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Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel [Master Thread]

Old Sep 28, 2016, 11:56 am
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Last edit by: Astrophsx
Daily resort fee is $60 (not waived with status or with booking a club room)
  • Wireless, high-speed Internet access in guest rooms and common areas.
  • Outdoor Yoga, Pilates, and Seaside Hikes alternate daily.
  • Shuttle service to and from Salt Creek Beach on an individual guest request basis (not applicable to group transfers).
  • Access to resorts Beach Butler Service and use of beach recreation equipment including towel service, umbrellas, and beach chairs.
  • Unlimited use of the Tennis Courts including rackets. Tournament and clinic fees are additional.
  • Courtesy resort driver transportation within 3 miles of the resort.
  • Complimentary 45 minute private photography session and one digital image (not applicable to special occasions and events).
  • A special Garden Tour experience where you discover Birds, Bees, and Butterflies local to Dana Point in the beautiful Eco-Adventure Garden, reserve through the [email protected] m.

Valet fee is $70 per night

Platinum benefits:
- Free breakfast is no longer offered
- 1,000 welcome points
- One category upgrade based upon availability (usually a coastline or ocean view room)

Tips from a local:
- If you want to avoid the $70 valet fee and don't mind a 10 minute stroll you can park for free on Niguel Rd & Stonehill Dr on the hill except for Fridays between 10am and Noon.
- The marine layer usually burns off around noon to 1pm each day.
- May, June, and early July are known as May gray/June gloom. This time of the year is usually overcast and not the most ideal beach weather. Hot summer weather is usually July to mid-October.
- Beach Hut Deli and Moulin are cheaper places for lunch and are a ~3 minute walk. There is a hidden walking path on the backside of the property that makes walking there slightly easier at Cabrillo Isle & Ritz Carlton drive.
- If you live in the area there is a locals "anniversary" card that allows for a 15% discount on food/alcohol/spa and free valet parking for the day for two cars (not for overnight stays). You will need to show evidence that you live in the area.
- Valet is $5 for the day if visiting a restaurant or marketplace.
- The free OC Parks Summer Concert Series on the Salt Creek Beach lawn is usually a few weekends in August and is very popular locally. Alcohol is sold and usually multiple food trucks. They also have free movies on the lawn during the weekends in August.
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Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel [Master Thread]

Old Sep 28, 2016, 11:45 am
  #16  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 3,782
Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
Was the above due to the problems you had w/ the room? This is the first report of comp brekkie, resort fee & valet parking.

Cheers.
I don't think so. I think they are standard for Plat. They show up as ADJ PLAT RESORT FEE and ADJ PLAT OVERNIGHT VALET PARKI credits when I check out. Now that I am looking at my Folio, I found that they never actually comp my breakfast... I am pretty sure it said breakfast was free on my arrival letter in the room. Well I only stay there for 1 night but did spent over $400 on food in their restaurant. Again the restaurant was great, but I will never stay there again. The room we got was really not something that I would pay over $600 per night or 60,000 points.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 11:56 am
  #17  
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Thanks. Since we're not sure about breakfast I'll create a wiki that at least shows resort fee & valet parking.

Hope your next anniversary trip wherever you stay goes better.

Cheers.
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 12:36 pm
  #18  
 
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Originally Posted by SkiAdcock
Thanks. Since we're not sure about breakfast I'll create a wiki that at least shows resort fee & valet parking.

Hope your next anniversary trip wherever you stay goes better.

Cheers.
Thanks we are going to RC Aruba this year in 3 weeks. This time I make sure to put it into comment section "King size bed please!"
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 2:18 pm
  #19  
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Originally Posted by Need
Yup. And it was not 2 queen size.. it was 2 full size beds. I even have it on my email where the reservation shows 1 King room. I think they said something about bed type not guarantee and I got the "run of the house" room. It was a reward reservation but I did pick King bed knowing that it is one of those rare occasion that our kid is not with us.

The hotel does look full because they have a function of some kind of medical company going on and we did arrive after 6pm since it was a Friday and we both had to work. But still I can't believe they can't find us a King bed room if they want to. I am pretty sure they didn't even check as the reply was so fast. No we are full and don't have any other room.

On the good sides, they will comp you for breakfast ($35 credit per day), resort fee ($30 per day), and valet parking ($30 per day) as a Plat.
Well, it's great to hear about the comps! When was your stay? And thanks for the quick and thorough feedback!
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Old Sep 28, 2016, 2:59 pm
  #20  
 
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Originally Posted by bsdstone
Well, it's great to hear about the comps! When was your stay? And thanks for the quick and thorough feedback!
Oct last year. We have been to that restaurants many times before but last year was the first time we stayed at the hotel.

Looking thru Tripadvisor's reviews, it seems that I am not the only Plat who got double beds room instead of King. There is one review a year before my stay saying almost the exact same thing except they actually were able to get the room change.

As a Marriott Platinum member I stay in a lot of hotels. In the last three years I have never once needed to complain even once, but the front desk service at this hotel is horrible.

Upon check-in, I was informed we had a double instead of a king room. When I questioned this, the front desk person stated that is all they had available, and the king bed was only a request. (note: room type is guaranteed for platinum members). When I stated that I thought it was guaranteed, she went to the back to check. She then told me that they were able to find a king room and it would be available in 15 minutes, so we waited.

Upon entering our new room, I was struck by the fact that it was the worst room I had ever seen at a resort. It was on our with a Fairfield Inn. The room was on the "first floor" but below street level, and the only view was that of a retaining wall 10 feet away.

My Marriott profile has a few items: king bed, high floor, and extra towels. I would have expected this Ritz to get it right. But they got none of these three.

