Roughly 41 miles southeast of Hollywood lies the ultra-chic waterfront paradise of Newport Coast, Calif., home to Pelican Hill Resort.
There are over 504 stunning and serene acres situated on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, and a little bit of heaven on earth.
When it opened in November 2008, Pelican Hill created its own brand-new class of luxury, service and sophistication in the resort world. Visually stunning, the resort’s architecture is as bold and massive as it is elegant and detailed, embodying the vision and principles of Italy’s most renowned Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio. For guests, venturing onto the property is like being transported to a charming Italian village, with villas and bungalows lining streets that encircle its world-class golf course. All these aspects combine to form a guest’s journey into a tranquil paradise, and on clear days the property is an utterly ideal setting from which to take in the absolutely breathtaking and peaceful views of the surrounding area.
Also ideal is the resort’s commitment to personalized service, which it takes very seriously. Even before guests arrive, service begins with a level of planning unrivaled in the luxury resort world: A personal travel designer pre-arranges every aspect and detail of a guest’s Pelican Hill experiences — everything from having golf clubs shipped to the resort ahead of time, to scenting the suite with the preferred aromatherapy. Then, after guests arrive, the most highly trained, around-the-clock staff — butlers, concierges, even personal chefs — see to a guest’s every need, completely customizing and individualizing the experience, ultimately creating a truly one-of-a-kind stay.
Sophisticated jetsetters know that exceptional pampering and service are important, but everything starts with accommodations. At Pelican Hill, guests have the choice of staying in one of the 204 bungalow guest rooms and suites (847 to 2,486 square feet) or one of the 128 villas, which are luxury, ocean-view home accommodations available for daily rental. The two-, three- and four-bedroom villas (2,200 to 3,628 square feet) feature every imaginable ultra-luxurious appointment and the most thoughtful, comprehensive and personalized service program of amenities and individual attention you will find in any corner of the globe, including limestone fireplaces; 500 thread-count linens; walk-in showers and deep soaking tubs; fine toiletries by Gilchrist & Soames; 60-inch flatscreen HD TVs; Bose sound systems; wireless Internet; private garages; wine cabinets and gourmet kitchens with Sub Zero refrigerator, Wolf oven and range, Cuisipro cookware; and more.
Among the outdoor amenities, the Coliseum Pool is not to be missed. An architectural marvel unto itself, this is the world’s largest perfectly circular pool at 136 feet in diameter and featuring 1.1 million hand-cut glass mosaic tiles. Also sure to encourage relaxation is the Pelican Hill’s 23,000-square-foot, Forbes Five-Star and AAA Five-Diamond spa, complete with a dramatic 28-foot-high Palladian rotunda, wall of flowing water, 22 private treatment rooms, steam rooms, saunas and Whirlpools.
For guests in search of a little more action, the Pelican Hill Golf Club is a 36-hole Tom Fazio-designed stunner that enjoys a ranking as one of Golf Magazine’s top 20 courses in California, with ocean panoramas from nearly every hole and a 44,000-square-foot clubhouse. If resort-goers would rather discuss business off the fairway, however, there’s always the 20,000 square feet of ballroom and meeting space at Pelican Hill, which can be reserved for presentations, festivities or other events.
To delight the taste buds after a day spent poolside or on the greens, there are a range of dining options at Pelican Hill, including the casual The Caffe and the Coliseum Pool & Grill, as well as Andrea Ristorante, home to outstanding and authentic Northern Italian cuisine that rivals what guests might find at any Italian restaurant in the country.
Last but not least, a lifesaver of an amenity can be found in Camp Pelican, a separate facility for kids, where the youngsters are treated like VIP guests, too. If Dad is golfing and Mom has booked a spa appointment, children ages 4 through 12 can live large with two big-screen HD TVs, popular video games, Karaoke, iPod accessories, board games, complete computer stations, and age-appropriate books and magazines at their disposal. For kids who would rather be outdoors than in, the patio area at Camp Pelican offers comfortable furniture, a spouting bubble jet fountain, a swimming pool, pingpong and a telescope.
Refined travelers have an endless array of options when it comes to ultra-upscale resorts in the world, but Pelican Hill is a truly unique five-star paradise — one that’s so exceptional, many guests find themselves extending their stay at this little slice of heaven.
Pelican Hill Resort
22701 Pelican Hill Road S.
Newport Coast, CA
800.820.6800 or 949.467.6800
PelicanHill.com
