I was excited to book my trip to Laguna Niguel. I’ve been there several times and it’s a great experience, but then I had the opportunity to stay at the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. Now that is a great way to spend some time in Laguna. Let us provide you with a Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel review.

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Review

Ritz-Carlton’s are always an enjoyable experience. There are only a few other hotels out there that provide the combination of impeccable service and elegant decor. I was very excited to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. The thought of a Ritz-Carlton Laguna completely slipped my mind.

I was very familiar with the Monarch Beach Resort and St. Regis. I used points from my Chase Sapphire Reserve card accumulated with Chase Ultimate Rewards.

If you want to find a good resources for travel hacking, check out Reddit churning to interact with others about key datapoints. From traveling hacking, I’ve been able to learn quite a bit outside of credit cards including these travel hacking without credit card tips.

Whenever I visited Laguna Beach I clearly missed out on The Ritz-Carlton.  There’s nothing better than some much needed sunshine and relaxation.

Laguna Niguel is a fabulous seaside town that features some of the best views in all of California. I’m sure the name is for prestige only because it really could be called The Ritz-Carlton Dana Point.

The address is actually:

1 Ritz Carlton Dr, Dana Point, CA 92629

The hotel is a phenomenal stay with impressive views. Let’s break down our The Ritz-Carlton Hotel review from Millionaire Mob’s perspective.

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Beach

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Review of Hotel

Our review of The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel is broken down by the hotel itself, which includes rooms, restaurants and service. Then, we will analyze the location of The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel.

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna offers the following features:

• 396 guestrooms and suites featuring ocean-inspired décor, airy layouts and private balconies
• Three oceanfront wedding venues highlighting the natural beauty and relaxed spirit of Southern California
• Six distinct dining experiences including 108blu, an oceanfront lounge offering panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean
• Unrivaled eco adventure experiences that showcase Southern California’s natural wonders, which include dolphin experiences, paddle boarding, boat cruises and more
• Luxury spa featuring the finest treatments inspired by the sea
• Preferred access to Monarch Beach Golf Links, a Robert Trent Jones, Jr. course
• More than 80,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space

As you can imagine with a Ritz-Carlton, the hotel is very big and has a number of unique dining, hotel room and locational experiences. This hotel is a compound that requires a map (in a good way).

You can be isolated or in the mix with everyone, so there is a good opportunity to relax or socialize with other guests. When thinking about traveling I like to use CheapOAir for my flights, they have a great deal right now. Use Super Saver Flights Reloaded. Use code FLY30 to save upto $30. Book Now!

Hotel Rooms of The Ritz-Carlton Laguna

Upon check-in, they had a live stream of the beach behind the check-in desk. I loved this. This set the tone for my experience at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna. Coming from the cold, this was a great way to get pumped up about the beach and easy livin’ weather. The lobby was palatial and active with people.

Pulling up to the front there were a number of Mercedes-Benz, BMW and exotic cars. I realized I was in for a treat of luxury.

The hotel rooms are very nice, but certainly not overwhelmingly nice. The best part about the hotel rooms are the large bathrooms. They are almost bigger than the bedroom! I will say… the design of the hotel rooms and colors are amazing. If you like coastal design, then these rooms will be fantastic for you with simple, sleek color schemes.

Depending on where you are located at the hotel, you can have varying views. I was placed in a garden view… Not much of a ‘garden’ really at all. It basically looked out to a parking lot. However, the palm trees and chairs were a nice touch. This allowed for me to sit outside with a morning coffee and get some work done.

The view wasn’t much to write home about, so book wisely.

Given our room was the garden view, I would suggest that you make sure to book a seaside view. If you have to fork up some additional cash, the view will be worth it. Let’s be honest. You don’t stay at a seaside resort without the daily view of the sea.

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Restaurants

If you cannot afford to stay at The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel, I highly suggest that you at least stop by or walk up from the beach to have a meal or drink. The views are speechless and jaw-dropping. The restaurants are expensive though, so keep that in mind. I wouldn’t expect it to be cheap considering it is… The Ritz.

