Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort Review
Last updated on August 14, 2026
Looking for an honest review of the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point, California?
Perched on a bluff high above the Pacific Ocean, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club in Dana Point, California combines the elegance of a luxury resort with the beauty and comfort of a seaside beach house.
We had the chance to stay at this amazing resort on the coast. Read on for a Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort review and find out if it is worth the splurge!
Luxury Family Escape: Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club
The first thing we noticed while waiting to check into the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club was the family in front of us. They looked as if they had just stepped out of the pages of a magazine—impeccably dressed, designer luggage, and the little girl was wearing leather riding boots that looked more expensive than all of my shoes combined. Even their dog looked expensive (yes, the Waldorf Astoria is pet friendly!)
All this to say, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club is a posh resort, and this fancy family fit right in! Probably way more than I did in my sun dress and flip flops from Kohl’s. But I digress.
The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club is an elegant and luxurious seaside escape. Rooms are huge and beautifully appointed, with views of the ocean and sprawling grounds, upscale restaurants, and lots of family-friendly activities.
Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort At-A-Glance
- Sophisticated resort on the coast
- Private beach club
- 18-hole oceanfront golf course
- Three pools
- Kids Club
- Luxurious spa
- Six restaurants
- A variety of room sizes and floor plans
- Business Center
- Pets are welcome ($200 cleaning fee)
- 24-hour fitness center
- Valet parking is $70 per night
The Hotel
Built in 2001, the hotel was originally a St. Regis resort, and then operated for several years as the independent Monarch Beach Resort. In 2021, it became a Waldorf Astoria property, part of Hilton Hotels. The hotel has been beautifully upgraded to meet the luxury brand’s service and style standards.
Sprawled across 175 acres and perched atop a 150-foot seaside bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club offers family-friendly accommodations at the height of luxury on the coast of Orange County.
What makes this resort uniquely special?
For one thing, it is the only Southern California coastal destination to feature a private beach club! The beach club is open to hotel guests and members only, and features oceanfront dining, beach activities, stand up paddling, surfing, beach amenities, and more.
The hotel is located high above the shore, which makes for fabulous views, but requires a short drive to get to the beach. Luckily, the resort offers shuttle transportation.
The resort – which is AAA Five-Diamond rated – features beautiful grounds with meandering walking trails, relaxing fountains, and stunning views. You can pedal around the resort with a complimentary beach cruiser or take a nature walk.
The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club also features an 18-hole oceanfront golf course, fitness center, three beautiful pools, seven upscale restaurants, shops, and a spa.
Rooms at the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort
The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort has 400 rooms, all with private balconies. Rooms on the first floor have a patio with fire pit.
At over 500 square feet, standard rooms are spacious enough for families to spread out. But if you want even more space, the resort features 76 suites, including two-bedroom premium suites with sweeping ocean views.
Designed to embrace a coastal palette of cool blues, greens and crisp whites, Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club’s spacious guest rooms embrace the natural beauty of its seaside setting while featuring modern textiles and custom furnishings.
Whether you choose a regular room or suite, the sea grass textured wallpaper, luxurious chaise lounges, and ocean-inspired artwork beautifully embody Southern California style.
Bathrooms at the Waldorf Astoria are equally luxurious. They feature marble vanities, deep bathtubs, separate rainfall showers, and upscale toiletries.
Rooms include wall-mounted flat-panel televisions, large desks, plenty of outlets, flexible reading lamps attached to bed headboards, Keurig coffee makers, Bluetooth-enabled alarm clocks, and state-of-the-art communication panels with one-touch access to a variety of services enhance your stay.
What’s Included With Your Stay?
As you’d expect from a Waldorf Astoria brand hotel, all this fabulousness does not come cheap! But if you’ve got the budget to splurge, this is a truly amazing hotel.
In addition to your room rate, the hotel charges a resort fee of around $69 per day. Which again, is steep. But there are a lot of perks are packed into that fee, including:
- Signature group fitness classes
- Tennis court access
- Woodie tram to the exclusive Monarch Bay Beach Club
- Tram rides to Salt Creek Beach
- Beach host service with towels, chairs, and umbrellas
- Beach games & activities
- Athletic Club available 24 hours a day
- Laundering of work out gear, anticipated 24-hour turnaround
- House bikes with self-guided local tours on a first come basis
- Discounted green fees, savings on Flex Set rentals, & preferred tee times at Monarch Beach Golf Links
- In-room coffee & tea
- Two bottles of water per day, refreshed at turn down
- Overnight shoe shine
- Local & toll free calls
- 24-hour business kiosk with free boarding pass printing
Family-Friendly Activities
It may be a luxury resort, but the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort is very family friendly! However, it manages to accommodate kids in a refined way.
The Monarch Bay Beach Club is a definite must-do when staying at the resort! The club’s Beach Team will set you up with beach chairs, umbrellas and even sand toys for the little ones. In addition, boogie boards, kayaks, stand-up paddle boards, surf boards and more are available for rent.
Pools include the family-friendly Monarch Pool, and an adults-only lap pool. The Monarch Pool has spectacular views of the ocean. Two infinity-edge spas perch on the ocean view end of the pool deck. Towel service is provided poolside, and you can order food and drinks.
The resort features a giant lawn filled with games like ping-pong, giant chess, and catch, and plenty of room to run around. There are fireplaces dotted throughout the resort—perfect for s’mores at night. You can stop by the hotel’s store to pick up a s’mores kit.
Hotel Lobby
Rarely is a hotel lobby fabulous enough to warrant its own section of a blog post, but the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort has a great one. This coastal-inspired “living room” has a stylish bar, sumptuous sofas, a huge fireplace, and expansive outdoor terrace.
The space is elegant but very family friendly; there were plenty of kids lounging with their parents during our stay. Filled with lots of open seating areas, all with views of the resort’s manicured grounds, pool, and ocean, the lobby is a great spot to spend some time.
Order a drink at the lobby bar, 33 North, or cozy up by the fireplace with a book or just to enjoy the view. We spent the afternoon sipping wine and enjoying some small bites. The lobby is the perfect spot to enjoy a California sunset if your room does not have an ocean view!
Hotel Information & Reservations
The Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club is located in Dana Point, California, just south of Laguna Beach and midway between San Diego and Los Angeles.
- 1 Monarch Beach Resort, Dana Point, California
- (949) 234-3200
- waldorfastoriamonarchbeach.com
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