To me, a truly luxurious family hotel is not simply one with a beautiful view. It is one where the children have room to be children and the parents can still exhale. And the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel provided exactly that. We came for a wedding, but quickly started imagining a return trip simply to enjoy the resort. Even as a mom who lives just up the coast, there is something special about the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel. This is my honest review of our recent stay.
Location
The hotel is set on a gorgeous bluff above Salt Creek Beach in Dana Point/Laguna Niguel. It’s perfectly located between Laguna and Dana Point, so you have access to some of the best restaurants and ocean excursions. We live just up the coast and LOVE the location of the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel! It’s close enough to everything you might want, without being stuck in the middle of the heavy traffic areas.
The Room
We rented a pool view room with 2 queen beds, and we loved soaking up the salty breeze on our balcony. My parents rented an fireside ocean view room and it was stunning! Next time I would definitely contemplate renting a ground floor fireside room so the boys could enjoy playing on the grass while Caleb & I enjoyed a glass of wine by the private fire pit.
One of my favorite memories of our entire trip was an ordinary moment in our hotel room. I will forever recall the joy of slowly waking up alongside my boys and enjoying Cheerios on our balcony. There is something magic about waking up in a new place, next to your favorite people, and slowly letting the day unfold. The room we rented had a coffee maker, tea, and a few of the basics you might want first thing in the morning. We did bring the Cheerios from home, but I could foresee us ordering a few items from room service for the boys to enjoy on the balcony while Caleb and I slowly enjoy our first coffees of the day.
On Property
The resort had everything you could want in a beach vacation. There is a family-friendly pool (and an adults only pool), a hot tub, an on-site play structure, a beautiful beach just down the hill (you can walk or take the golf cart shuttle service), and a Ritz Kids program. We didn’t use the Ritz Kids program this trip, but I enjoyed knowing it was an option if Caleb and I wanted to enjoy a little date time. (The hotel’s current offerings can change seasonally, so I would always check the schedule before booking, but it is a property designed with families in mind rather than as an afterthought.)
My boys loved swimming in the pool each day and we walked to the beach multiple times during our stay. Confession- as much as I would love to say we walked to and from the beach each time, the hill back up is a bit steep…. so we did end up taking the shuttle back up the hill a few times. But the boys actually thought the golf cart shuttle added to the adventure!
Dining
For meals we enjoyed a combination of room service, poolside service and dining in the restaurants. The restaurants have stunning views of the ocean and the food was delicious! They have a full kids menu (from PB&J to kids filet mignon) and we felt welcome everywhere we dined. And if you don’t want to dine on property, there are so many incredible restaurants in Laguna, Dana Point and even Newport Beach.
Would we come back?
Overall- yes! We came for a simple staycation, but the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel would be a perfect home base for any family visiting Orange County. See my posts about our stay on Instagram here and on Tiktok here for more videos and photos
Have you stayed here?
Or what hotels have you loved?
Where should we go next?
Thank you Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel for an incredible stay! All opinions are my own.
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