King bed: not available till after I complained
High floor: no, below street level
Extra towels: no, just two

I will write Corporate because I think they need to step in an retrain management on handling platinum members. Simply the worst service I have received from any Ritz, JW, Renaissance, or Marriott in many many years.

https://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowUser...lifornia.html#
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Old Jan 23, 2017, 10:50 am
  #21  
 
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Had a great weekend stay there.

Booked a pool/garden view on points. Initially got upgraded to a ocean view room. It was great, however, there were dogs barking constantly in the next room. 1 call down to the front desk and we were moved into an ocean front suite. Had a nice bottle of wine and arrival gift sent to the room as well.

Also - PLATs get a $60 credit towards breakfast and waived resort fee, etc.
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Old Jan 31, 2017, 4:04 pm
  #22  
 
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Originally Posted by ssafro1
Had a great weekend stay there.

Booked a pool/garden view on points. Initially got upgraded to a ocean view room. It was great, however, there were dogs barking constantly in the next room. 1 call down to the front desk and we were moved into an ocean front suite. Had a nice bottle of wine and arrival gift sent to the room as well.

Also - PLATs get a $60 credit towards breakfast and waived resort fee, etc.
Is the $60 enough for 2 people breakfast?
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Old Jan 31, 2017, 4:26 pm
  #23  
 
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Originally Posted by lotrbfme
Is the $60 enough for 2 people breakfast?
I would say just about... the items on the breakfast menu (may 10 or so) range in price from ~$20 - $32. I think the classic american breakfast was like $31. My partner got pancakes which I think were in the mid $20 range so net net I think all that wasn't covered was just a little gratuity.
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Old Jan 31, 2017, 7:01 pm
  #24  
 
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Originally Posted by ssafro1
I would say just about... the items on the breakfast menu (may 10 or so) range in price from ~$20 - $32. I think the classic american breakfast was like $31. My partner got pancakes which I think were in the mid $20 range so net net I think all that wasn't covered was just a little gratuity.
awesome thank you! Do you have any other recommendation about what to do in the resort/area? Are the hotel restaurants good?
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Old Jan 31, 2017, 9:44 pm
  #25  
 
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Originally Posted by lotrbfme
awesome thank you! Do you have any other recommendation about what to do in the resort/area? Are the hotel restaurants good?
So we mostly hiked. I think the hotel restaurants are good (the view for breakfast is fantastic) but I always try to eat off property when there are many great options nearby (Laguna Beach, for example). Without knowing more its hard to guide you -- my advice is utilize the concierge/guest coordinators there. They are excellent at personalizing stays.
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Old Feb 1, 2017, 5:14 am
  #26  
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Originally Posted by ssafro1
So we mostly hiked. I think the hotel restaurants are good (the view for breakfast is fantastic) but I always try to eat off property when there are many great options nearby (Laguna Beach, for example). Without knowing more its hard to guide you -- my advice is utilize the concierge/guest coordinators there. They are excellent at personalizing stays.
agreed. We had breakfast for and it came to just over $60 with two main course egg dishes, a tea, and a latte...well worth it just for the view.
We ate off property as well, and went out casual to a beach side restaurant just up the road...the concierge helped us out.

Wonderful property! Enjoy
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Old Feb 1, 2017, 6:30 am
  #27  
 
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Originally Posted by ssafro1
So we mostly hiked. I think the hotel restaurants are good (the view for breakfast is fantastic) but I always try to eat off property when there are many great options nearby (Laguna Beach, for example). Without knowing more its hard to guide you -- my advice is utilize the concierge/guest coordinators there. They are excellent at personalizing stays.
Originally Posted by bsdstone
agreed. We had breakfast for and it came to just over $60 with two main course egg dishes, a tea, and a latte...well worth it just for the view.
We ate off property as well, and went out casual to a beach side restaurant just up the road...the concierge helped us out.

Wonderful property! Enjoy
Thank you so much! We are looking to do a whale spotting tour, I am going to writte to the hotel. Hopefully as a Platinum member I will get upgraded to ocean view. I am going for my 1 year anniversary.
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Old Mar 6, 2017, 9:15 pm
  #28  
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A little irksome.......

So we checked in to the hotel for a 4 night stay. Our first time. We are on a FHR Amex Platinum rate.

The receptionist could not have been nicer and listed all the perks we get with this rate. One of them was a space available upgrade.

" Wonderful....any upgrades available". " No ...sorry not at this time".

A minute later as she proceeded to check us in she asked if we wanted to " upgrade our room", clearly intending this offer was with a rate increase.

It was off putting and was not the best first impression.

That said.....So far...The hotel is lovely and the Club level amenities are wonderful.
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Old Mar 7, 2017, 7:54 pm
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by david55
The receptionist could not have been nicer and listed all the perks we get with this rate. One of them was a space available upgrade.

" Wonderful....any upgrades available". " No ...sorry not at this time".

A minute later as she proceeded to check us in she asked if we wanted to " upgrade our room", clearly intending this offer was with a rate increase.

It was off putting and was not the best first impression.
That's infuriating. I hate starting off a stay (especially one at someplace like an oceanside RC that I hope will be truly wonderful) on a bad note like that. Sometimes a property can recover, but as they say, "You only get one chance to make a first impression."
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Old Mar 7, 2017, 8:33 pm
  #30  
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Originally Posted by DJ_Iceman
That's infuriating. I hate starting off a stay (especially one at someplace like an oceanside RC that I hope will be truly wonderful) on a bad note like that. Sometimes a property can recover, but as they say, "You only get one chance to make a first impression."
They did recover....I just posted a review.
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