weekend getaway to dana point + the st. regis monarch beach

Luxury, thy name is St. Regis Monarch Beach.

I was (super, duper, ridiculously lucky) to be hosted at the oceanfront Dana Point resort this weekend to check out the property, located just one hour north of San Diego, and try their Vegetable Discovery Tasting Menu, a five-course dinner (with more amuse bouches than you could dream of) that focuses on vegetables from California’s central coast. The resort boasts a lot of upscale amenities, like butler service, an award-winning spa (where Princess Diana’s former hair stylist now works!), three swimming pools, and more than 400 rooms and suites that are currently undergoing a refresh for a summer reveal.

We started our stay with a few hours at the pool because even though I love the beach, solid pool time (see photo above) is something we never get to enjoy in San Diego. (I’m sure all you Midwesterners and East Coasters dunked with snow hate me right now.) This main pool is one of the most flawless I’ve ever experienced. From the layout to the playlist (i.e. Jack Johnson) to the on-point cabana service, it’s a real treat to relax there.

Come dinnertime, the tasting menu ($125/person), a creation of chef Raj Dixit that runs through March 31, was hosted at Stonehill Tavern, a restaurant from the Michael Mina wheelhouse. If you’re not familiar with his work, one of his signature moves is very detailed presentation. One of our dishes, for example, was a sunchoke soup assembled tableside: A parchment paper-like pouch of steamed vegetables was poked open, plated to a mini cast-iron skillet, poured into a bowl and then topped with a tomato and saffron broth. It’s no surprise the dinner lasted three hours, though it flew by.

We also checked out St. Regis Monarch Beach’s exclusive beach; no California beach can be dubbed “private,” but given the trickiness of getting down to this shoreline, it might as well be. The resort provides a free shuttle down to the beach, during which you pass the golf course and a $20 million estate once owned by Queen Latifah. The beach itself reminds me of Black’s in San Diego—excellent waves for surfing and dramatic cliffs behind you. It was the perfect place for a morning beach stroll.

Elsewhere in Dana Point, the marina is the coastal community’s gathering place—and not just for boats. There are shops, whale watching tours, kayak rentals, and Coffee Importers, a fantastic bagel and coffee shop with all outdoor seating that’s flooded with friendly families and plenty of dogs. I think we saw nearly half a dozen golden retrievers within an hour.

On your way in or out of town, make sure to stop by Stack’s Pancake House for brunch. The line can seem daunting, but Stack’s is a well-oiled machine, and you’ll be moving in no time. The namesake pancakes are a must, and Eaman raved about his fried chicken and waffles (with spicy mayo!). They also serve their hot chocolate with whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles, because after all that fancy it’s nice to remember life’s little luxuries.

 

The St. Regis brand is known for their “rituals,” one of which is a daily champagne sabering. It involves a butler literally sabering off the top of a chilled champagne bottle in a toast of sorts before presenting the bottle to one lucky table on the patio. 

 Our stay, dinner, and drinks were complimentary. As always, all opinions are my own.