Surf buffers and art await on the Southern California coast.

The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa is one of Southern California's hottest new coastal resort destinations, providing file perfect setting for an ideal vacation. Located in Dana Point and minutes from the art community of Laguna Beach, the Tuscan-inspired resort offers the finest in luxury accommodations and personalized service and was rated "One of the Top 10 New Resorts for 2003" in the Robb Report. The elegantly appointed and notably spacious guestrooms feature contemporary interiors highlighted by custom-designed furniture in warm earth tones.

Personalized and attentive service is a St. Regis hallmark. Guest expectations are met and exceeded at each turn, from the doorman welcome at the porte cochere, to the seamless front desk check-in and customized turndown service every evening. Keeping with century-old St. Regis tradition, butler service is available to assist in every guest's travel needs. With 24-hour room service, a full-service business center, and an energetic team awaiting the opportunity to meet any request, guests will discover that the St. Regis commitment to service runs as deep as the blue Pacific.

The warm, sunny Mediterranean-like climate makes it ideal to lounge by one of several pools throughout the resort. Families will appreciate the Lagoon Pool for the little ones. For some extra privacy with wonderful amenities, private poolside cabanas are available that include lounge chairs, a Sony flat screen television, DVD and CD players, stereo, refrigerator, and mini dressing room. For an extra treat, a poolside massage inside the cabana can be arranged.

Those looking for surf and sand can take a scenic seven-minute ride on one of the resort's trams to the hotel's private beach club where Surf Butlers await with wet suits and surfboards and provide personalized lessons on land and in the water. Beach attendants can set up sand chairs, towels, umbrellas and offer activities such as volleyball and kayaking. If the sun is too much to bear, guests are invited to step inside the beautiful Monarch Bay Club for an exquisite beachfront dining experience that is sure to be remembered.

Tranquility, reflection, comfort and serenity can be found at the resort's Spa Gaucin. Upon check-in at the luxurious, 30,000-square-foot spa, guests are given a coin to toss into the "Well of Desires" and are invited to wish their worries away before pampering themselves with indulgent treatment such as the Orange Frappe body wrap or the Four Hands Healing Facial. Extravagance is found in the separate men's and women's changing areas, which offer a steam room, sauna, herbal sauna and a whirlpool that emanates from an overhead waterfall. Add to these a three-lane lap pool--complete with an underwater sound system--a full-service salon and a movement studio, and there is little else one could hope to be pampered with. The St. Regis also features a contemporary fitness center that earned USA Today's acclaim for being among the "10 great places to work out on the road." With strength and cardio training and free weights, the facility offers fitness-conscious guests nearly every, amenity.

Golfers of all levels will appreciate the 18-hole Monarch Beach Golf Links, recently referred to by The Golfer magazine as being "one of the quintessential golf experiences in the Golden State." The Robert Trent Jones, Jr.-designed course offers amazing views of the Pacific Ocean. Considered one of Southern California's most demanding and scenic courses, the resort's golf course is patterned in the Scottish links tradition. It is said that when Jones designed the course, he kept his eye on the ocean at all times, which explains why golfers can see the water from all 18 holes. The material in the course's 98 bankers contains crushed Augusta white marble, one of the most playable and aesthetically pleasing bunker materials available. With undulating greens and gathering bunkers, the course will challenge players of all levels, from novice to professional.

The Monarch Beach Golf Links has been host to nationally televised golf events with top golfers from all three professional tours. Money leaders from the PGA, Senior PGA and LGPA tours including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Fred Couples, Tom Kite, Julie Inkster and Dottie Pepper have spiritedly competed on this picturesque course.

If tennis is the game of choice, guests can perfect their game with private lessons with the resort's tennis professional on the hard or clay courts at the Monarch Beach Tennis Club.

The toughest decision one will ever have to make is which of the six ocean-view restaurants to eat at in the resort. From award-winning, signature restaurant Aqua--specializing in contemporary seafood created with French cooking techniques and Asian influence--to dining on delectable "small plates" cuisine--perfect for sharing mad lively conversation--at Motif, there is never a wrong choice. The resort also offers Club 19 with its American favorites to savor while enjoying the breathtaking scenery, and the Monarch Bay Club where guests can enjoy a superb atmosphere and fresh California char-grilled meats and seafood just steps from the ocean. The Pool Bar & Grill provides light American fare in a casual outdoor setting complete with a cool ocean breeze. Dining experiences will be embraced as the resort offers spectacular cuisine and countless options, all complete with an ocean view.

While staving at the resort, be sure to add some of the area's many local activities to your itinerary, including hands-on marine fun at the Ocean Institute and dolphin safaris or whale-watching excursions nearby. A day on the open seas sport fishing or cruising to Catalina Island are other not-to-be-missed activities.

Historic Mission San Juan Capistrano houses the oldest building still in use in California--the Serra Chapel. Laguna Beach, known to many as an artists' colony, is just minutes away. The city features art galleries, eclectic shops and the Laguna Art Museum, which holds one of the largest collections of California's historical art. Laguna Beach also is home to the famous Pageant of the Masters and other yearly summer art festivals, including the Festival of Arts, Sawdust Festival and Art-A-Fair. Shoppers will appreciate the quaint boutiques of Laguna Beach and the designer stores of Fashion Island in Newport Beach.

Families can take advantage of the resort's Kid's Club, where young guests (children ages 5-12) participate in fun activities without the parents. Activities range from wave-riding lessons, surfing, tennis or hula dance lessons during the day to pizza, movies and Karaoke at night. A unique aspect of the resort's Kid's Club is that it offers an etiquette class for children where a certified etiquette instructor teaches children all the basics, from table manners to how to properly address superiors.

The St. Regis Monarch Beach Resort & Spa is located at One Monarch Beach Resort in Dana Point and offers special events and live entertainment throughout the year, including Martini Mondays, Cooking with the Chefs monthly seminars, Art in Motif and Afternoon Tea. The resort is located in Orange County midway between Los Angeles mid San Diego counties.

For more information, please visit www.stregismb.com or call [phone], toll-free: [phone].