The construction of Montage Resort into a South Laguna Beach cliff was well executed. From street level on Pacific Coast Highway you can hardly tell that the property, its rooms and suites stand four stories tall.

Seen in the photograph above of the Montage Resort & Spa, private balconies on the hotel rooms overlook the Pacific Ocean, offering many unobstructed ocean views. While such luxury comes at a cost (around $500- 600 minimum for a one night stay), what better place to enjoy the air, the beach, and sunsets Laguna Beach is known for.  While the resort features a lovely outdoor swimming pool and Pacific Ocean down an easy ramp or set of steps to the public beach, you can also head for Laguna's happening art scene and night life.  The lifestyle in Laguna Beach is slightly upscale. While the artists are world class, they are down to earth people, who, in this scenic environment, are not generally pretentious.

Similar luxury accommodations near Montage, should you care to resort hop, include St. Regis and Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel.  These properties are some of the finest in Orange County and Southern California. As we scour the coast, in fact, from San Diego to San Francisco, there aren't many such hotels. Some favorites include Loews Coronado Bay Resort, Hotel del Coronado, San Diego Hilton Resort on Mission Bay (be sure to stay in the townhouse-style suites on the beach for the best rooms), and further north the on-the-beach luxury properties with full amenities and spa are not to be found again (in my opinion) until you reach Santa Barbara with Bacara Resort.  Pismo Beach's Dolphin Bay Resort may lack the room service but its suites are fantastic. Half Moon Bay's Ritz Carlton in San Mateo County near San Francisco is another premier beach resort offering.

Life can be charming, indeed.  This swimming pool with its unique design and lap pool rectangular shape is surrounded by expensive red brick. You'll rarely see such treatments, even in luxury resorts in California. Brick grout is difficult to maintain and keep mold-free, and the red absorbs heat. So confident were the builders about their weather and maintenance services, they went for the finest looks.

The tile work inside the pool includes pleasing aqua, blue and lime green shades that make you feel like a drink of limeade. Points extending from a half circle look like the sun's rays extending outward. Surrounding the soothing pool on the deck are white lawn chairs with white umbrellas for shade. Towels and poolside service are to be expected in this mellow hilltop pool. On the beach below you'll find additional swimming, sunbathing and sand beaches.