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The Balboa Bay Club and Resort, Newport Beach           Search More OC Hotels       Balboa Bay Club & Resort 1221 W Coast Hwy Newport Beach, CA 92663 Originally opened as a private club in 1948, the hotel has hosted five U.S. presidents, business leaders, and A-list Hollywood celebrities. Set on 15 acres alongside Balboa Bay in Newport Beach, the resort—which still contains a private club—opened to the public as a hotel in 2003 after a $65-million renovation.     Property Amenities: Marina on site   Swimming pool - outdoor    Massage - treatment room Steam room    Sauna   Full-service health spa    Spa tub   Airport transportation(complimentary)    Concierge services   Technology helpdesk    Concierge desk   Health club    Fitness equipment   Restaurant(s) in hotel    Bar/lounge   Room service (24 hours)   Breakfast available (surcharge)   Limo or Town Car service available    Parking (secure)   Parking (valet)    Parking (surcharge)   Conference room(s)   Event catering   Meeting rooms Business center   Exhibit space    Ballroom(s)   Banquet facilities    Internet access in public areas - wireless   Internet access in public areas - high speed Audio-visual equipment   Secretarial services    Internet access in public areas - surcharge   Business services    Number of rooms: 160  Express check- in    Safe-deposit box - front desk   Porter/bellhop  Express check-out   Security guard    24-hour front desk   Multilingual staff    Number of floors: 3  Gift shops or newsstand   Shopping on site   Hair salon ATM/banking   Tour assistance  Beauty services   Dry cleaning service   Video library Clubhouse    Shoe shine Patio   Air-conditioned public areas   Elevator/lift    Wedding services      The Balboa Bay Club and Resort  Hotel Class General Information What to expect: The resort, housed in two three-story buildings, mixes Mediterranean architecture with beach-inspired California décor to create a contemporary, upscale atmosphere with a casual seaside feel. Travelers in search of a weekend away pull into a porte cochere and around a fountain to the valet stand. The lobby’s seaside-inspired décor includes a painting of footprinted sand behind the concierge desk, a compass rose in the middle of the mosaic floor, rattan chairs, and a large-scale painting of sailboats behind the front counter. Amenity highlights: The hotel’s rich history of catering to politicos and celebrities is a draw for many guests—performers Lucille Ball, John Wayne, Natalie Wood, and Humphrey Bogart have stayed here. But additional boons at the now-public resort include its bayside location, attractive outdoor pool, marina, interior renovated in 2003, restaurants and lounges, and a 17,000-square-foot spa. Insider tip: Newport Beach offers lots of recreational activities, including from hard-core shopping (at nearby Fashion Island), to body-surfing at the Wedge, an area at the south end of Balboa Peninsula. Resort guests can head to tiny Balboa Island and take a ferry to the Balboa Peninsula, or stay at the resort and rent small, electric Duffy boats, which can be driven like cars. The Rooms  The resort’s two three-story buildings contain 170 guestrooms, all with balconies, and all renovated and refurnished in 2003. Contemporary, beach-inspired décor includes rattan decorative elements. Cherry-wood-and rattan armoires contain TVs, and beds with feather pillowtop mattresses, down duvets, and white linens have headboards of a dark-bamboo weave. Bathrobes and slippers are provided, as are cookies and complimentary bottled water at nightly turndown. Views are of the surrounding area or the inner courtyard and pool. Smoking is allowed only on balconies. Windows are double-paned with Southern-style shutters, and guestrooms provide refrigerators, CD/DVD players, a bowl of apples, and magazines in rattan racks. In-room safes accommodate laptops, and marble bathrooms have granite-topped vanity areas, deep soaking tubs, separate showers, scales, make-up mirrors, and full-length mirrors. Twice-daily housekeeping is provided. Guests can choose which newspaper to have delivered daily. Recreation The resort sits on 15 waterfront acres, encompassing a private marina on Balboa Bay. The marina is reserved for club members, but resort guests can charter yachts and small electric boats, and arrange fishing trips through the concierge. The hotel also offers complimentary shuttle service to a sandy beach a mile away. The outdoor heated pool in the main building’s courtyard is surrounded by cushioned lounge chairs. A small, artificial beach on site is available for club members only, and is only for sunning. The resort has two fitness centers: the smaller, complimentary center in the main building offers towels and TVs, a pair of treadmills and several pieces of Paramount strength-training equipment; the fitness facilities in the spa are available for a fee. The 17,000-square-foot spa contains women’s and men’s locker rooms, each with a living room with a fireplace, comfortable couches and chairs, leather ottomans, and showers stocked with spa products. The spa provides a steam room, dry sauna, spa tub, and nine rooms for massage, skin-care, and beauty treatments. A pro shop with resort wear and work-out clothes is located next to the spa. Several golf courses are nearby, including Strawberry Farms Golf Club, Aliso Viejo Golf Club, and Pelican Hill Golf Club, with two courses designed by Tom Fazio. Resort guests receive access to the tennis courts at the Balboa Bay Racquet Club (surcharge).   