Also she had absolutely no strength. I like a very light massage and I ALWAYS have to ask my therapist to go lighter, but I was begging this woman to put a little muscle into it and her hands were shaking every time she tried to apply any pressure. Either this lady had very bad arthritis (I have a lot of compassion for people with arthritis, but I don't think they should be massage therapists) or she drank waaaay too much coffee. Also her movements were waay too fast and jerky and it was making me sooo nervous. After 10 minutes I asked very politely if I could have another therapist. Then she suggested that I switch with my GF! I thought no way in hell do I want to subject my girlfriend to this (gf likes deep tissue). We tried it out for 5 minutes, I could tell my gf was very uncomfortable as well so I told her to just switch back. After a couple more minutes I just said I had to go to the restroom so I could get the hell out of there. I always book 90 minute massages, but LUCKILY there was a mistake and they only booked a 60 minute. Then the spa manager came to talk to us afterwards and I tried to tell her what the problems were and she just insisted that Lynn was the most requested therapist and that she has worked there for a long time. I find that very hard to believe. She gave me a stupid 20% discount on my massage. The whole thing was absurd and this spa is a joke. I was embarrassed that I took my gf (she's kind of a snob, lol) to this stupid place! I go to Vegas pretty often and I am accustomed to the perfection of the Wynn spas, this place doesn't even come close. I wish I could find a nice spa nearby, but after this experience I'm afraid to try any new places.

I've had one other experience at St Regis and it was equally ridiculous...
I hate buffets, but I didn't feel like cooking so we went here for Christmas dinner. They sat us on cheap chairs in a conference room because the dining room was full, lol!! Need I say more? It was hilarious. There we were, all dressed up, eating our holiday meal in a conference room (it was so silly that we had to treck back and forth from the conference room with our dinner plates). It was like something out of a bad Frasier episode. The buffet wasn't awful but it certainly wasn't good. I don't eat pork and they seemed to have sausage in everything. The grounds here are very beautiful, and I bet the rooms are nice, but I'm never coming near this place again. Most of the people who live around here are used to a certain level of service and this resort should be ashamed.

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Elite '09

81

133

Tony S.

Boston, MA

5/17/2008

I rarely come to LA without a 1- to 2-night stay here. The St. Regis is my sanctuary, my fortress of reflection, and my inspiration for things I have yet to accomplish in my life. Even though it is 1/2 a mile inland compared to the beachfront Montage and Ritz down the road, the ambience at the St Regis just seems to ooze a higher level of class than the other hotels......... almost as if it COMMANDS a higher level of respect.

Craving the beach? Guests can take the hotel golf carts for a 5 minute ride down a path, past the golf course, to the beach and enjoy lunch, dinner, or weekend brunch on the beachfront restaurant. Laying out on the sand makes for a perfect dessert, as you watch the occasional jogger running in and out of the Ritz a few hundred yards down the coast.

The view from the main terrace is simply breathtaking and the upkeep on the whole property always seems like it was just done the day before (by comparison, the Ritz seems to always have a hidden, painted-over decrepitude about it, despite its fantastic lobby view of the ocean).

The food, while not ultra spectacular in totality, is still excellent. You MUST try their signature eggs benedict..... I just can't figure out why their hollandaise sauce tastes so much more top shelf than any place else. I tried their signature Huevos Rancheros 2 days ago...... which I have to admit, while very "pretty", was probably one of those dishes that do better if it wasn't "classed" up. I prefer mine old-fashioned hole-in-the-wall style.

Oh, there is one MUST have when you're here. In the restaurant on the 2nd level (I think it's the 2nd level), they have this Champagne Cocktail that is just fantastic. It is NOT by any means Champagney (I'm not that great a fan of champagne), but is this amazing concoction of a strange smoothie. The St. Regis is the only place on this planet I've ever tasted anything like this.

The spa and gym are great, the service is top-notch, and if you have children, you can send them off to the kids club while you kick back and live in the lap of luxury. Love the rooms, and I especially love the deep bathtubs that are positioned in a way that enable you to watch TV through the bathroom shutter.

This is one of those establishments where I simply dread heading to the check-out desk.

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Elite '09

69

236

Amanda E.

New York, NY

9/6/2008

Five star resort. Four stars because had a few quips.

Stayed here for three nights when they were at full capacity (weddings and a charity gala) so maybe service is better on slower weekends. Not that the service wasn't good overall, but at these rates (over $600), it should be more attentive. The wait to check-in on a Thursday afternoon was ridiculous.

While I could get a faint wireless signal from the lobby (they don't have wireless in the rooms!) it was really slow, so had to use the cable internet (and they charge for it)

Elevators are a bit of a trek from the lobby.
Hotel is pretty quiet but if there's noise in the hallway, you'll hear it in your room.

Friendly valets but try to remember to call ahead if you're in a hurry.

Food service wasn't spectacular, although the yogurt parfaits and cappuccinos were really good.

Pool is kind of boring (ok, so not the place for a pool scene) but the beach is beautiful. The waves at the St. Regis beach weren't big enough for surfing so the surf butlers offered lessons at a public beach down the coast.

