Luxury hotels in Orange County

Hey! When I travel I love to stay at luxurious hotels - especially the kind of places that offer over the top extras and really spoil their guests with great service, nice spas, awesome restaurants and beautiful views. What more can you want? To save some time, I've put together this list of my favourite 5-star hotels and resorts in Orange County. I hope you will like it!

• 1 JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort Anaheim, United States

  

  Hotel. Situated in Anaheim, 1.6 km from Anaheim Convention Center, JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort features accommodation with a fitness centre and private parking. This 5-star hotel offers a 24-hour front desk. The hotel has family rooms. An American breakfast is available each morning at the hotel. Disney California Adventure is 2.7 km from JW Marriott, Anaheim Resort, while Knotts Berry Farm is 12 km from the property. The nearest airport is John Wayne Airport, 18 km from the accommodation. Show full description Guest review score 8.9, rooms from around $417.

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• 2 Pendry Newport Beach Newport Beach, United States

  

  Hotel. Located in Newport Beach and with Fashion Island reachable within a 9-minute walk, Pendry Newport Beach has concierge services, non-smoking rooms, a terrace, free WiFi throughout the property and a bar. This 5-star hotel offers room service and a 24-hour front desk. The property has a year-round outdoor pool, sauna, hot tub and garden. The rooms come with a private bathroom, while selected rooms also feature a balcony and others also feature a sea view. Guests at the hotel can enjoy an American breakfast. At Pendry Newport Beach you'll find a restaurant serving American cuisine. Vegetarian, dairy-free and kosher options can also be requested. South Coast Plaza is 6.3 miles from the accommodation, while Disney California Adventure is 17 miles away. John Wayne Airport is 3.7 miles from the property, and the property offers a paid airport shuttle service. Show full description

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• 3 The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel Dana Point, United States

  Resort. This luxury hotel is located on a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and offers beach access. The hotel features a full-service spa, 2 outdoor pools, multiple dining options and a tennis court. Each guest accommodation offers free WiFi. Offering ocean-inspired décor, rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel are equipped with 42-inch flat-screen TVs, a work desk and a DVD player. Rooms also feature bottled water and a coffee machine. Room service is also available. First floor ocean view rooms offer outdoor pits. Dining options at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel include enoSTEAK, an intimate steakhouse and 180Blu, which offers a light menu and views of the Pacific Ocean. Raya features Pan-Latin coastal fare and ocean views, while The Market Place offers healthy selections. The hotel also has a seasonal pool-side bar and restaurant with specialty cocktails. Guests at The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Nigel can work out in the gym or enjoy a game of table tennis. The Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel is within 6 minutes’ drive of Dana Point Harbor, which features a marina. Mission Basilica San Juan Capistrano is 13 minutes’ drive away. Show full description Guest review score 7.4, rooms from around $649.

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• 4 Resort at Pelican Hill Newport Beach, United States

  

  Resort. Featuring Italian Renaissance architecture, this 504 acre luxury resort features spacious bungalows and suites with flat-screen TVs and iPod docking stations. The resort is located at the Pelican Hill Golf Course and features golf lessons, a full-service spa, an iconic coliseum pool and on-site dining options. Newport Center is 15 minutes’ drive away. Each guest accommodation includes uniquely decorated rooms with spa-style bathrooms and white bedding. Select accommodations at Resort at Pelican Hill include a fully equipped kitchen and a dining area. Guests can relax or swim in the Coliseum Pool area, which features an outdoor pool and a restaurant offering poolside dining. The resort also offers a fitness centre in the spa. The resort’s 5 restaurants include Andrea, which offers ocean view dining and serves Northern Italian cuisine with house made sauces. Pelican Girl offers steaks, burgers and wood-fired pizza from an open kitchen and has a full bar with whiskeys from around the world. Resort at Pelican Hill is 35 minutes’ drive away from Disneyland. Balboa Island and the Balboa Fun Zone are 20 minutes’ drive away. Show full description Guest review score 9.2, rooms from around $815.

