NavyChief

Checked in here yeaterday (12/23) and will be here until 12/27. As Plat, was upgraded to a cormer Executive Suite with butler service. Nice ocean view and very attractive propety. However, if cell phone service is important to you and you use T-Mobile, this is not the resort for you. Few places inside the property where you get any service at all. I can get sporatic sevice in my room. Hotel management and several staff members I spoke with said that they are aware if the poor T-Mo service here. A friend who was with me here yesterday has AT&T had perfect service all over the resort.

Overall, the resort experience here has been exceptional. From the parking attendant to reception to bellmen, etc., everyone seems to have a positive can-do customer service attitude. Will be having dinner in Motif with guests this evening so we'll see how that goes.

Sitting in my room this morning, just finishing the morning French press coffee service brought by Bill the butler and having only one thought: Do I have enough Starpoints to stay here the rest of my life?? Starpoint donations kindly accepted.

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all.

Steffo

We've planned to stay there a couple times and had to cancel. We are a French press coffee family. My wife often brings one when we travel so we can enjoy coffee of the strength we need. Now that I've heard the butler brings you a French press at this property, I simply have to get there. Any word on whether the beans are fresh roasted shade grown organic? I suppose we could supply the butler our own beans and organic cream if needed?

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!

NavyChief

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Found out they do not generally have organic coffee. Their butler-served coffee is from Fonte, Seattle, WA.

In the restaurants, you may order the "regular" French press coffee (Fonte), Colombian, French Roast, or Jamaican Blue Mountain for $7.00.

Cream is standard restaurant-supplier quality.

W2B Globetrotter

This Plat had another terrific C&P stay here recently.

Last year on Xmas Eve they upgraded my family to an executive suite in the South Wing overlooking the gardens there.

This year, they upgraded us to a full suite at the very tip of the North Wing (Room 303) with a direct view of the ocean^:-:

In the room, they provided a complimentary platter of fruit (incl a delicious Korean apple pear) and Voss bottles in recognition of my platinum status.

But the best was yet to come...

In the morning, when John (the butler) came to deliver the french press coffee and paper, he also brought two hot chocolates for my children (I didn't even mention it to him). And then he also pointed to a large, white box and said it was a complimentary treat for us. Inside was a large gingerbread house with separate bags of candies and 2 pipes of frosting to decorate with!!!^:-:

Kudos to Johnny So (GM) and the wonderful staff of the St Regis Monarch Beach to making this a memorable Christmas morning for my family!

jschutz

Just got back from a disappointing first time stay at this beautiful resort. I will try to make this short. Upon checking in I was told that no suites were available - including standard suites. I was placed in Room 102/North Building. After getting to our room I found the heating unit to be inoperative. Maintenance contacted. At 6:00 PM still no maintenance. Got back to room at 11:30 PM - still no maintenance and still no heat. Maintenance finally showed up at 10:00 AM the following morning.

They said they could not fix it and would have me moved to another room. Now this is where I really start to get angry. They move me directly next door - Room #101, which was unoccupied when I checked in the previous day. It was a standard suite - and it was available when I checked in. So much for the SPG "Loyalty" program. I spend a significant amount of money to stay in Starwood branded properties - I keep up my end of the deal - then am lied to by the front desk. Nice.

Moving on. This was New Years Eve. They had exactly one (1) bartender working the lobby bar/lounge during the day up until 6:00 PM when it closed down for the 9:00 PM evening lobby party. One bartender - and the lounge and bar was packed. The waits for drinks, appetizers and menus were intolerable - and the bartender, whom we felt sorry for, was visibly angry and frustrated and apologized to us and many other people numerous times for the poor service. Very poor management.

When we left we asked one of the staff in charge of the evening lounge party which we would be attending if we could reserve a table for the party as we would be first attending the wine tasting dinner in the Stonehill Tavern restaurant. He emphatically said "No," that seating was strictly first come - first served basis. Fine. When we returned from dinner we entered the roped off party area and found a small couch to sit on. We were promptly asked to get up as it was "Reserved." As were two to three other tables. Nice.

The GM of this property definitely needs some remedial training - as does the check-in staff.

djscal

I've stayed at this property at least 5 times in the last few years and as a *wood Gold member I've NEVER once been offered a true upgrade that I didn't pay for or use points for. I have always told that there is no availability for an upgrade, even when I know for a fact that the hotel is practically empty. Pretty irritating actually. Also, they try not to honor the 4 pm late checkout policy that *wood promotes; again - even when I know the property is empty.

So if you are anything but a *wood platinum don't expect an upgrade.

Otherwise, it's a fabulous property. As others mentioned if you want to hang out at their private beach, it's a 5 minute tram ride. Or get a little bit of exercise and take a freaking 1/2 mile walk!

