Originally Posted by
itsaboutthejourney
Decided to give the Renaissance Newport Beach a try.
They are doing a lot of things very well:
- Full remodel of the previous Fairmont; decor is a beachy vibe. Lots of hardwood floors, blue and white. I'd describe my Executive Suite decor as a beach version of a Le Meridien in terms of mid-century/contemporary design.
- Unlike a lot of Renaissance hotels that just provide a bar of soap, shampoo and conditioner, this one also provides Aveda shower gel.
- Room had empty fridge with small freezer section; perfect for my own items.
- Room had lots of USB outlets for charging phones, EarPods, etc.
- Room had Kruig coffee machine + an upscale brand of teas. Nice to see Marriott doing better quality coffee and tea.
- They have water bottle refill stations in the fitness center and by the pool. Nice way to save plastic, but the machines are new, providing filtered + Electrolyte enhanced water.
- Pool/sundeck on the 3rd floor is large: lots of places to sit, both shaded and in the sun. There is a hot tub too.
- Large size fitness center with brand new equipment (as of Feb 2019), enough room for a dedicated area to stretch and a dedicated area for free weights. Cardio machines overlook the pool/sundeck but have a tint to the glass so you are not blinded.
- No lounge. There is a library off of the lobby that seemed to be a great place to work or have an impromptu meeting as the main lobby had lots of activity and music.
- Breakfast in the restaurant: nice selection of all the usuals + a few dim sum items and cold noodles + smoked salmon. Titanium certificate gave me access to the entire breakfast buffet.
Room for improvement:
- Valet only parking. No self-park options and there doesn't appear to be street parking. $33 rate is crazy.
- Participate in the Ambassador program; provide a treat or something from the guest profile as a special welcome. Didn't even receive a note.
- It would be nice if the "Market" off the lobby sold more upscale and healthy products; they of course have all the gross Pepsi products.
I'd stay again. Especially if they can figure out a reasonable parking solution.
Very nice write up! I had a recent stay in February as well and would just like to add a couple comments.
Platinum Elite and was upgraded to a Junior Suite. It was a corner room with a unusually large balcony. Overall, the room was very nice and modern, though lacking in lighting. Unlike some other hotels that sort of heat their pools, the pool here was warm and very cozy even with evening temperatures in the 50s. And as mentioned, since there is no lobby, a full breakfast buffet is included for Platinums even though the card that was handed to me at check-in stated a continental breakfast (with gratuity included). The restaurant itself felt a bit more of a lobby space that serves food than an actual restaurant, though.
Perhaps my standards are too high, but while I am generally satisfied with the typical Marriott buffet breakfast, I found my breakfast here on the lower end (especially for the hotel). You are able to order eggs from the kitchen which is great, but the scrambled eggs in the buffet were very dry and bland. The pancakes were all half-stuck to the serving tray and seemed inedible. The coffee was good and the croissants, as Kacee suggested, were surprisingly excellent. Thanks for that tip!