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• 5 Montage Laguna Beach Laguna Beach, United States

  

  Resort. Located on the beach, this luxurious Laguna Beach resort features an ocean facing pool and a sun terrace. All rooms feature a deep marble soaking tub. Three restaurants are featured. Select suites feature plush cream sofas or an ocean view at Montage Laguna Beach. Each luxurious room provides plush bathrobes, free spa toiletries and a dual vanity in the en suite bathroom. Equipped with free Wi-Fi, every room also provides a flat-screen cable TV and an iPod docking station. Studio Restaurant features a chef table that can seat twelve in a private dining room. Featuring outdoor dining, The Loft Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Poolside dining and cocktails are featured at Mosaic Bar & Grille. Offering nightly entertainment and cocktails, The Lobby Lounge is also available for guests’ enjoyment. Spa Montage provides a variety of spa services. Poolside cabanas are offered at Laguna Beach Montage. Boutique shops and art galleries are featured. Dana Point is 5 miles away from Montage Laguna Beach. Los Angeles International Airport is 1 hours’ drive away and John Wayne Airport is 20 miles away. Show full description Guest review score 9.1, rooms from around $950.

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• 6 Surf & Sand Laguna Beach Laguna Beach, United States

  

  Resort. Overlooking the Pacific Ocean, Surf and Sand Resort is located in the heart of Laguna Beach and offers its guests private beach access. The Aquarium of the Pacific is 42 mi away and Disneyland is 25 mi away. All rooms come with a flat-screen cable TV. Rooms are fitted with a private bathroom equipped with a bath. For your comfort, you will find bath robes and free toiletries. The onsite restaurant, Splashes, offer fresh seaside cuisine for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The accompanying bar Splashes Bar has sunset views to finish up your day. For guests on the go, Pacific Perks provides a quick breakfast or lunch. The resort has an outdoor pool and sun terrace, and free WiFi is featured throughout the property. Heisler Park is 1.4 mi from Surf and Sand Resort, while 1000 Steps Beach is 3.1 mi from the property. The nearest airport is John Wayne Airport, 11 mi from the property. Show full description Guest review score 9.1, rooms from around $409.

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• 7 Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club Dana Point, United States

  Resort. Located in Dana Point on a hillside overlooking the Pacific Ocean, this resort offers 2 restaurants and 5 bars/lounges, in room dining, 3 swimming pools including a children’s pool, a championship golf course and an on-site spa and blow dry bar. Private beach access is featured. A private balcony or terrace, premium down duvets and a 50-inch LCD TV is included in each guest room at Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club. A luxurious en suite bathroom with marble tile, over-sized bathtub and separate shower is also provided. Guests can enjoy oceanfront dining at 33°North. The restaurant features locally sourced, natural, and organic sea food, meats, poultry and produce. The bar serves premium champagne and cognac from France and an extensive Single Malt Scotch Whisky menu. Bourbon Steak boasts panoramic views of the Pacific Ocean and serves creative, yet-refined dishes showcasing locally-sourced, seasonal ingredients from land and seas. For coffee and quick to go meals guests can stop by Part & Parcel Market. The full-service spa features massage therapy, facials and body treatments. The full-service spa offers hair and nail services, yoga and a sea to spa package. An outdoor pool with fully-outfitted cabanas and a children's pool and lagoon pool are available for guest relaxation. The Monarch Beach Kids Club offers a children's program and babysitting services. This resort is 82 km from Los Angeles International Airport and 30 minutes’ drive from John Wayne Airport. Mission San Juan Capistrano is 10 minutes’ drive away from Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort & Club. Show full description Guest review score 8.8, rooms from around $591.

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• 8 Balboa Bay Resort Newport Beach, United States

  

  Hotel. Balboa Bay Resort is Newport Beach’s premier waterfront retreat offering stunning bay views and sunsets over Balboa Bay’s harbor. Recently named the #1 Resort in Newport Beach by U.S. News & World Report, the Forbes Four-Star and AAA Four-Diamond property features 159 luxurious guestrooms and suites, offering relaxed yet refined accommodations, along with a celebrated culinary program that includes the newly reimagined signature A+O Restaurant | Bar with new menus under Executive Chef Prabeen Prathapan and a spirit-forward, creative craft cocktail program with a smoked cocktail cart; Blend, offering fresh grab-and-go delicacies and delights that pair perfectly with beautiful bay views; a pool bar; and 24-hour in-room dining. Wellness amenities include a fitness studio, year-round heated outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool with poolside cabanas, a full-service 10,000-square-foot spa, and Drybar salon. The new Recreation Center offers land and water sport rentals from the hotel’s private dock along with curated experiences and a robust Poolside Cabana program. Wedding and group offerings include the newly debuted Lighthouse, Bayfront ceremony lawn and more, totaling nearly 35,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor function space. Disneyland is just 20 minutes from the Balboa Bay Resort. Crystal Cove State Park is 10 minutes from the resort. Show full description Guest review score 8.5, rooms from around $423.

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I try my best to keep this guide up to date and I last refreshed it in December 2022. Did I miss a luxury hotel that should be on this list? Send me an email and let me know!