After negotiating the 405 for a mere hour I was transported to the Italian countryside. Well, maybe not literally but thanks to The Resort at Pelican Hill it sure felt like I had traveled to a grand Capri resort. Located on the Newport coast the accommodations are stellar and feature a 36 hole golf course designed by Tom Fazio along with three pools and every luxurious appointment imaginable. Bene and bello were the only words I was able to utter as we drove through the picturesque grounds to the Villas.
The Villas at The Resort at Pelican Hill – www.pelicanhillgolfclub.com – offer the luxury of a second home, with staff, without the mortgage. Inspired by the Renaissance master architect Andrea Palladio, entering one of the 128 2, 3 and 4 bedroom villas is like stepping into an Italian resort without the hassles of Trans-Atlantic travel. The villas are grouped together and are like a boutique hotel within the resort. Each villa is staffed with a concierge, butler and housekeeper to attend to your every need. Other luxuries include a divine marble bathroom with indulgently large showers and soak tubs. There are also delicious beds which envelop one in sheets with an obscenely high thread count. If you can tear yourself away from the gorgeous villas, you can go to the Villa Clubhouse to enjoy the fitness center, divine dining or a dip in the adult or kid pools. You can book your second home for a stay of any length. And, despite the glamour of the surroundings, the place is actually kid friendly. There are several restaurants each serving food more delicious than the next from which to choose and none require that you leave the resort.
The Resort at Pelican Hill offers all of the luxuries and none of the hassles of ownership. We used our feet for transportation and didn’t worry about anything for a whole weekend. Early on Sunday we simply got into our car for the first time in forty-eight hours – a pleasant novelty to this Angeleno – and capped off a lovely weekend with a drive back up the 405 during which we were able to cruise along at the speed limit.
Arrivederci, The Resort at Pelican Hill, Ti amo.
