Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort

I redeemed my annual Hilton FNA for a standard king at WA Monarch Beach this past wknd. I was lucky to prepay $200 back in June using my Jan-Jun Amex Aspire credit (I guess they stopped allowing this). I will use my Jul-Dec $200 credit for this stay. A few days before arrival, I was proactively upgraded to a one bedroom suite. Day before arrival, I was upgraded to a fireside resort view. I didn’t mind the smaller room since it was just my husband and I, celebrating our wedding anniversary. The patio fire pit was actually more special, in my opinion. It was a sold out night due to a holiday wknd and also a wedding. Cash price is typically $1000+. We arrived around 3pm and our room (118) was ready. There was a lovely amenity dessert waiting for us in the room. We dropped off our belongings and headed to the spa for our 4pm appts. Sadly, the outdoor jacuzzi at the spa pool was not heated, boo. So hubby and I went back to our lounges to relax. Massages were ok, nothing spectacular. I texted the hotel to ask about the Diamond F&B benefit but no response. I went to front desk to ask after dinner. It’s $50 daily. We used it at Part and Parcel, their on-site cafe. Our phone wasn’t working in the room, neither was our Nespresso machine. Had to call front desk from my own phone. I asked about a late check out, they offered 1PM. After all the issues, they honored a 2PM late check out. We would consider returning but the $70 valet parking seems extreme.

Major highlights: -Rooms renovated recently and are very well appointed and very comfortable. -Love the turndown service and nice 5 star touches that have not all returned to the same caliber after the pandemic, but here, they do it very well. -pool area and pool bar/restaurant service was fantastic -walking trails, running maps and tram to the beach! -lobby area is perfect for working from the hotel. Lots of seating, outlets, and a very comfortable environment. So-so: -They seem to charge an auto porterage/housekeeping tip which we were not notified about. Didn't love this. -Restaurant food was average for the standard 5 star price point. -Had to call to request housekeeping service the second day of our stay. The positive was the room attendant was a delight and came quickly and was very prompt after. Luxury comes with a high price tag and high expectations. Overall, a very enjoyable stay.

We were greeted at our car, the over the top excellent service started there and continued our entire week. Every single person who helped us do anything or get anywhere were so courteous and eager to help. It was very delightful. Our room was spotless and spacious. We will make this an annual trip from here on! Thank you to Jessica at the front desk for making our stay exeptionally wonderful.

We spent 4 nights and had such a great time. This resort is stunning, the staff is professional, the area is so fun for families. Our room (652) was so nice and quiet. It is a small suite and we were comfortable as a family of four. My kids and husband surf so we drove to San Onofre and walked to the Churches break. It was midweek and we lucked out with waves and no crowd. The shuttle drivers (Geoff and Ron) are such cool people, we enjoyed chatting with both. Geoff was knowledgeable about the local surf spots and he really helped us make our plans. The beach club is unbelievable. Such a dream spot. How lovely to have that be part of the resort. Paul takes great care of you with chairs and a towels, and he’s also really fun to talk to. Have dinner there after a long day of body boarding out front (or it’s just a short walk to Salt Creek to surf). There is a kids menu which is totally reasonable and I love that carrot sticks and celery (kids crudite) are on the menu as a warm up for their dinner. Feels like it’s rare to find real food on vacation. We were there for Halloween and the hotel didn’t have any activities but the concierge helped us find some fun nearby. We enjoyed the food on property but a tip is to walk to nearby restaurants when you feel like a change. Project Social is a nice option (great coffee and killer breakfast burrito) and we had dinner once at Dana Kai (great sushi). For a longer stay it’s really cool to have some close options and we just loved the stroll after the meal to stretch our legs. We hope to stay here again, it is not cheap but it felt worth every penny.

Me and my husband stayed here and had a wonderful stay for our baby moon getaway. Everything was great! Room service and pool service was excellent! Love the outside fireplace in our room! Everywhere had the most beautiful views! Highly recommend, we will be back!