There are a number of options in terms of dining options at the hotel:

1. Raya: From the culinary cuisine from acclaimed chef Richard Sandoval, Raya brings Pan-Latin cuisine to the heart of Dana Point. The Laguna Beach restaurant offers jaw-dropping ocean views, a private dining room and an outstanding Sunday brunch.
2. enoSTEAK: This is a great steakhouse that is solely focused on quality ingredients and locally sourced produce. This Dana Point restaurant gives equal attention to its design with works by artist Sandra Jones Campbell hanging on the wood-paneled walls and a showcase wine cabinet at its center. enoSTEAK Ritz-Carlton is a great option for those looking for a fine dining option at the hotel.
3. 180Blu: 180Blu overlooks Salt Creek Beach from 150 feet above and is completely outdoors. This is one of the best spots to grab a drink in all of Dana Point and Laguna Beach. The oceanfront dining features a lounge-like setting with high-top tables, comfortable sofas and traditional dining tables. The menu is mainly small plates from Raya, but has some of the best hand-crafted drinks. You must spend some time out at 180Blu if you are staying at the hotel or just in the area. The name 180blu comes from the fact that you have 180 degree views of the blue ocean.
4. The Market Place: The Market Place offers a fast casual option for guests to grab and go. All of their food is fresh and organic with all natural ingredients.
5. The Dana Pool Cafe: This is a no-frills pool cafe that will offer you lunch and beverages. Nothing better than a poolside drink.

I was actually surprised that there were that many restaurants and options at the resort. I felt comfortable with the number of options and never felt like I had to leave to go get food. Amazing dining options at the resort all around.

This is a great view from the Ritz-Carlton north wing.

Sunny day or not. I could sit outside and gaze at this view forever. The pictures will never do a true justice. Wake up early and just gaze out the seaside cliff. At night, grab a beverage and watch the perfect sunset over the ocean.

Find a great deal with Booking.com to plan your next favorite getaway. You can grab a great deal!

Booking.com

Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Review of Location

The Ritz Laguna is located ontop of a hill overlooking the Salt Creek Beach State Park, which is perfect for beach access and outdoor activities. The park itself has some items to offer such as the Salt Creek Beach Campground. Here are some details about the beach and surrounding areas of Laguna.

Salt Creek Beach State Park

The Salt Creek Beach is a long, sandy beach that avid surfers and boogie boarders hang out. There are plenty of walking paths lead to the beach. It’s a steep hill! The park includes a grassy seven-acre Bluff Park, which has benches, barbecue grills, picnic tables, and restrooms.

Salt Creek Beach is located just below The Ritz-Carlton Laguna, so access is very easy. The way down is steep! It’s a mini-workout on the way back up. It’s worth it though with the amazing views.

Look at walk down to the Salt Creek Beach state park from the hotel.

Salt Creek offers tourists a number of options including:

1. Surfing
2. Picnicking
3. Basketball
4. Monarch Bay Plaza shopping center is within walking distance
5. The Monarch Beach Golf course is close, so bring your clubs if you want to get in a round of golf

View of Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel from Salt Creek Beach

Here are some of the nearby golf courses in the greater Laguna Beach and Dana Point area.

Nearby Golf Courses

There are plenty of amazing golf courses in the great Laguna area. A number of them are some of the best golf courses in Southern California.

