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Ritz-Carlton: You will be singing its praises By CARY ORDWAYNot too many hotels get songs written about them, and far fewer are memorialized the way Irving Berlin did the Ritz Hotel with his song and Broadway play by the same name: “Puttin' on the Ritz.” It's actually a slang term that means dressing fashionably. Then there's the slang adjective “ritzy” meaning “luxuriously elegant.”
The people who run Ritz-Carlton hotels must take great pleasure in the fact that no one is writing about “puttin' on the Westin&rldquo; or calling anything “Hyatty” – very nice hotels one and all, but just a day late and a dollar short when you have Irving Berlin writing – and Fred Astaire singing – the praises of your competition way back in 1930. What a coup for the people in Ritz P.R. back then. Can you imagine showing up for work one morning and casually mentioning to your boss that Irving Berlin actually took you up on your suggestion to write about the Ritz?
Okay, maybe he came up with the idea on his own but let's just say the bigwigs at the Ritz were not exactly displeased. They knew the reason the Ritz Hotel came immediately to mind was the stellar reputation the hotel had for providing the absolute best service anywhere. Cezar Ritz was considered the “king of hoteliers and hotelier to kings” because of his successful management of the Ritz Paris and The Carlton in London.
Ritz was way out front in a lot of innovations that guests may take for granted today. Among the revolutionary concepts were putting a private bath in each guest room, using lighter fabrics to allow for more thorough washing, white tie and apron uniforms for wait staff, fresh flowers in all public areas, A la carte dining which now offered diners a choice, gourmet cuisine and intimate smaller lobbies for a more personalized guest experience.
Ritz never lived to see the first Ritz-Carlton in Boston, opened in 1927 by Albert Keller, who had bought the name from Ritz's wife and formed the Ritz-Carlton Investing Company. More hotels in the northeast followed and the rest, as they say, is history.
In 1984, the Ritz-Carlton Hotel came to Laguna Niguel, bringing with it all of the luxurious amenities that are symbolized by its name. In fact, the American Automobile Association this year bestowed its Five Diamonds award on the resort for the 27th consecutive year, making the resort the longest standing AAA Five Diamond resort in California.
Its location on a spectacular bluff overlooking the Pacific just south of Laguna Beach is ideally suited to its purpose. If broad, expansive views of the Pacific are what you are seeking, this is your place. Down below and easily reached by the extensive system of walking paths is a long stretch of wide, flat beach perfect for sunning in between dips in the refreshing, cool and frothy ocean surf.
Our “coastal view” standard room had an excellent view of the expansive park area to the north as well as a long stretch of the coastline. Many working couples or small families may well choose to go with this regular-size room that is a little bigger than most standards, but not as spacious as the more expensive suites. There is no question that a stay at the Ritz-Carlton, for most of us, is that rare event to be savored and not something we can afford to do several times a year. But it's not at all a snooty place. You don't get the feeling they must have had back at that first Ritz-Carlton in Boston where they checked to see if you were in the Social Register before booking your stay. |
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VERTICAL CALIFORNIA
It can be especially grueling plying the roadways between the cities and beaches in the south and such northern tourist attractions as San Francisco, Sacramento, the Sierra Nevada and far northern attractions like Lake Shasta.
Welcome to Vertical California. This is CaliforniaWeekend.com's interactive travel planner designed to help you plan your trips up and down the Golden State. By using our informative yet simple maps, you'll be able to quickly find the best places to stop along the way, whether for sightseeing or to rest for the night. The maps are loaded with good information and direct links. You'll find all you need very quickly and with little effort.
Ready to begin? Just click on one of the two buttons below to let us help you plan your trip north or south through Vertical California.
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