Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel - Dana Point Hotels

With its sprawling rooms splashed with colors of the sea and sand, the newly remodeled and always exquisite Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel is certainly tops among Dana Point hotels.

In 2008, this luxury California resort — perched on a bluff 150 feet above the ocean — completed a multi-milion dollar face lift, with a modern yet classical style. Each of the 396 guest rooms have been totally updated with luxurious feather beds, goose-down comforters and 400-count Egyptian cotton sheets.

Adding to the amenities, each room — which ranges between 400 and 1,550 square feet — has 42-inch flat-screen plasma televisions, wired and wireless Internet, and spacious marble bathrooms stocked with luxury European bath products.

The Laguna Ritz Carlton hotel is home to six Dana Point restaurants, ranging from casual to fine dining. Enjoy local microbrews and California beers at The Bar (view menu), or head upstairs to one of Orange County's best rooftop bars, The Sunset Lounge, where you can gaze out at the sparkling Pacific and nearby Catalina Island. View Sunset Lounge Menu.

If you want to venture out to Santa Catalina Island, daily tours are offered out of Dana Point Harbor aboard Catalina Express. You can also pick up several whale watching tours (watch our video here) from the nearby Ocean Institute, which is certainly worth a visit. (Watch our video here)

With two miles of beautiful white sand below, it's easy to spend a full day at Salt Creek Beach. In keeping with the Ritz Carlton's brand of upscale service, a beach butler is available to take you on a golf cart shuttle to the shore, where you'll have full access to beach chairs, fresh white towels, and food/drink. The beach shuttle operates daily between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., and by request.

The new Ritz Carlton pool deck, with its sprays of lush green foliage and orange color sprays, is a beautiful place to spend the day. Catch up on your favorite novel while relaxing on the white chaise lounges, or warm up by the fire pits while enjoying beautiful views of the beach in the outdoor living areas.

The Dana Pool Café serves up great coolers like the Ritz-Carlton Lava Flow, made with coconut Malibu rum and strawberry puree; or you can nosh on healthy sandwiches and salads, such as the Salt Creek Salad, made with baby organic greens, watermelon cubes, sliced cucumbers, goat cheese and toasted sliced almonds. View Dana Pool Cafe Menu.

Another casual resort eatery, The Market Place, is the perfect spot for a grab-and-go meal. In addition to morning pastries, espresso and breakfast items, the restaurant offers late-afternoon pastry pick-me-ups and several delicious panini sandwiches. On Fridays, the restaurant serves house-made sushi from 6 to 9 p.m.

Fresh seafood and California cuisine are the stars at the Ritz Carlton Restaurant 162’, which is the resort's signature restaurant. Boasting a wall of windows overlooking the Pacific, this modern and sophisticated space, with its crystal-and-tin ceiling, offers such specials as Espresso Rubbed Dry-aged New York steak with truffle pomme purée, Point Reyes foam, and caramel Bourbon glaze; or a lovely Crisp Troll King Salmon with fingerling potatoes and violet mustard sauce. The truffle fries are a decadent side dish, as is the Fiscalini white cheddar truffle mac & cheese. On Fridays, don't miss the four-course seafood tasting menu, or the legendary Ritz Carlton Brunch on Sundays. View Restaurant 162 menu.

This Southern California spa resort is also well known for its Eno restaurant, which showcases the best wines, cheeses and chocolates in the world. Begin with an organic flight of California wines and cheeses, then move on to a scrumptious chocolate tasting. The restaurant's Eno-Versity classes are available for guests to learn more about wine pairing, chocolate tasting and artisanal cheeses. View Eno menu.

In addition to beach sports and trips to Catalina Island, the Ritz Carlton is close to several of the best Orange County golf courses, including Monarch Beach Golf Links, Aliso Viejo Golf Club, Oak Creek Golf Club, Talega Golf Club, Tijeras Creek Golf Club and Tustin Ranch Golf Club.

For great surfing, the hotel offers a Billabong Surf Experience hotel package starting at $495 per night. The program includes a 2-hour private lesson for beginners, or a half-day adventure for more advanced surfers. The package, offered through June 30, 2010, includes overnight accommodations, a private Billabong surf instructor, a wetsuit and surfboard rental, and Billabong T-shirt. You'll also get a 20 percent discount from the surf shop. View hotel package here.

The Ritz-Carlton Spa is the perfect place to unwind, with 12 renovated treatment rooms decorated in soothing tones of beige and aqua. Here, you'll be treated to the latest ocean-inspired rituals, from massages in a cabana overlooking the beach, to the country's only Four Foot Ashiatsu treatment. For a great workout, head to the oval fitness room, where you'll find top-of-the-line equipment, saunas, and outdoor Pilates, hiking and yoga sessions. View spa menu.

The Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel is located at One Ritz-Carlton Drive, Dana Point, California 92629. For reservations, call 800-241-3333 or t949-240-2000, or visit the hotel Web site.

Photos: Courtesy of Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel

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