5 Diamond

 

The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay
One Miramontes Point Rd
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

 

Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay is one of the great California beach resorts. It's price seldom drops below $300 for an overnight stay and usually is higher, so many will consider it beyond reach for travel.  There are other less expensive beach resorts nearby such as the fabulous Beach House Half Moon Bay that don't offer the golf course on site and luxury appointments, but do offer ambience and the beach.

 

Driving north from Santa Cruz, stop and gaze at the coast where beautiful plateaus are mounted on cliffs perched above beaches in locations such as Pescadero. As your eyes scan the hilltops in the distance, you catch a glimpse of something so different that it causes you to ponder whether you are looking at a huge castle or mansion of incredible stature. 

 

What you most likely are seeing is the Ritz-Carlton, Half Moon Bay. Driving from Southern Californian to San Mateo County, 20 miles south of San Francisco, we at Beachcalifornia have struck out twice in attempts to show up and spend the night at this luxurious property. We like the flexibility of changing our minds and having an open schedule for exploring the twists and turns in the road. Unfortunately, we missed staying at four different hotels we wanted to investigate by this approach on a recent drive along the Northern California coastline. (We found some gems that hotel desk clerks alerted us to, however.)  And we can tell you that our Bay Area friends like this Ritz-Carlton. It is one of their favorites for  weekend getaways. 

When this coastal resort opened its doors several years ago, the buzz was tremendous. A few said it was over-rated while the majority sang its praises.  The rooms are pricey but Ritz excellence shines through in service, we are told. And the location is pure gold. 

 

We tried to book a hotel room on a popular weekend. If you look on our web site now, you will probably find availability, however.  In the world of travel, finding lodgings in highly desired locations is all about timing and in this case, good marketing and management, too.  Half Moon Bay is conveniently located 20 miles south of San Francisco and not far from San Jose-Silicon Valley where over a million people reside.  You wouldn't know you are so close to a metropolitan area until you discover the locals and their preferences for weekend getaways.  We may reserve a room before we hit the road next time and possibly even fly to San Francisco rather than drive.

 

With the feel of the Scottish coast's most beautiful greens, golf is a star attraction here. There's a public parking lot and access paths to walk along that parallel the golf course along the edge of the coastal cliffs. A warning sign alerts pedestrians to beware of high-flying golf balls straying from the course.  As you pass by the edge of the greens and breathe a sigh of relief, you reach a path that leads to a set of steps descending to a cove and small, sandy beach. 

 

If you have stayed at other Ritz-Carlton resorts,  you can expect the same great service at this Half Moon Bay location. Activities include fishing, whale watching cruises from Pillar Point Harbor, horseback riding, kite surfing, golf and more.

 

The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay Reservations