5 Haute Reasons You Should Escape To Montage Laguna Beach This Weekend!

Photo Credit: Blake Marvin/Courtesy Montage Laguna Beach

As temperatures drop in the San Francisco Bay Area, our search for sun intensifies, leading us to varying locales across the globe. Hawaii, the Bahamas, the Caribbean – these spots are all lovely and amazing, but a bit too far away to justify a quick weekend jaunt. If you’ve only a night or two to spare, make the Montage Laguna Beach your destination. Even in the dead of winter, Southern California satisfies our quest for a little heat, and a weekend at the Montage, set on a 50-foot bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, will stir your senses and leave you feeling warm and cozy. Anyone who has vacationed at the haute Montage Resorts knows that a visit needs no justification, but just in case your partner needs a little persuasion, here are your talking points:

1) Seeing is believing: Step into the hotel’s lobby and head toward the beckoning balcony for a bird’s eye view of the entire property and the rugged Pacific coastline. Scan the property’s oceanfront public pathway dotted with brilliant bougainvillea. When you walk that path, try to eye the various art collections along the way – each piece made by local artisans commissioned by the resort. Every room at the craftsman style Montage is ocean-oriented, offering views of water and sky that somehow seem bluer than blue.

2) Just listen: The Montage may boast 248 rooms, but even at full capacity, the sound of seagulls and breaking ocean waves reign. Voices are as muted as the classic color palette used throughout. Sure, you may hear the carefree laughter of small children, the giggles of girlfriends reunited, or an exchange between a contented couple, but these sounds only add to the happy air of serenity and tranquility. Check out the Lobby Lounge for live music day and night with pianists Steve Siu and David Allen Baker, but let the rolling tide be the entity that sings you to sleep.

3) So touching: There is nothing like the feel of sand between the toes to trigger instant relaxation. Take a solo walk along the beach and run your feet through the restorative ocean waters. Or join the Spa’s Thalassic Beach Walk each day at 9:15am and learn from a fitness expert exactly why the sand and sea are good for body and mind. If salt water is not your style, touch down in either the center-of-attention Mosaic Pool or the adults only luxe Spa pool. Back in your room, enjoy the feel of sumptuous linens and super soft robes. Visit the 20,000 square foot Spa Montage and settle into the comfort of signature experiences and therapies that will detoxify and calm.

4) Aromatherapy: From refreshing sea breezes, to the Spa’s eucalyptus scented steam rooms, to the Antica Farmacista lemon verbena in-room toiletries, Montage Laguna Beach is a feast of fragrances. Even the Coola organic sunscreen offered poolside provides pleasure in its plumeria scent. Senses are heightened when you are this relaxed, possibly allowing you to detect a hint of spiced apple, buttered pastry, citrus and lemongrass in your Maldonado Chardonnay enjoyed during dinner at the Loft.

5) In very good taste: The Montage Laguna Beach offers a variety of dining options and all are exceptional and alone worthy of a visit. Studio is an Orange County destination restaurant offering modern French cuisine with California influences in a seasonal menu that utilizes ingredients from the restaurant’s adjacent garden. The elegant and intimate dining room features rustic wood beams and ocean views. The Loft is the resort’s all day dining spot located on the fourth floor overlooking the pool and ocean. Featuring light and airy décor with a six-foot wood-burning rotisserie and an interactive cheese gallery, guests may sit inside or out. Ask the knowledgeable sommeliers about preferred wine pairings, but consider starting your evening with a cocktail at the bar where you can catch your favorite team on one of two inset televisions. (You might be seeking to get away from it all at Montage Laguna Beach, but your Warriors still need you.)

Montage Laguna Beach
30801 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651
(866) 271-6953