Search Room availability and pricing. Balboa Bay Club & Resort Arrival Date: January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Departure Date: January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   On Balboa Bay Overlooking a marina on Balboa Bay, this Mediterranean-style resort in Newport Beach is set on 15 acres close to golfing, shopping, and beaches; downtown is within 43 miles.  Old glamour, posh spa Open since 1948 as a private club, this landmark resort has hosted presidents and Hollywood icons—and now hosts the public, which enjoys its yacht charters and extensive spa. Sand and rattan The 172 beach-inspired rooms offer balconies, marble bathrooms, rattan accents, and DVD players. Beds have bamboo headboards, pillowtop mattresses, and down duvets.   Nearby Points of Interest  Newport Dunes - 1 mile Balboa Island - 2 miles Orange Country Museum of Art - 3 miles Fashion Island (shops, restaurants) - 3.5 miles Orange County Performing Arts Center - 7.5 miles Laguna Beach - 12 miles Disneyland - 15 miles Downtown Los Angeles - 43 miles Hollywood - 53 miles  Getting there: The hotel provides complimentary airport transportation to and from the Orange County/John Wayne Airport on request. (Guests should contact the hotel at least a day before their arrival.) Taxis and airport shuttles are also available; public transportation is limited. Many guests rent cars. Car rentals are available online. Getting around: The hotel offers complimentary shuttle transportation to sites in Newport Beach within a 5-mile radius. However, rental cars are by far the most convenient way to travel around the Newport Beach, Orange County, and Los Angeles areas.  See Map    See Also:  Orange County Restaurants  Shopping in OC  Orange County Golf  Disneyland Resorts   Visit San Diego  Whats Hot in OC  OC City Guide The Ritz Carlton, Laguna Niguel       The Ritz Carlton 1 Ritz Carlton Dr Dana Point, CA 92629   Room Amenities:  Internet -high speed   Cable/satellite TV   Pay movies   Video-game console   CD player   Hypo-allergenic bedding available   Premium bedding   Balcony   Complimentary newspaper   Air conditioning   Climate control   Voice mail   Telephone   Multi-line phone   Minibar   Wake-up calls   Housekeeping   Extra towels, linens, bedding   Turndown service   Private bathroom   Designer toiletries   Bathrobes   Hair dryer   Bathroom telephone   Television   Iron/ironing board   In-room safe   Desk   Clock radio   Window opens   Rollaway beds   Cribs (infant beds) available   Wheelchair accessible   Non-smoking rooms     Recreation Four unlit tennis courts are on-site at the hotel. A public basketball court is located next to the public beach. Boogie boarding and volleyball are available on the beach; complimentary equipment can be arranged through the hotel. Two outdoor freeform pools and accompanying spa tubs are located in garden areas positioned around both hotel wings. Poolside Ping-Pong is available. Water sports, including windsurfing, boating, charter fishing, and Jet Skiing, are available 1 mile away in nearby Dana Point. Complimentary shuttle service is provided for golfers playing at Monarch Beach Golf Links across the street, an 18-hole championship course designed by Robert Trent Jones. Eight other course options within 15 miles include a driving range. The hotel provides complimentary golf bag storage. Other near by outdoor activities:   Golfing    Golf - driving range    Jet skiing    Kayaking    Sailing    Boating    Surfing/boogie boarding    Windsurfing    Whale-watching    Running track/path    Basketball    Tennis    Volleyball    Fishing     The Ritz Carlton - Mediterranean-style resort near Capistrano   What to expect: Traditional Ritz-Carlton style is combined with the resort's relaxing Mediterranean setting and grounds. The lobby welcomes newcomers with marble floors, ornate rugs, and a large fireplace. Outdoor pools are flanked by palm trees and gardens. Guests are often business travelers and conferees, or families and couples spending time road-tripping the California coastline. Amenity highlights: Some employees have worked at the hotel since its opening, for almost two decades, which translates to experienced professional service. The 2-mile sandy public beach is conveniently