The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel
Set at the edge of a 150-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel in Dana Point has it all – from a luxurious spa and ocean view rooms and suites to destination restaurants and a surfing butler. There’s no place like home for the holidays, but the five-star hotel has pulled out all the stops for Christmas with holiday experiences everyone will love. Throw in festive décor and a stunning 40-foot tree on the Dana Lawn, and it’s easy to see why The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, is a standout destination for luxury and relaxation by the California coast this Christmas.
They’re Raising Money for Surfers Healing
Developed in 2010 to benefit Surfers Healing, the original surf camp for children with autism, The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel’s Annual Surfing Santa and Stand Up Paddle Board Contest and Surf Board Auction has raised funds to help get children with autism benefiting from the magical powers of waves. Lining a hallway off the main reception area, guests and visitors can admire boards from the 15th Annual Holiday Surfboard Auction in person at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel. Surfboards donated by pro surfers like Griffin Colapinto and 11-time world champion Kelly Slater, plus custom designed decks by artists, including Abba Gray and the Los Angeles-based Sage Vaughn, all feature. Bidding ends January 1, 2024.
The Holiday-Inspired Spa Treatments
Wellness journeys and treatments that incorporate healing elements of water to restore balance and nurture the body, including marine collagen and other natural ingredients from the sea, are a major draw to The Ritz-Carlton Spa, but Holiday-inspired spa treatments are taking center stage here through January 31. Choose between the Winter Warming Wellness Ritual (body brushing and exfoliation smooth and softens the skin, followed by an essential oil massage using warmed stones), the All is Calm, All is Bright Facial (a festive gingerbread scented lotion is used for the soothing arm and hand massage) and Cocoa-Mint Mistletoes Pedicure, that includes a cup of hot cocoa in The Ritz-Carlton Salon – or treat yourself to all three.
There’s a Saks Fifth Avenue Partnership
Thanks to a longstanding partnership with New York-based retailer Saks Fifth Avenue, guests can enjoy by-appointment personal styling and shopping, special events, trunk shows, and luxury fashion services with a Saks stylist at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel year-round but for last-minute gifting or finding that perfect holiday party outfit The Fifth Avenue Club at Laguna Beach is another major draw for December.
And High-Flying Holiday Dining
The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel, is pulling out all the stops with its Holiday Dining and other festive activities, including Gingerbread House Workshops and a New Year’s Dinner. Bring the family for a buffet-style breakfast and meet-and-greet with Santa in the Ritz-Carlton Ballroom on December 17, round up the girlfriends for a holiday tea with savory canapes, sweet bites, and champagne at oceanfront restaurant RAYA (through December 21, $110) or leave holiday cooking to the experts and enjoy a Christmas Day buffet with all the fixings ($225 per adult and $120 for children).
The resort is redefining luxury hotel cuisine with chef-in-residency programs, too. Helmed by Chef Sanjay Rawat – whose South Asian wedding dinners garnered national attention – KAHANI opened to great acclaim in October and explores regional Indian dishes and delicacies through a modern lens.