William, I'd love it if you could talk to their GM and or their staff about how to be a little bit more *wood friendly to their guest. It seems to me that they fight tooth and nail to NOT provide any of the *wood program benefits that are promoted by the program.

I know that technically as a resort they have the right to not honor the 4pm late checkout and the upgrade requests; but to NEVER offer them even in a time when the hotel has plenty of rooms and doesn't absolutely NEED the guest to be out before 4pm goes against the spirit of the program - at least in my mind.

Thoughts?

Starwood Lurker

Well, my first thought is that the GM is probably going to wonder who I think I am telling him/her this. The sad truth is that most of them don't even know who I am and I have absolutely no spiff (with apologies to my friend Spiff) in that direction.

But, I'm sure that he/she would love to hear your comments directly. Believe it or not, the words coming from you, as a former guest, are much more effective. Plus, you are able to give them details such as your name and contact info, where I could only tell them, "Hey, look what djscal posted about you at Flyertalk." The first question to come back at me would probably be, "Who is djscal?". The second would likely be, "When did he/she stay with us?" And, the third would likely be, "How to do I get in touch with this person?"

So, when that email comes asking for your opinion, give them one. Or, if one does not come, call up Corporate Customer Service and tell them that you'd like to forward some comments regarding your stay to the hotel's executive office.

I will note this about that, however:

1) as a Gold member, you are entitled to the same room type you booked originally; only the best of that room type at check-in.

My personal feeling is that a lot of Gold members expect an actual upgrade in room type and that is not how the Terms and Conditions read. Sure, it's fine to want something more, but the resort is not obligated to do so. Should they? Well, I would; in this economic environment especially, but I'm not the GM. Even so, that comes with a double-edged sword. If I give it to you, then suddenly you expect to be given it elsewhere and in times that may not be as convenient as this particular instance may have been.

2) if the property is a resort or a conference hotel, they can make the 4 PM late check-out benefit subject to availability.

They should not be hiding behind this clause if they have the ability to meet it. To do so really defeats the spirit of the benefit. An exception should not be taken if it is not needed. That being said, it is unlikely that this is going to be something that they will be dinged for by Corporate Customer Service. After all, CCS has no idea what the occupancy level of the hotel is when you stayed. They are dependent upon the property for that information. And, really, you have to consider that it might be based on how many housekeepers they have staffed. I know that any GM of any report is going to manage staff in relation to number of guests, and that is going to have an effect on their ability to provide service, even if the resort seems under low occupancy to you personally.

So, by all means, attempt to communicate with the GM through Corporate Customer Service, but don't try and make it a complaint file. Try and make it something much more important than that.

Best regards,

William R. Sanders
Online Guest Feedback Coordinator
Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide

[email protected]

TravelFreak131

My thought is, I've stayed at this property 3 times and I've been granted a late check out each time. Now given, I haven't always USED a 4 pm checkout, but it's always been given.

I'm sorry you didn't have luck during your stay. I would certainly take Lurker's advice and contact the hotel directly. Good luck!

bwerber

I stayed at the property last week. My 2nd stay at the property. I received an upgrade to a nice corner suite, with a great view of the golf course and the ocean. ^ I also received a 4pm checkout (not sure if the late checkout was a favor because I arrived 1 day late or due to platinum status).

No complaints here

Remarkikkin

Ironically, they charged me a $25 per day resort fee plus a $12 porterage fee when they didn't even help me with my luggage. I had so many problems with this hotel that I will never stay there again and will tell eveyone I know to avoid it. I'm trying to get an escalated complaint resolved after four phone calls to spg and a lot of wasted time. Writing an email now to express my disappointment. What a waste of 5 diamonds.

Centurion

I noticed a previous post about being charged for beach access. This property has to provide ANYONE including people not staying at the hotel transportation and access to the beach at NO COST. It may not be Monarch Beach Club if the hotel chooses but it will be the adjacent beach. The hotel public access points signage is hard to find since it has aged. Any questions about this beach access can be dirrected to the California Coastal Commision

SanDiego1K

How long does it take to get here from the Orange County Airport? About how much is the taxi fare?

BlissWorld

It's not that close. If you look at google map, it's 27 miles. You are looking at a huge cab fare. The best way, as always in LA, is to get a rental car (but you would know that living in SD ).

slidergirl

You're looking at about $70 one way from SNA to the St. Regis. Unless you plan on only staying at the resort and visiting the beach, the nearby strip mall (with the italian place and a Starbucks) or the Ritz Carlton on the other side of the strip mall, you really need a car. To do anything else, like go into Laguna Beach or Dana Point, you'll have to drive. If I remember, taxis don't sit around at the hotels there, so you'll have to have one called for you each time if you choose to go that route.

SanDiego1K

Thanks, the responses have been very helpful. My husband and I likely need to arrive separately, and I was hoping there was an easy way to end up with one car instead of two.