More about St Regis Resort Monarch Beach
A Fantastic stay, kid's club a hit
by TripAdvisor Member KLCalgary
Just returned from 4 nights at the gorgeous St. Regis Monarch Beach. The rooms were spacious, the bathrooms were luxurious and the service was wonderful. The access to the beach (a complaint in previous reviews) was via golf cart, however, the drivers were always available and would return to drive you back at any time. You can walk to the beach (or jog) it is about 1 mile.
The pools, fitness facility and grounds are beautiful.
We have a very active 4 year old and he LOVED the kid's club. He played on the beach, did arts and crafts, ate lunch and dinner, swam and generally had fun with the very accomodating, professional staff at the kid's club.
The hotel will arrange babysitting (we also have a 8 month old) and this service was exceptional. The sitter arrived with her own bag of activities and toys and gave us a breakdown of how the evening went, we were impressed.
The restaurants are pricey, this isn't a suprise, the room service was excellent and quick. We did have one meal at the Ritz, it was fine although the hotel's ambiance isn't as energetic and welcoming as the St. Regis.
We all enjoyed our time at the St. Regis.
Wonderful Resort
by A TripAdvisor Member
Just got back from a long weekend at the St. Regis Monarch Beach and it was awesome. Service was great from the time we checked in (the desk attendant announced right off that we had been assigned a room on the highest floor and farthest away from the elevators as possible, just as I had requested in our reservation, without me having to ask a word about it) until the time we left (the attendant was very interested to know if there was anything that could have improved our stay -- there wasn't). In fact, I am at a loss over the other reviews that indicated service was "snooty" -- everyone we encountered was super-friendly and helpful (one of the pool attendants even used his cell phone to make dinner reservations for us at a great seafood place). On several occasions, although we hadn't reserved it in advance, the valet attendants got the complimentary town car take us to our dinner reservations. They even sent it to pick us up one night.
The rooms are gorgeous and very quiet. With the great black-out drapes and the incredibly comfortable bed, we sometimes slept in a little later than planned, but it certainly was restful. The bathroom is large and beautiful, with both a glassed-in shower and big soaker bathtub. There is just great attention to detail here.
The grounds are also very well kept. The main pool is very large and the lounge chairs are really comfortable. Pool service was also very attentive and quick. The only downside on the design of the pool areas is that the only jacuzzi is in the same pool area as the children's pool, which makes it not as relaxing as it could be. But there is always the beach, which is great. Unlike the Ritz-Carlton, where the guests apparently must use the really over-crowded public beach below, the St. Regis has it's own private beach club which wasn't crowded at all. The same great service that we found on the main grounds extended to the beach club, with the staff quick to find the perfect place to set up your chairs, towels, and umbrella before sending a server over to take your drink order. The only negative at all on the beach is that the chairs they have are the small, sit-up kind (which aren't nearly as comfortable as the full lounge chairs at the pool) but that is only a very small detraction from a great setting. We also went down there one night to watch the sunset and had a great time listening to the live music they had arranged. Just a quintessential beach experience.
We will definitely be back to the St. Regis many times. In addition to the great things mentioned above, the food and drinks we had at Aqua and on the terrace were exceptional and we thought not outrageously priced given the quality and the location. Although there were more children than I expected at the resort, they were largely very well-behaved and seemed to be enjoying themselves as much as the adults. In short, I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a great resort -- singles, couples and families alike -- and willing to pay the price to stay here.
Super expensive, but exquisite!
by TripAdvisor Member CheBird
My boss sent my husband and me to this hotel for a long weekend. We were very impressed. Very sophisticated, elegant hotel. Also very expensive. Be prepared to spend good money in the bar (even a cup of coffee was $4). We avoided the restaurants and chose to dine in nearby Laguna Beach instead. The parking garage and valet both cost $25 a night. We expected exhorbitant prices, but this resort is not in a downtown setting and we were not accustomed to paying such a high price for parking in the "suburbs". That's Carlifornia for you, I suppose. But if you want to stay at an exclusive resort with few children around, this is the place to be. Excellent entertainment at night in the bar and lounge area.
Elegant and luxurious
by A TripAdvisor Member
We stayed at the St Regis in November and found it to be elegant and very comfortable. The rooms were beautifully decorated but not fussy. Clean lines, a neutral palette and luxury fabrics describe the decor. The beds were dressed in fine linens. The bathroom was large and luxurious with a very nice separate shower and whirlpool tub, double sinks. The bathroom was my favorite part. The grounds were everything one would expect--beautiful, well-manicured although there is no direct access to the beach.
truffle popcorn
by A TripAdvisor Member
My best friend got married at the hotel's botanical garden on july 24, 2004 -picturesque! I went to high school in So. Cal and knew of the newly built St. Regis. My husband and I stayed at the St. Regis for 6 nights of bliss over her wedding week and weekend. I cannot tell you how pleased we were with the service - absolutely 5 star. The rooms are new, fresh, hip, clean and beautiful. The food was good. If you stay, you must try the truffled popcorn - addictive!! It is not on the beach like the Ritz Carlton, but the beach is a big, busy public beach anyway - so what if you have to be driven in a golf cart for 5 minutes, it's not the caribbean.
Great location, great staff, great spa, and I had read previous reviews on this site which kind of scared me...disregard them, this new hotel has caught up to speed and is the star of the laguna niguel/ dana point area. You will not be dissapointed.
Stuffy and not on ocean but elegant!
by A TripAdvisor Member
We just returned from this resort after staying at 2 other hotels in the area (Inn at Laguna Beach & Surf & Sand). This resort is beautiful! Many terrific ammenities and excellent restaurants. My only negative comments about it are the following: 1. our kids are too young for the kids club, so it felt like we couldn't fully enjoy the resort because many areas are "off limits" to kids. (i.e. a few restaurants, the spa, the big pool, etc.)
2. The place is a bit stuffy with a dress code for restaurants and walking around the hotel!
3. Our room was so far from the pool and the elevator that we had to walk 2 long hallways and then across the resort to get there. If you have a stroller, request a room near the elevator or on the 1st floor.
4. The resort is not right on the water, so we missed hearing the water outside our room like we did at the Surf & Sand.
5. It's a huge resort, so even though the staff is working hard, it often takes a long time to get service.
That said, I'm glad we went because it really is beautifu! If you can get a good rate, it will be worth it!
Loved it!!!
by A TripAdvisor Member
We just returned and, again, had a wonderful experience here! First class service and amenities all the way. The staff was there for your every need - always pleasant and with a smile. The rooms are beautifully decorated-you won't be disappointed. Compared to other hotels of equivalent ratings in the area, I'd choose this hotel every time. Others just can't compare. We will be visiting again! Don't hesitate to stay here - you'll be glad you did!!
Very Nice Hotel
by A TripAdvisor Member
I have stayed at this hotel twice with my family.
It is a very nice resort hotel.
Yes, sometime because of ongoing conference. Some area can get busy like any other hotel. Some of the negative comments may stem from this.
There are not may kids. But, it is still a kid friendly hotel. And family can enjoy.
But, do not expect entertainment oriented hotel, it is more to enjoy walking, cycling, pool, tennis, and etc. Outdoor activity
!
It is expensive but it is worth it once in a while. If you want to be frugal, this is not the hotel you should stay.
I love this hotel
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