Is there any coastline in the U.S. more posh than Newport?...of course, where there is posh there typically follows pretense....fair trade-off I think....in any case, we (meaning me) planned a family vacation here, "family" being defined as a place where Dad can play world-class golf...so my wife was quietly pleased and wisely kept it to herself with the irony of me injuring my back badly enough just prior to leaving CO that all tee times were cancelled....I could hear the golf Nazi shouting "NO GOLF FOR YOU!!"....so properly medicated, I resigned myself to enjoying the other amenities of Pelican Hill, not all that difficult...a couple of kudos and complaints...the "villa" we booked through AMEX travel was not what I'd call a "villa" but that's a semantic issue, I suppose...a little small, and not particularly a prime location on the property, give it's locale on the bluff overlooking the coast....our view was more "rooftops" than "whitecaps"...maybe next time I use Tripadvisor recommendations to get what I want....still, a very nice place to lay your head for a few nights....the pool area is second to none compared to the nicer places we've stayed along this stretch, including the Ritz and St. Regis down the road in Laguna...circular design allows for the just-perfect angle for tanning and/or people watching and lit at night, it's storybook stuff....gotta love the pool attendants who offer to clean your sunglasses with those little cans of sprayable Evian...arrived at 7P and the room wasn't ready...really?....Taylor eased my irritation with an offer of cocktails and after some valet confusion, we unpacked about 8P....I'd asked for (and paid for, I think) a roll-away for our 13 yr old, but it wasn't there...got that fixed eventually....food & beverage is exceptional and priced as such....tokk advantage of the shuttle to the beach one day, a fun excursion made easy....and since I wasn't playing any golf I sought solace in the Golf Channel...but wait, the Golf Channel in standard definition???....you gotta be kiddin me....most of the programming where HD shines is on the golf course and football field, so how can it be that one of the most lux and expensive golf resorts in the world has the Golf Channel in the old fashioned format??...I'm guessing it's a result of their programming provider not making it available, and not that they saved a couple of bucks by not opting for the a la carte option...still, didn't seem right for this destination....btw, I have played here before while staying elsewhere and recall that both courses are all that, and that the golf service was beyond the call....left a pair of white golf shoes with the locker room shoe guy to stash for my return the next day, so as to play both courses, and they had shiny new white shoelaces upon my return....very nice touch.....all in all, probably al little to pricey for one of my guy golf trips but a seriously guilty pleasure for me

The North Villas offer a stunning view of the ocean from a high vantage point. We stayed in a 2 BR villa. It was a large space with very ample bedrooms, washer and dryer, a small open kitchen, a living room/dining room combo and a large outdoor space facing the spectacular view of the Pacific. The furnishings are especially plush and the bed may be even more comfortable than the Four Seasons!
We did have a problem with the heating system and it took two calls to the engineer before it was fixed. Lighting in the bathrooms was very dim and really didn't have good light until the daytime when daylight supplemented the weak interior lighting.
The toiletries are top of the line with exquisite scents and rich emollients. But if you need to keep your hair dry when you take a shower be warned, the shower caps are meant for infant-sized heads, so bring your own.
Room service is extremely expensive and it was difficult to get our orders straight. An order of bagels means one bagel at the price of $15!
But on the bright side, there is a kitchen in the unit and you can always bring in your own food. All snarkiness aside, this is a very lovely property and I'm looking forward to another visit soon.

There are several restaurants at Pelican HIlls. The food is always great. The decor beautiful, the bathrooms beautiful, the pool incredible, and many restaurants to choose from. Go for a family brunch, a couples romantic dinner, or bring out of town guests. You will NEVER BE Disappointed. Always wonderful and gorgeous gingerbread trees throughout Christmas.

I have had High Tea at Pelican Resort three or four times with my girlfriends and always had a wonderful experience. I'm sure guys may like this but it's definitely a girl thing!
The tea selection is varied -- something for every taste, and it's fresh, not "Lipton." The food is petite but tasty and complimentary to the teas. A reminder for those looking for more substantial food, it's not supposed to be a meal.
The view is spectacular and the lounge very cozy. The servers are excellent and refill the hot water constantly. I highly recommend this for some girlfriend time!