Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort and Spa

I was here for a conference and would absolutely come back. The rooms were clean, comfortable, and thoughtfully designed, and the grounds were beautifully cared for, with palm trees, fire pits, and lots of places to relax. The pool and hot tubs were perfect after the beach. The ocean views set the mood as soon as you arrive. Waking up to waves and watching sunset from the property felt like a Southern California escape. The location is hard to beat, close to Dana Point Harbor, good restaurants, coastal walks, and some of Orange County's best scenery.

The New Year's party was a highlight, well organized, lively, and actually fun rather than a half-hearted hotel event. The guests were relaxed and respectful, with a good mix of people, so it felt upscale without being stuffy. The breakfast buffet was genuinely good, with enough variety to keep it from getting repetitive, and the bar was lively and well run. The property is clearly well maintained, from common areas to rooms and facilities. Service stayed good throughout, attentive without hovering, and things worked as they should. For a Marriott, this place exceeded my expectations and delivered a clean, comfortable, well-managed stay.

The outside restaurant was fabulous and the food very good. I liked the resort's fun atmosphere, including the newer aquarium and terrarium balls on the patio. Staff were very nice and accommodating, the rooms were helpful and clean, and the views were wonderful. The upper bar could use more offerings, and the Sundays on Sundays could too. It was nice to have windows, though quieter AC would have been better. We had to rush at checkout and couldn't leave a housekeeping tip on our card or bill afterward. Hopefully that's resolved tomorrow. All good, and a wonderful resort overall. Michele Harr

We couldn't sleep because of the construction noise, and the water was off from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m., so nobody could use the bathroom. In the morning the bathroom tap ran milky instead of clear, and it looked so dirty that we skipped showering. We were there for Presidents Day weekend, when the hotel had major construction going on. Our first room faced the construction, with dust and noise. We asked for a different view, but they were difficult about moving us. After we kept pressing, we got a slightly better view, but the room was still noisy. Later, at the pool, we saw that poolside rooms didn't face construction and had no noise. The hotel didn't seem full, so we don't understand why they didn't put us there. The staff weren't friendly. They kept saying we'd been upgraded, though the room looked exactly the same. They simply lied to us. This was our worst hotel experience, and after staying at many hotels around the world, we don't recommend this one.