Gorgeous ocean views are one of the draws at Laguna Cliffs Marriott.
Add to that the hotel is genuinely warm and family friendly and, well, I’m sold.
The Laguna Cliffs Marriott, which wrapped up a multimillion dollar renovation in April, sits above Dana Point Harbor and offers truly breathtaking views. It’s not as upscale as the Montage Laguna Beach or Dana Point’s Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. But that’s part of the charm.
The hotel’s classic 1940 Ford “Woodie” car is the first thing to greet you once you enter the hotel. Move into the lobby and you see a cascading waterfall, as well as an elegant, and somewhat earthy, decor that makes you feel comfortable instantly.
Take a moment to check out the black and white photos of old Dana Point and the harbor that line the hotel’s walls.
The Overvue Lounge and Deck has been transformed into a bar, grill and cafe that blends the indoors and outdoors. Flat TVs, communal tables, Italian-designed space heaters and a fire-pit entrenched in water are touches that draw you in.
All 378 guest rooms have been redone with elegant, upscale furniture, not to mention those stunning ocean views.
The pool areas have been completely overhauled. Each has its own bar and grill as well as hot tubs.
My favorite was the kid-friendly Del Mar pool, complete with a wading pool, splash pad and wave-spouting surfboards.
The little touches make Laguna Cliffs Marriott stand out, according to General Manager Jim Samuels, who knows every staff member by name.
At the pool, servers handed out free water, fruit and popsicles. On Saturdays, the resort hosts a free movie night for guests with popcorn. The next morning, a kid’s movie ticket is good for one free kid breakfast.
I ate at the hotel’s signature restaurant, Vue, and was wowed with an eight-course meal by Executive Sous Chef Erasmo Rodriguez that included seven wine pairings by the restaurant’s onsite sommelier, Alex Iavorovschi.
It’s not unusual for Rodriguez to create a special meal upon request. For me, he made smaller versions of several dishes on Vue’s menu, all of which were spectacular and amazing.
My favorites: his yellow tomato soup with yellow pepper, achiote oil and chives. It was paired with Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc. It was so good I finished it in five minutes.
The ahi tuna with apple jicama slaw, red pepper pureé and fleur de sel (a hand-harvested sea salt). That was served with Zonte’s Footstep Viognier and Langhorne Creek white wines.
My absolute favorite: a trio of risottos that included a traditional risotto with some of Rodriguez’s twists for more flavor, including a lobster risotto that was to die for and a pesto risotto that wowed us. That was paired with a Valckenberg Gewurztraminer white wine.
One must on the menu: the Chilean sea bass with pineapple saffron, artichoke puree and Minus 8 vinegar. It won’t be around much longer, Rodriguez told me, due to overharvesting, so order it while you can. It was paired with ZD Chardonnay.
While you’re there, book a couples massage at the hotel’s spa. You get a private room with his and her showers as well as a private patio with a hot tub. A customized spa meal can even be created for you.
Got the kids with you? Don’t worry, you can let kids ages 5 to 12 years old hang at the Kahuna Laguna Kid’s Club, which has a lot of activities and snacks for them. If that’s not for you, you’re only steps away from the harbor.
—Alisha Gomez