accessed by a walking path—or hotel tram service can be arranged at the pool. Health club, tennis courts, and spa facilities and services, such as sauna, yoga and Pilates classes, are included in the resort fee. Insider tip: Just 5.5 miles from the Ritz-Carlton is the Mission San Juan Capistrano, founded 200 years ago and site of the famous return of the swallows celebration in March. Today it serves as a monument to California's multicultural history and showcases 10 acres of gardens and historic sightseeing in and around its adobe walls The Rooms    The resort has 393 guestrooms, all of which include down duvets, Italian Frette-brand linens, Bose Wave CD players, desks, and chaise lounges. Furnished step-out patios or balconies open to pool or garden views. Bathrooms include double marble vanities, plush robes, and makeup mirrors. DVD and VCR players are available for a fee (videos are not provided by the hotel). All guestrooms feature 42-inch flat screen plasma televisions. Dining The Terrace - The hotel's most casual restaurant serves contemporary California fare for breakfast, lunch, and dinner inside, or outdoors on a patio overlooking a pool and palm trees. Special Friday seafood night, accompanied by calypso music in summer, and Sunday champagne brunch are offered weekly. A summer children's buffet is offered for a modest charge. The Lobby Lounge - Feaures live piano entertainment and floor-to-ceiling windows with vistas of the Pacific. Serves light lunch and evening appetizers, desserts, and cocktails. Ideal sunset viewing.  The Library - Adjoining the Lobby Lounge and decorated with floor-to-ceiling, dark wooden bookcases and windows. Afternoon tea and evening cocktails are served by its fireplace. The Club Grill & Bar - The hotel's romantic sweet spot and supper club, decorated with hunting prints and a marble-topped back bar, serves hearty American cuisine accompanied by a live jazz and blues quartet four nights a week. Dress code. The Dining Room - An elegant dining experience in a classic European setting with fireplace and smaller party seating, with contemporary French cuisine. Á la carte menu or prepared course meals with wine pairings. The adjacent Wine Room is available for private functions. Dress code. Dinner only.  Dana Point Pool - Open seasonally for lunch, serving poolside drinks, hamburgers, hot dogs, and lighter salad fare. Search Room availability and pricing.  Ritz Laguna Niguel Arrival Date: January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Departure Date: January February March April May June July August September October November December 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31   Golf course nearby Perched on a bluff 150 feet above a scenic stretch of the Pacific Ocean, this lavish resort is next to the Monarch Bay Golf Links and six miles from San Juan Capistrano. Private patios Guestrooms include patios or balconies with pool, garden, or ocean views, down duvets and Frette Italian linens, Bose Wave CD players, bathrobes, and double marble vanities The Spa Spa offerings include a signature sea-salt scrub, massage treatments (with in-room appointments available), and use of all cardiovascular and resistance machines and free weights. Access to the health club and spa, as well as regularly scheduled exercise offerings such as yoga and Pilates classes, is included in the resort fee. Four tennis courts are available, as well as private lessons for an additional fee. An on-site beauty salon offers hair and nail treatments by appointment. For Kids: A summer children's buffet is served at "kid-appropriate" height, and in-room robes in children's sizes are provided. Ritz Kids children's programs include beach activities, arts and crafts, or evening Kids Night Out events. Children's programs are complimentary excepting gratuity and meals. Other Features: The hotel showcases changing local art exhibits in a gallery-dedicated hallway off the main lobby, and its own collection of traditional prints and antiques is displayed throughout the hotel's public areas. The hotel offers business services at any time by request, including copying, faxing, shipping, and public Internet access (fees may apply). The hotel offers cell phone rental through an offsite partner, by request. A $20 daily resort fee applies to all reservations and will be charged to guest accounts at the time of check- out. This resort fee includes the following amenities and services: Unlimited use of the tennis courts and fitness center Fitness and workout refreshments Transportation to and from Monarch Beach Golf Course Beach recreation equipment, which includes: boogie boards, fins, and children’s toys Shuttle to and from the beach. The Ritz-Kids program (half day of program covered by resort fee charge) Aerobics and yoga classes Resort-fee voucher, which can be used in the gift shop as a credit towards a purchase of $100 or more See Map