The Resort at Pelican Hill

Character and identity

Set above the Newport coast on a hillside of cypress and ocean bluffs, this is California reimagined as a Tuscan hill town: ochre-toned bungalows and villas, terra cotta roofs, loggias and fountains arranged with a residential, almost neighbourly feel. The scale is generous rather than grand, anchored by 36 Tom Fazio holes that thread the Pacific, a circular Coliseum pool (one of the largest in the world) and a serious spa programme built around signatures like the Coastal Renewal and Reset Ritual. Dining stays close to home with Pelican Grill's coastal cooking and the more casual Coliseum Pool & Grill. Service runs polished and unhurried.

Who's it for

Bottom line

What defines a stay here is the residential pace: this is a hillside enclave for slow days of golf, spa and pool, not a beachfront resort in the conventional sense. Spend the money if those three pillars matter to you, and book a villa to unlock the Clubhouse, concierge and stocked-kitchen experience that justifies the rate.