I was talking to a friend the other night (OK, a very rich friend) who said that they stayed at the Montage a few weeks ago. She liked it. They would go again if it wasn't so bloody expensive. How much? I asked, for research purposes, of course, for my Fodors friends. She said their room was $600 a night. What??? She did not say it was a suite, either. Why on earth would a hotel be so dang expensive? That makes the Laguna Ritz at $300 a night sound like a bargain.

Combination of location-- breathtakingly beautiful bluff on the Pacific, in expensive south Laguna Beach-- and facilities-- new resort, built in authentic Arts & Crafts style. The amenity level is incredibly high, the service is impeccable and the onsite restaurant is one of the very best in southern California.

The R-C Laguna Niguel is great, I love it, but the Montage has raised the bar in southern California hotels. Worth the money, if you're rich and want the cost-no-object luxury fix.

Is the cost actually $600 for a standard room? Does that include a butler, facial, caviar, and a pedicure, golf, free parking, and a free gift of $100 from Nordstroms? If it included all of this, I would maybe consider it, LOL.

Just can't imagine a "room" costing that much. It is definately out of my league.

If anyone else goes, let us know if it was worth it, OK?

Heavens...My TA has emailed me that he can get an Ocean Horizon Room for $351.00...Still pricey...Sounds to me like they want no riff raff, period!

Heavens, in case you're considering the Ritz-Carlton, Laguna Niguel as an alternative to Montage, I wouldn't do it yet--it's in the middle of a $40 million renovation to be completed late next summer. The holiday buffets this year have been streamlined, there will be no holiday tea and the Dining Room is closed permanently. But the Club Grill and the Lounge are still open. It'll all be very beautiful in a few months with a new ocean-view restaurant, but I wonder how the rates will compare to Montage then?

You don't have to stay at Montage to enjoy it. Go and have an outstanding meal at Studio (5 star, really) or The Loft upstairs, even the casual Mosiac cafe by the pool--they all have fantastic ocean views, or just hang around the lobby drinking champagne. They have at least 20 kinds by the glass up there--I haven't tried them all yet, but I'm working on it! The walk along the cliff gardens overlooking the ocean adjoining Montage is called Treasure Island Park and is such a beautiful place to refresh and relax and you can walk down to the beach. So don't count yourself out, when in Laguna you can still enjoy Montage, even if you don't stay there.