Terranea Resort

Terranea (pronounced “terra-NAY-a”) Resort is an ambitious endeavor: a full-scale luxury resort within the boundaries of Los Angeles County. In fact, no other L.A.-area hotel matches Terranea when it comes to size and range of amenities. With 582 rooms spread over 102 acres, the Terranea Resort provides more breathing room than any other hotel in the county. And the breathing is good in Rancho Palos Verdes, a town on the southwestern outskirts of Los Angeles County overlooking the Pacific Ocean. Unlike other smog- and traffic-choked parts of Los Angeles, this cushy coastal enclave has fresh air and lots of space. The town's lovely coast has been a backdrop for Hollywood films, including Pearl Harbor and the Pirates of the Caribbean movies.

It's all very pleasant, but also very expensive. Prospective travelers should also know that natural beauty and clean air aren't part of the typical Los Angeles experience, and the resort is far enough away from the city's sights to make one-day tourist excursions painful. Terranea is much more of an escape from metropolitan L.A. than a sightseer's home base. Unlike other hotels closer to the L.A. action, the Terranea embodies the Rancho Palos Verdes lifestyle -- one of leisure, relaxation, and appreciation of natural beauty. Guests can sip drinks by the pool, treat themselves to spa treatments, and play golf, all within view of the resort's tan coastal bluffs and the ocean below. The hotel's multiple hiking paths have signs encouraging visitors to watch for local species like the endangered El Segundo blue butterfly and the California gray whale, and every night there’s a sunset ritual with crystal singing bowls. Guests can take part in free seaside yoga and meet and greets with the on-site falcon as well. However, it’s worth noting there’s a hefty daily resort fee ($40 during our visit) and on-site parking is another $45/night.

Terranea offers a kind of beauty that contrasts starkly with what most people think of when they picture Los Angeles. It's actually more comparable to places like Loews Coronado Bay in San Diego or the Red Rock or Green Valley Ranch resorts on the outskirts of Las Vegas than to any L.A. property. For easier access to the Los Angeles' sights, check out Santa Monica’s oceanfront Hotel Casa Del Mar and Beverly Hills' Beverly Wilshire and Beverly Hills Hotel.

Terranea Resort is located along the coast in Rancho Palos Verdes, which is a picture of natural beauty with its tall oceanside cliffs and relatively little development. To the west of the Terranea is Point Vicente Lighthouse (only open once a month) and Point Vicente Park, which offers whale-watching opportunities, playgrounds, and nature walks. Guests must drive to anything that isn't on the resort grounds. And getting to any of L.A.'s major tourist attractions takes at least an hour. Despite Terranea's oceanfront real estate, its on-site "beach" has rocks between sand and water; for a beach with swimming and surfing, it's a 25-minute drive to Redondo Beach. Driving from Terranea Resort to LAX takes about 45 minutes, depending on traffic.

• 10-mile, 25-minute drive to Redondo Beach, the nearest sandy beach for swimming and surfing
• Inexpensive dining options three miles away at Golden Cove Shopping Center
• 45-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport
• One-hour drive to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills with high-end shopping and swanky mansions
• One-hour drive to Universal Studios theme park
• One-hour drive to Hollywood Boulevard

Terranea Resort rooms are spacious (standard rooms are larger than those at most Los Angeles hotels) and well-equipped with top-notch electronics and all of the luxury trimmings. Some might find the contemporary and attractive decor a little staid, as most are largely done in homey neutral hues and feature generic artwork and fittings. But what the rooms lack in creative design, they make up for with pure comfort. All rooms have furnished balconies, many with unobscured ocean views. In-room tech includes iPod docks, huge flat-screen LCD TVs with HBO, and Wi-Fi (covered by resort fee). Roomy bathrooms feature separate showers and tubs, L’Occitane bath products, and Turkish robes.

The 450-square-foot standard rooms have either one king or two double beds. Suites are 900 square feet (Bungalow Suites are 1,100 square feet) and have separate living room areas with queen-size sleep sofas, master and guest bathrooms, and two flat-screen LCD TVs. Bungalows are adults-only suites that have living rooms and kitchens, plus fireplaces or fire pits. One- to three-bedroom Casitas (Spanish for "little house) feature full kitchens, living rooms, laundry facilities, and fireplaces (plus shared outdoor fireplaces). Two- and three-bedroom Golf Villas come with their own garages, full kitchens, hot tubs, and outdoor fireplaces.

