The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
A Santa Barbara sunset
310-823-1700
$$$ / $$$
here are times when the demands of life crowd in and you just feel a need to be in a place where someone is taking care of you. A place where you will see a compassionate and welcoming smile, hear, “It’s my pleasure” when you timidly ask a favor you feel might be above and beyond the norm, or where you can fall into a deep and restful sleep. A place where you can receive the warmth and care like you provide to your loved ones every day; where you can get recharged.
And it can all be accomplished within 24 hours.
This place is only 45 minutes from home. It sits on the water’s edge of the world’s largest man-made harbor, and one of the most beautiful in Los Angeles. And the staff, who must first pass a rigorous three-month interview process before becoming a part of your personal team, have been working to prepare this place just for you. (See
"What it Takes to Work for the Ritz-Carlton")
An Ultimate Sleep Experience of handcrafted sheets, luxurious bedding and plush mattresses. Four food presentations daily of chef-prepared tapas. Bulgari amenities, thick bathrobes, and a gorgeous swimming pool with personal attendants.
All-inclusive at a comparable cost to two nights at a family-style hotel.*
Where is it? The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey--the only waterfront AAA Five Diamond property in Los Angeles.
Once known as the hotel reserved for the artistocratic, the Ritz-Carlton hotels have revamped their image to appeal to the young, hip crowd of Gen X and we Baby Boomers who don’t want to grow up (or grow old). Yet, the hotel is still able to retain it’s allure that is Ritz-Carlton. Each Ritz-Carlton property takes on the personality of the locale. The theme for Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey is fire and water; a theme you will discover subtly woven into the carpets leading to the ballroom, in the lobby lounge behind the bar, and in the quiet retreat of the spa.
What remains is the genuinely thoughtful gestures of the Ladies and Gentlemen (staff) who know their guests as ‘Ladies and Gentlemen.’ This kindness must be experienced to be understood. It may be a cold glass of water offered to you when re-entering the hotel from a walk around the harbor (“would you care for lemon or lime?”), a recipe of a favorite menu item sent to your room, or the effort to save dessert for you on Club Level because the hostess knew you were enjoying a late dinner in Jer-ne.
This is luxury…this is the place you’ll always return, because it feels like home—only better. And you can’t afford not to make this investment in you.
*$369 plus parking one night Club Level Room (3/15/2009)
CHECK INTO A 'PRIVATE'
MEDITERRANEAN ESTATE
Four Seasons Resort Santa Barbara
805-969-2261
$$$$$ / $$$$$
From the moment you pass your car keys to the valet, you enter the vortex of the fairy tale. You've arrived at one of the Top 20 Hotel Spas in the United States and Canada (2005, Travel & Leisure Magazine), where you are treated as the royal guests of the lord of the manor. You are invited to choose between the privacy of a cottage suite or a room in the mansion, overlooking the swimming pool's shimmering mother-of-pearl tile. Strolling past lush gardens, you are escorted to your charming, and very spacious, quarters. Modern amenities including flat-panel high-definition television, rain shower heads, and the renowned Four Seasons beds combine tastefully with old world charm. Sipping champagne, you recline on your patio, anticipating the couples massage to come.
Schedule a spa treatment in the luxurious day suite, with side-by-side massage tables, whirlpool, fireplace, and the sounds of the Pacific gently kissing the shores just outside the veranda. There is no sense of urgency, as lunch is delivered to encourage you to linger.
Resist any temptation to enter into the activities available in Santa Barbara, and instead allow the staff to meet your needs and refresh your soul.
Note: In October 2002, the Four Seasons Resort Santa Barbara completed a $30 million pool, spa and state-of-the-art ocean view fitness center. In March 2006, it completed a $180 million complete guestroom enhancement and resort restoration that began in November 2003.
Room Rate Key
Rooms Begin At / Room Described
$ - under $199
$$ - $200 - 299
$$$ - $300 - 399
$$$$ - $400 - 499
$$$$$ - $500 and up
