The Villas at Pelican Hill Resort

From arrival, the staff made us feel welcome, and there was thoughtful attention to detail throughout. My room was spacious, with high ceilings and a fireplace, and the bed and soft linens were comfortable, not too firm. The shower itself was basic, but it had good pressure and hot water. I walked to the main lobby during my stay, which I prefer. Golf carts are available if your room is farther away or you want door-to-door service.

Getting to spend time with Anthony Maltese was a real highlight. He and his assistant Tony gave me a private tour, sharing the property's history and the owner's vision. I talked with Anthony for over an hour, and he was such a down-to-earth, cool guy. I also got to see the golf course, visit the pro shop, hear the valets' point of view, and chat with some VIP guests. I felt honored to be there, and it was an incredibly positive experience I won't forget. The person behind pelican Hill resort seems to have remarkable vision and business sense. This was a bit of a bucket-list visit for me, and I'm grateful I got to do it. If you're around Laguna Beach or Newport Beach, I think everyone should visit. The property feels impossible to replicate, duplicate, or match.

The hotel staff were kind and accommodating, and breakfast was sumptuous. The pool was spectacular too, a huge, warm saltwater pool with beautiful views, though I wish it had a deeper end. It was crowded with kids, probably because of spring break, and drink service was slow. The bathrooms also weren't kept as tidy as they should have been. We skipped dinner at the resort. I had been looking forward to this one-night getaway for a long time, partly to see if we'd want to return. The hotel itself has excellent service, but the resort felt like it had no soul or real personality. Our rewards upgrade was to a bungalow with a partial ocean view. It had only two tiny bottles of water, no magnifying mirror, and very sparse decor with a lot of travertine. Even the enormous lobby, despite all its ocean views, felt cold, dark, and uninviting. We couldn't get the TV to cast. The Engineer came out and said it needed some kind of app upgrade, so we couldn't use it that way. I still love places like the Rosewood Miramar, Hotel, the old Biltmore Hotel, and Ysidro Ranch, and can't wait to return to them. I don't know when the Biltmore will reopen.

We used to come for drinks and dinner with the view, usually parking ourselves or using valet and tipping the valet. The other night the garage was blocked, and we were sent to valet without warning that there'd be a $50 charge. We'd just spent $500 on drinks and dinner. That fee felt unreasonable and like a trap. This will be our last visit.