The room and bathroom were spacious and there was a fantastic view from the balcony. Toiletries are Remede.

I did love how the operators who answer the phone when you dial from your room are the perkiest people I'd ever heard. They make Natalie Portman in the SNL Jamba Juice skit seem like Debbie Downer.

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12

210

Yummy P.

Santa Barbara, CA

5/28/2009

yipee! stayed here this past memorial day weekend for a wedding. that being said, i didn't get to do a lot of things like check out the pool or beach.  I think if I had checked out the beach, I would have been upset that one has to take a tram to get there! but oh well. i guess there wasn't beach front property when they wanted to buy land.

Anyway, the room was really nice, even though a bit of a walk. This place reminded me of the ritz in maui with the layout of the hotel and how you eat food looking out onto the view.

during the wedding, we had delicious food. really amazing appetizers and also a perfectly cooked filet. yum!! oh ya and their molten lava cake was to die for. mmm i want more

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81

64

L X.

San Francisco, CA

3/10/2009

Eduardo, the employee who checked us into our room was extremely snotty, and unfriendly. I think he needs some re-training. The room was beautiful, and so was the view. Unfortunately there was gum and cigarette ashes on our balcony that the maids seemed to have missed. I won't be coming back here, there are plenty of hotels in the area that are superior to the St. Regis.

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Elite '09

37

177

doreen e.

San Diego, CA

7/7/2008

Seriously, if you have the cash, come here for a vacation. Even if you can only afford to stay for one night. You'll feel like you're rich - this place is so beautiful. Amazing views of the ocean and they'll even shuttle you down to the beach via golf cart. The one thing I didn't like, which probably goes back to my "lets-see-just-how-many-filipinos-will-fit-in-a-ho tel room" days is that you have to ORDER your ice. Ah, I miss the good olde days when you could look for an ice machine. Now you've not only got to wait for ice, you have to tip the guy for bringing it to you.

Did I mention the big whirlpool tub made just for soaking or the great views from the balconies?

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Elite '09

134

179

Rhett S.

Irvine, CA

4/24/2008

This review is in reference to their brunch buffet.  

I'm not big on buffets; However, I've had my fair share and in my opinion this is equal to the Biltmore in Santa Barbara.   It really puts some other notable places such as Wynn, Bellagio, and Paris Las Vegas to shame.

Reasons I don't like buffets... you eat too much, not because its the most amazing food but because it's there.  Food quality is never as good as if it were ordered off the menu.  Sometimes the food sits too long or it's too much for one chef to oversee.  

Reasons I love St. Regis buffet... the complete opposite of above.  Everything they serve has been tasted and overseen by someone who knows something about cooking.  There is so much to choose from but the most memorable item was the individual creme brulee's served in the Chinese porcelain soup spoons.  They each were the perfect spoonfull.  

Let it be known the buffet is not cheap.  It's like $70+ w/ champagne.  The head chef has left St. Regis and opened his own restaurant in Laguna called Sapphires (and it's good).

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127

86

Marcella N.

San Francisco, CA

3/6/2008

The night of my husband's bachelor party I stayed here with my sisters- in-law to help ease my mind away from what (fiance) and his loser friends were doing.  I am looking for an emphasize button to highlight "loser friends" but can not find one.  We're talking, they got indecent urinating in public tickets that night.  And the smallest, hairiest guy was duct taped to the interior of the bachelor mobile.  And I have to deal with this every time we go to *his hometown*.  I mean seriously, you are not in college any more.  Yes, I remember what a big strong football player you were and how all the Mormon girls on campus were virgins but gave good head.  The 90s called and they want you to MOVE ON.   What were we talking about?

This St. Regis is dripping with 5-star  luxury.  
The pool itself is like a gift from the gods.   One day, when I am rich, I will stay here for a whole week.

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2

8

Marisa D.

Dana Point, CA

9/1/2008

When it comes to spas, I'll admit it, I am definitely a bit of a snob and I have extremely high expectations. Here, at St. Regis' Spa Gaucin, be prepared to fork out A LOT of dough. The prices, yes, are daunting, but when there is an extensive list of services to choose from, technicians are knowledgeable and experienced, the staff is friendly and polite, and the amenities (i.e., pool) are available all day-- you walk away with a more than decent experience and you don't feel robbed! Of course, a complimentary split of champagne to enjoy in the Tranquility Lounge post-massage contributes to such a high rating! ;)

I also don't feel compelled to buy product when I am there (although I always do) because instead of shoving them down your throat and cornering you to buying stuff you don't need, the technicians give you a booklet of the products they used with a checklist of their recommendations, and on your way out, you can decide whether or not you need to add to your already plentiful (and sometimes useless) facial cleansing regimen.

Why not 5 stars? You still have to pay for valet parking on top of your already-expensive day. The Tranquility Lounge needs a little TLC, as the magazine choices are non-existent and the area is littered with empty wine glasses, small plates, and water bottles.

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