When visiting beautiful Newport Beach, California, there’s a place to stay that provides comfort, fun, great food, and drink, and easy access to the area. Real Food Traveler‘s Hospitality Editor, Ron Stern, tells us about Balboa Bay Resort after his recent visit. 

Save this article to Pinterest to help you plan your trip to Balboa Bay Resort. Photos by the Resort and Ron Stern. Graphic by RealFoodTraveler.com.

Newport Beach Luxury at the Balboa Bay Resort

I invariably seem to be drawn to the ocean. Having moved from California to land-locked Colorado, I still miss the sunny beaches, blue skies and all things nautical. Fortunately, my vision of a dreamy watery oasis that satisfies all the senses was found at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport Beach, California.

Nestled along the Pacific Coast between Los Angeles and San Diego, this award-winning waterfront retreat sits right on the Balboa Marina. With abundant sunshine, luscious sunsets and hundreds of yachts, the views here would make any watercolorist envious.

The resort which is only waterfront property in Newport Beach, opened in 1947 and has seen its share of luminaries. A short list of celebrities includes John Wayne, Greta Garbo, Bing Crosby, and Clark Gable. Presidents Nixon and Ford were also guests of the hotel. One of the hallways on the ground floor has several walls devoted to historic black and white photos of past VIP guests.

Accolades are numerous and include the AAA Four-Diamond designation, the Forbes Travel Guide Four-Star Rating three years in a row. Most recently, the hotel was named the #1 Resort in Newport Beach by U.S. News & World Report. It’s no wonder as the moment I came on property, the service, ambiance, and attention to detail was obvious.

The property has 159 rooms with both courtyard/pool and bay views. Ours was the latter and was beautifully adorned with an extremely comfy bed, plush linens, and all the amenities you would expect from a hotel of this caliber. Our balcony opened to a gorgeous vista of Balboa Marina. The brilliant blue sky framed a harbor packed full of small to epically huge yachts neatly tucked into their prospective docks.

A Bayview Suite at the Balboa Bay Resort in Newport. Photo courtesy Balboa Bay Resort.

Newport is known for upscale shopping, dining, and a host of waterborne sports. The hotel offers a Recreation Concierge that can help schedule your activities including paddle boarding and kayak rentals from the property’s private dock. If you’ve never heard of a “Duffy Boat,” these cute electric boats were invented here in Newport Beach in the 60s. Sort of like a golf cart for the water, they are easy to navigate while motoring around the harbor or dining at a number of dockside eateries.

Speaking of dining, you can enjoy some poolside snacks and libations from their Oasis Pool Bar. Their pool is heated year-round and I spent an exceptional morning just relaxing and soaking in their adjoining whirlpool.

Time for a swim and some poolside sips at the Oasis Pool Bar. Photo courtesy Balboa Bay Resort. 

A+O (Anchors and Oceans) is their signature restaurant and their floor to ceiling windows afford magnificent waterfront views. I loved the color palette here and throughout the resort which echoes the colors of the sea.  Vibrant hues of ocean blues, sparkling whites, light wood paneling with splashes of yellow accents set just the right nautical mood.

The menu was designed by Executive Chef Prabeen Prathapan and features craft cocktails and breezy California Cuisine. Their cocktail list has some local favorite innovations like “The Variant,” served in a beaker and a “Newport Express Martini,” made with expresso.

They offer a variety of seafood options during the season such as swordfish, big eye tuna and spiny lobster as well as east and west coast oysters. My suggestion is to also try their cool and creamy local burrata and the salt and pepper shrimp. Both were tasty and delicious. If available, the dark chocolate crème brûlée was the perfect ending to a great meal. Book at least an hour before sunset to admire the show that nature provides with some spectacular colors.

The Burrata was a big hit at the A & O Restaurant. Photo courtesy Ron Stern.

In the morning we had freshly brewed coffee and a tropical sunset smoothie (pineapple, strawberry, banana, with coconut milk) at their Blend Cafe. Serving breakfast and lunch the latter includes familiar and new favorites like a Waldorf Salad, teriyaki chicken wrap or Cuban Sandwich.

Hungry for more? Read about Ron’s visit to North Platte, Nebraska.

Shopping is always in vogue in Newport Beach and onsite you have a couple of options. Gifts, souvenirs and resort wear are available at the Bayfront Boutique. Active wear and spa-related items can be found at the Spa Boutique. Off property, you enjoy an exhaustive list of choices around town, from simple to luxury. The closest to the hotel, however, is Lido Marina Village. This outdoor, waterfront venue is equally accessible by Duffy Boat and features 29 fashionable shops and dining opportunities.

Duffy Boats are a fun way to get around. Photo courtesy Balboa Bay Resort.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention one of the iconic treats that can only be found on nearby Balboa Island—Balboa Bars! What are they? Quite simply, just a hefty chunk of quality vanilla ice cream dipped in chocolate and rolled in a variety of nuts with peanuts being the go-to favorite. There is something about these cool, chocolatey, crunch treats that goes so well with the fresh ocean air and shopping on this trendy island.

Don’t miss having the Duffy Bar experience. Photo by Ron Stern.

If you fancy some pampering, their 10,000 square-foot spa will do quite nicely. Offering massages, signature skin treatments, saunas, and a steam room. Their products are top-of-the-line and curated from around the world.

The Balboa Bay Resort combines just the right elements of excellent service, great food, and casual luxury. Consequently, check-out day might be a sad one, as it was for us, wishing we could stay longer. Fortunately, the length of your visit is altogether in your control and one you will no doubt savor for a lifetime.

To learn more about the Balboa Bay Resort, visit their website, here.

–Story and images, where noted, by Ron Stern, “The Global Gumshoe” and RFT’s Hospitality Editor

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Please note: Ron was hosted for portions of his visit however, as is Real Food Traveler’s policy, our opinions and impressions are always our own.