When the St. Regis Monarch Beach invites you and a guest to an Epicurean weekend, you most certainly say yes – three of my favorite things: eating, traveling, and staying at a St. Regis! However, it’s important to note that this gorgeous getaway will not be under the St. Regis flag moving forward, a decision that will minimally impact guests. Operating as an independent hotel brand, it still retains that AAA Five Diamond status & emphasis on a 5 star experience – all you need to know now is to call it the Monarch Beach Resort…and don’t expect any SPGs.
This property was recently “reimagined” to the tune of $40 million. From new dining facilities, like the gorgeous Aveo, which has sliding glass doors to make the entire restaurant an open-air experience, to the introduction of the Miraval Spa experience, the first of its kind outside of the actual resort, this place is back and better than ever.
While on property, we were able to enjoy a number of epicurean related events, from a seafood feast upon arrival to a culinary round robin, taking us from a cocktail on the terrace of Stonehill Tavern to the private wine cellar, where their knowledgable sommelier served only winemakers that he personally knew – it was like introducing us to all of his best friends!
The unique culinary experiences ranged from a lesson in searing tuna to the unique story behind the property’s newest partnership, thanks to Miraval, with their resident beekeeper, Noel Patterson. Never did I know so many different types of honey existed – and Noel’s take on the sugary substance, with the watchful eye of terroir thanks to his sommelier background, made the subject both approachable and fascinating.
They’ve got a great thing on their hands!
For a fun pairing, we spent the night at the historic US Grant in San Diego before popping up to the Monarch Beach Resort. Not a bad road trip – just over an hour – and we got to enjoy the culture (and stellar location) of this downtown Luxury Collection property.
Be sure to head to Puesto for some excellent tacos and margaritas – but don’t go too far when it comes to breakfast. For the second time that I’ve stayed here, the Grant Grill’s offerings have made it one of my favorite breakfast spots in the world – it really makes that complimentary breakfast credit that we offer our guests quite the value!
Looking for a similar trip and want to take advantage of Epperly Travel’s 5 star relationships & added amenities (for the same price you’d be paying direct!!)? Feel free to shoot me an email at lindsey@epperlytravel.com!
