Hotel Laguna

The hotel hasn’t been able to open, but the restaurant is lovely, with amazing beach views and great people working there. Everything else was great too, especially the chips and salsa. The one problem was the grilled fish tacos. They were actually pan-fried, not grilled, and came out crispy on the sides. The waiter explained that they cook them in a pan. Two of us went home with upset stomachs later, which we attributed to the heavy oil used on the fish.

The oceanfront setting is the best part of Hotel Laguna, especially for an afternoon visit and sunset. Before our Friday dinner at Larsen at Hotel Laguna, I called several times to ask about vegan choices and make a reservation, but nobody answered or returned my voicemail. The online menus seemed different from what I remembered, so I wanted to check options ahead of time. We later had to change the booking from eight people to six at the last minute. They accommodated us quickly when we arrived, since it wasn’t very busy. They were out of lasagna, but made an avocado roll that wasn’t on the menu. It was delicious, with slightly sweet rice and a generous amount of avocado. One person in our group who ordered fish did get sick afterward, which concerned us. After dinner we went to the other room, where a DJ was playing, and the girls had fun dancing. The vibe was fun, though the restaurant closes early compared with other Orange County places with dinner and DJs. I’d consider Hotel Laguna for daytime drinks and sunset, but dinner and a full night out wouldn’t be my first pick. It has potential, depending on what you’re after.

We left without ever being seated. First, when we tried to reserve an outdoor sofa for Friday, we were told more than once that Fridays didn’t take reservations and we could come in if a spot was open. When we arrived, an empty sofa was available, so we sat down, but were soon told it was reserved and we had to leave. We moved without arguing. Another sofa opened up and we sat there, only to be told that children weren’t allowed in that area. Nobody had mentioned that policy before, and there was no clear sign. Then manager Ruth came over and said we needed to leave because the table was reserved for a large group. The explanations kept changing: no reservations, the table is reserved, kids aren’t allowed. We were just following what staff had told us, but it felt as if we were being pushed out without a consistent reason. We had our children with us, and being repeatedly asked to leave upset them so much they began crying. The poor coordination, unclear rules, and handling of the situation made the visit extremely uncomfortable. The restaurant should make its policies clear and get staff on the same page; right now it feels chaotic and unwelcoming.

A horrible and embarrassing experience. I brought a group to Hotel Laguna, and the comments from my guests were extremely disappointing. This team seemed to specialize in saying no and that they couldn’t help. Hotel leaders need an independent review of how staff are running the business. The team needs training in sincere, genuine customer service, especially for a hotel of this caliber and clientele in this area. Show that you care, and actually care.