I can't help you with questions about the Newport Coast Villas, but I can offer my opinion for your second question. Crystal Cove is your closest beach. Not really a place I see laying out all day, but there are walking trails and bike paths. I suggest you make a reservation at The Beachcomber. The food is good and the location great, right on the sand. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner are all good. They stay busy, especially when the weather is nice, and walk ins can experience long waits (don't mistake The Beachcomber on the sand for The Shake Shack up on the highway, which I do not have a high opinion of).
For nice beaches, the best offerings will be heading south into Laguna. You have a number of options there with Thousand Steps being my favorite. Laguna has the most visually stunning beaches. Again though, like with Crystal Cove, not really sure it's an all day at the beach type thing. The weather has been nice this week, it was warm over the weekend and the beach was crowded, but not really enticing to me for a swim in the ocean (then again I just got back from St Barts and when I put my feet in the water here I just about went into shock).
If you're looking for a younger crowd, bars/restaurants, or just more activity based along with a little time at the beach head over to the Balboa Peninsula and grab bikes. On the Balboa Peninsula the bike path runs a couple miles along the beach and goes a lot further if you connect into Huntington Beach. You can cruise along the boardwalk, catch the ferry over to Balboa Island, and grab a frozen banana. You can stop into Cruisers (Balboa Pier) or Mutt's (Newport Pier) or countless others for a drink. You can have a casual lunch at Bear Flag Fish Co. Grab a surfboard if you want to learn at Blackies or move north along the beach if you already know how to surf. Or you can cruise down to the Balboa Fun Zone and rent a boat (sail if you have experience or Duffy) and cruise the harbor.