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LODGINGS
Blue Lantern Inn / 2*
34343 STREET OF THE BLUE LANTERN, DANA POINT; 949/661-1304
OR 949/950-1236
Located on a bluff above lovely Dana Point Harbor, the Blue Lantern Inn
may be part of a chain (Four Sisters Inns), but it doesn't feel like it.
There are so many niceties that despite its 29 rooms, the atmosphere is
more like that of an intimate bed and breakfast than a small hotel. Almost
every window in the Cape Cod-style structure offers a panoramic ocean
view.
The complimentary full breakfast, including a hot egg dish, cereal, fresh
dy fruit, and baked goods, with the morning sunlight streaming in, couldn't
be more pleasant as the deft and courteous waitstaff moves quietly about
refilling cups of coffee. Each of the rooms, decorated in luxurious-seaside-
shanty style, has a queen or king bed, a large bathroom with a spa tub,
a
sitting area, and a gas-log fireplace. The Tower and Pacific Edge rooms
have private decks that offer especially spectacular views of the bluff
and of Dana Point Harbor. There's also a meeting room, a fitness center,
and bicycles available for exploring the coast and pretty Dana Point.
Each
afternoon, hors d'oeuvres and wine await guests in the cozy library. $$$;
AE, MC, V; no checks; turn west from PCH/Pacifica Del Prado.
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel / 3.5*
I RITZ-CARLTON DRIVE, DANA POINT; 949/240-2000 OR 949/241-3333
Nestled within a tranquil blufftop grove overlooking the sea, this swank
Mediterranean-style palace reminds us what gracious living is all about.
"Choice" is the adjective that describes everything here, from
the manicured grounds and the two mammoth swimming pools—especially
the glittering aquamarine Dana Pool surrounded by towering palms—to
the magnificent lobby with its plush carpets, gleaming woodwork, and lavish
floral arrangements. The guest rooms 393 of them, including suites and
Club Suites—are spacious, yet cozy and hushed. Every possible concession
to comfort has been made including plush terry robes, marble tubs, hair
dryers, toiletries, twice-daily maid service, laundry service, 24-hour
room service, and a well stocked minibar. Not all the rooms have ocean
views, and it's worth it to pay extra to get one, but each one has French
doors that open onto a terrace furnished with a white wrought-iron table
and chairs. The ultra-chic and exclusive Ritz-Carlton Club Floor has a
private concierge, open bar, all-day light meals, and a secluded after-dinner
lounge. Reservations may be made through the concierge for golf at the
challenging 18-hole Links at Monarch Beach, adjoining the property.
There are four tennis courts on the hotel property along with a top-of-the
line gym. The gleaming spa offers aromatherapy, Swedish and shiatsu massage,
steam and sauna rooms, and a full-service salon—everything, in short,
to encourage the sense of being pampered that surrounds guests the moment
they enter the lobby. In the Ritz-Carlton's elegant Dining Room, the French-Mediterranean
menu changes daily. More casual dining is available in the Supper Club
Grill. For casual, outdoor, ocean-view dining all day (weather permitting)
there's the Ocean Terrace Restaurant, and California cuisine is served
all day in the Terrace Restaurant, which also has a commanding view of
the Pacific. Drinks are available in the Lobby Bar, and tea is served
every day in the snug and comfortable Library. The use of beach equipment—chairs,
towels, umbrellas, and boogie boards is included in the price of the room,
and arrangements can be made for baby-sitting. One of the most marvelous
aspects of this place, for all its poshness, is that guests pad through
the lobby, and back and forth along the beach path, in their bathrobes.
At sunset, the best place to be is relaxing, drink in hand, in a cushy
lounge chair on one of the terraces, just sitting back and watching the
show. It's all good. $$$$; AE, DC, DIS, MC,
V; checks OK; off Pacific Coast Hivy, north of Dana Point.
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