Beyond being a reprieve from the hubbub and stress of other L.A. areas, the Terranea Resort packs in more features than nearly any other hotel in the city. Its enormous spa was built to accommodate a wide range of custom treatments. The adjoining pool has beautiful views of the ocean, and the large fitness center has state-of-the-art equipment. A separate adults-only pool has some of the resort's best views, and one of L.A.'s only hotel kids' club gives parents the time to actually use it. The features here are typical for a top-tier luxury resort, but completely different from what one finds in Santa Monica, Beverly Hills, or downtown L.A. Instead, the facilities at Terranea emphasize the resort's beautiful natural surroundings.

Terranea's sprawling grounds feature gardens, walking paths, a bocce ball court, and croquet terrain with free equipment rental. Though the "beach" is too rocky to really be considered a beach, the hotel maximizes its waterfront property with kayak and stand-up paddleboarding tours and surfing lessons. The beach is at least a five-minute walk from the hotel, and the actual waterline is overrun by rocks. It's impossible to swim and the nearest sandy swimming beach is Redondo Beach, a 20-minute drive away. Terranea compensates for its rocky shoreline with four outdoor pools, all heated and all with great views of the ocean. The main pool deck features a 5,000-square-foot pool -- with a 140-foot-long twisty waterslide -- hot tubs, drink service, a fountain, and a roster of family-friendly activities, like S'mores Roasts. The other resort pools include the saltwater Vista Pool and the seasonal, adult-only Cielo Point (though all pools have views, the ones from here are the best). The 25-meter Spa Pool, surrounded by cabanas and fire pits, is accessible with a booked treatment or a day pass to spa facilities.

The Terranea Resort has a full-fledged resort-style kids' club. Tide Pool Kids' Club has computers, arts and crafts, board games, video games, photography and nature activities. Some of the on-site restaurants and the hotel's room service offer kids' menus, and babysitting arrangements can be made through concierge (services are not affiliated with the hotel). A 24-hour business center has four computers and two printers; Wi-Fi and printing are covered by resort fee. There is also 135,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor meeting space.

There are a few lovely wedding venues on-site, and honeymoon packages are available.

In addition to its own pool, the 50,000-square-foot spa features saunas, steam rooms, cold plunges, and outdoor hot tubs by the pool. The spa's Fitness & Wellness Center has floor-to-ceiling windows, top-of-the-line equipment, and a separate spinning studio. An oceanfront yoga and Pilates studio is also available, and daily yoga and fitness classes are part of the resort fee.

A free shuttle takes guests to Terranea's nine-hole golf course, the Links. The mellow course, appropriate for all skill levels, looks over the hotel property and has gorgeous views of the ocean. The green fee does not include golf carts or equipment rental. Individual or semiprivate lessons for two to four people are available. The resort fee covers access to The Links’ short game practice area.

There are plenty of dining options on-site at Terranea; the food is good at all of them, but on the expensive side (that's normal at Los Angeles hotels, and to be expected when off-site options are limited). The four full restaurants have outdoor seating with views of the ocean. The fine-dining Mar'sel is open for dinner and Sunday brunches. Nelson's offers pub fare and micro brews for lunch and dinner every day; kids' menu available. Bashi, the hotel's poolside restaurant, serves Asian fusion cuisine. The casual Catalina Kitchen is open for all three meals, plus brunch on weekends.

The Sea Beans coffee shop offers pressed sandwiches, gelato, and coffee, as well as snacks like energy bars and chips. The Lobby Bar is popular with guests, who tote martinis around the lobby and its back patio. Nachos, salads, Asian-inspired rice bowls, and fruity cocktails are available at Cielo Point, the adults-only pool bar. Spa Cafe serves healthy breakfasts and Mediterranean-inspired salads, sandwiches, and wraps, as well as a drink list of smoothies, juices, wine, beer, and cocktails made with organic vodka. Room service is available 24/7, with a delivery charge and 20 percent gratuity automatically added.