1. The Ranch at Laguna Beach: This Orange County hotel and spa is situated on an iconic piece of land where canyon and sea meet. The Ranch Laguna Beach has been re-envisioned as the home of Southern California’s newest hotel and spa. In terms of golf, The Ranch Laguna Beach golf course is off the beaten path and is only a 9 hole course. This will allow for you to play a quick round.
2. El Niguel Country Club: El Niguel Country Club boasts an 18-hole championship golf course. The course is 7,060 yards of beautiful terrain that poses a challenge for golfers of all skill levels. The course features rolling hills, three lakes and a meandering creek throughout the course. This course is private, so you will likely need to find a member to play. El Niguel Country Club was founded in 1976 by 23 founding members.
3. Monarch Beach Golf Links: Few golf experiences can match the blend of stunning natural beauty and variety of challenges presented at Monarch Beach Golf Links. Here, along the dramatic bluffs of Southern California, master architect, Robert Trent Jones, Jr., has fashioned an intriguing layout in the Scottish links tradition on one of the select few oceanfront golf courses in California. Commanding sweeping views to the sea, this par-70 championship course offers an unending variety of play. This course is open year round.
4. Pelican Hill Golf Course: Pelican Hill Golf Club is a world-class experience that you have to play to believe. With a quarter century of accolades and accomplishments on the score card, it’s no wonder these two courses are described as “some of the most spectacular in golf.” With the Ocean North and Ocean South Courses at Pelican Hill, Tom Fazio’s vision has been brought to life in its purest form. 36 holes of world-class golf weave their way through stunning terrain and breathtaking vistas, with every lie, every shot and every hole designed to perfectly complement the natural landscape. He’s got more designs on Golf Digest’s list of “America’s 100 Greatest Golf Courses” than any other living designer, and Pelican Hill proudly features two of his best.

The golf courses in Laguna Beach won’t come cheap, but they offer once in a lifetime experiences that you will want to try out.

Other Things To Do In Laguna Niguel

There are plenty of other things to do in Laguna. Here is a list of fun activities to do during your stay in Laguna Niguel:

1. Go into Dana Point to go on a boat ride. Or, you can walk around the marina and watch the boats come in. There’s a number of cool shops and restaurants located in the quaint town.
2. Go into downtown Laguna Beach. Laguna Beach is an eccentric crowd of people watching, shopping, relaxing and excellent dining. I highly recommend spending some time by the beach and shopping district. Grab some lunch at Las Brisas, which is a Laguna Beach staple restaurant offering some of the best ocean views and dining.
3. If you rented a car, just go for a drive on the Pacific Coast Highway northbound. The winding highway has a lot to see and is a fun drive for you avid-drivers. Maybe upgrade to a convertible and go full California style…
4. Drive up to Newport Beach and visit the Fashion Island.

There are plenty of things to do around Laguna. Once you get to The Ritz-Carlton Laguna, I bet you are going to be happy enough relaxing and staying there for an extended period of time. I’m sure you realize that Laguna (California as a whole) is not very walkable, so you will need to drive or Uber to various locations.

Overall Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel Review

Overall, I really enjoyed my experience at the Ritz Laguna. This was a great mix of affordability (relatively speaking), outdoor activities and relaxation. I felt comfortable just staying at the hotel a majority of the time.

That’s saying a lot for a person that does not like being caged up at a single resort for a few days. I need to get out and move! It was as relaxing as my experience at the Hyosekikaku ryokan in Hakone.

The overlooking perspective of the hotel out into the ocean is priceless. I wanted to be up at the resort more than down at the beach!

This hotel is an all-encompassing experience that features seclusion, inclusion, scenic views and the ability to go out of the hotel to experience the best of California. If you want to take a day to simply relax and unwind, you can sit along the hotel coast and watch the sun all day long.

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey”

Goodbye Laguna Beach until next time…. Here are several ways to save money for your travel experiences.

I will see you again, Laguna.

What do you think of our Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel review? Did you find it helpful? Let Millionaire Mob know how to help or share you experience in the comments below.

I love traveling and other travel experiences. Here are 10 of the most beautiful places in the world to inspire you to go out and find a new experience!

With both a million credit card rewards points and a million dollar net worth you can live a happier lifestyle. Subscribe to our newsletter to find out the best travel tips, dividend growth stocks, passive income ideas and more.

Join our community of over 3,000 mobsters seeking financial freedom. What are you waiting for?

Escalate Your Life.