Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort

This hotel is an excellent choice if you find yourself in the Orange County area. We arrived at the resort a little after 1pm -- so a bit early for the 4pm check-in time. Unfortunately our room wasn't ready yet, so we dropped off our baggage at the front desk and walked around the property, in search of lunch. The property has a large variety of different choices for food, we ended up going with Club 19, an indoor/outdoor casual restaurant that overlooks the golf course. The meal was fine, it could have used a little flavor in our chicken and turkey sandwiches, but overall a decent meal. Around this time, we received a text message that our room was ready. We were excited to find out that with our Gold status we were upgraded to a Fireplace Terrace room. The room was quite large, with a massive bathtub and shower, outdoor fireplace, and the bed was unbelievably comfortable. Everything was spotless and clean throughout as well. Also, an interesting choice in the room, they leave a hardcover novel on the nightstand, that is free to take after your stay. One thing that did bother us though was, that if you book the Fireside Terrace room online, you are given a complimentary s'mores kit to use with the fireplace. We were told since this was an upgrade, and I didn't pay, we weren't given the complimentary s'mores. I feel like if you receive the upgrade for the room... everything should be included in that upgrade regardless if you paid or not. It seemed like an odd choice. Moving on, we took their convenient tram down to the beach. The hotel said they come every 10-15 minutes, but we never waited more than 3. The beach area was beautiful, super quiet, and tucked away. The staff helped set up chairs and towels for us, and were incredible accommodating. We ended up eating dinner at the Monarch Beach Club in the evening. We really wanted to see the sunset and sit in one of the many Adirondack chairs with the fire-pit, but unfortunately they don't deliver food to these seats so we got our meal to go (we had a fantastic carne asada tacos and a watermelon salad.) I feel like maybe in the future the restaurant can open up food/drink service to these tables with the adirondack chairs -- just a suggestion. It seems like such a tease to have food so close, but not be able to order from those seats. Overall, the property was beautiful, we spent most of our time just meandering around the large property, stopping in the botanical gardens and sitting in one of the many chairs around the property. The staff was also some of the nicest and friendliest we have met on our travels. We may have only stayed for one night, but we will definitely be back in the future!

Absolutely amazin anniversary. I wanted to personally thank the Waldorf team for making our accommodations amazing. Each time we visit Waldorf we feel like we’re home away from home. Quick recognition to several of the team members that truly provided amazing hospitality throughout our stay.   Eric (Check-in) – probably one of the easiest and fastest check-ins we had. Extremely attentive. He was able to get us the room we asked for, no additional upgrade cost, and had it ready in record time. Hayden (Pool attendant / server) – Our pool experience was a 10. He always welcomed us by NAME and was ready to assist. His service, welcoming attitude and just being at our service truly created a special experience.   Dennis / Raul (Pop-up morning café) – This pop-up café on the main grounds was a great idea! It could use some improvements for sitting and music, but the staff was spot on. Raul (manager) welcomed us, assisted with special requests, and made sure we were 100% satisfied. Dennis (chef) made the bacon and eggs exactly how we requested, then personally brought it to us and talked with us like we knew each other in the past. Never felt rushed – top 10 staff. Thank you for your hospitality! Mike & Stefanie Scherenberg

The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach lives up to 5 star service, location and rooms. Everybody we encountered was very nice and went out of their way to help. The location is across the street from the Ritz Carlton hotel so it’s not on the beach but there is a free hotel trolley that will take you to the beach and setup umbrellas and beach chairs. There is also a private beach club restaurant that is for members only and for hotel guests. The stretch of the beach is at the far end from the Ritz Carlton so it did not appear crowded even on a Summer weekend. They have two pools and two jacuzzis overlooking the golf course and ocean. Even though the pool was crowded it was still peaceful. The room was spacious and upgraded with beautiful travertine tiles. We had a pool and ocean view with a large patio. We also ate at the Bourbon Steakhouse which was very good but pricey. Sometimes you do get what you pay for. I wouldn’t hesitate to return to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach.

"I had a wonderful check-in experience thanks to Eric Koch. He was warm, professional, and welcoming from the moment I arrived. The process was quick and smooth, and he took the time to make sure I had everything I needed for my stay. His friendly attitude made me feel right at home and set a great tone for the rest of my visit. Excellent service!

We work 51 weeks a year for this week at Monarch Beach. The rooms are luxurious, the views are stunning, but it is the staff that makes the vacation memorable. Everyone, from the valet and bellman to the tram drivers are incredibly warm and friendly. The wait staff such as Lyndsey and Jaclyn remember us from previous years and it feels like home, with an ocean view. Jannahbeth and Carlos and the entire team at check-in are exceptional. We cannot speak highly enough of them and the care and compassion they treated us when we had an unfortunate emergency and we needed to fly our daughter out to join us. The kindness shown toward us will never be forgotten.