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#1 of 7 hotels in Malibu
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Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club is the only luxury destination in Malibu that encompasses both a private 250 acre Ranch in the Malibu Wine Country as well as an exclusive beachfront Beach Club for its guests. Accommodations consist of cozy and intimate Private Cottages, One and Two bedroom Bungalows and Estate Rooms located on the Calamigos Ranch. Guests have direct access to multiple pools, incredible fitness centers and the incredible Spa Calamigos. Guided Nature HIkes, horseback riding and local wine tasting tours are located on property and within 2 or 3 minutes from the Ranch grounds. In addition resort guests have exclusive access to The Calamigos Beach Club, a private 5.5 acre beach estate located just 12 minutes by complimentary luxury shuttle. The Calamigos Beach Club offers full dining and beach bar service with incredible views of the Malibu Coastline from every window.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
Wow... Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club exceeded all expectations and then some! It was a fabulous in every way, from the moment we arrived to when we (sadly) had to drive away. This is a pricey place, but the value is legit. We had such an incredible weekend and can't wait to come back!
Top reasons we are counting the days to our return: 1) the amenities are amazing. Not just the in-room coffee, snacks and bath/beauty products, but the activities, the beach club (more on that later), the nightly social hour, the immaculate grounds--the full resort feel of the place. And when I say "activities" I don't mean a nickel-and-dime, over-priced activity menu, which they don't have. What's on offer activity-wise is included. Example: I went to a coffee tasting that was enjoyable and informative and at no time was there an up-sell. So refreshing. 2) The dog-friendliness. Dogs could basically go everywhere but in the actual pools. This is so nice and worked well There were quite a few dogs, ours included, but everything was totally respectful and chill. 3) The service. They didn't seem short-staffed. True, it was a winter weekend and not high season. But still. If they said they could do something, they did it. If they offered, they followed through. If we called to request something, it happened. People were friendly, approachable and responsive. 4) The Guest Ranch alone was great, but the fact that there is also a Beach Club was amazing. Malibu can be a scrum for visitors--parking, finding a place to eat, trying to get in and out on the PCH. With access to the Beach Club, all of this disappears. The beach itself is great and, again, dog friendly (which is not the case for much of Malibu). The club facilities are excellent and very relaxing. We were so impressed with the menu and service. We were planning on staying just long enough for our dog to run around on the beach, and ended up whiling away most of the afternoon lingering over lunch and relaxing.
In terms of rooms, we stayed in a single suite cottage, which was a good choice, since it had a fireplace and an amazing bathroom complete with huge tub. We considered the single bungalow, which also looked great. The bungalows do seem to have a bit more privacy, so we might try that next, especially if we come back during a busier time. But we were very happy with the cottage. The bed and furniture were perfect for relaxing. We only wish we could have stayed longer.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Where do I begin! This was my first time booking a high end hotel like this. I wanted a safe family getaway for my husbands birthday during this scary time of covid. I researched thoroughly and remembered calamigos being a place ive wanted to spend time at but never had the guts to spend the money. So i booked a night and Will Never regret it!!
The ranch is beautiful and truly makes you feel like your on a real getaway and away from it all. Within 30 minutes after arrival we immediately booked a second night. Early checkin was accommodated. Rooms are immaculate and so cute. We booked the one bedroom bungalow ! See their instagram On how they are ensuring the safety of guests during covid it willBlow you away. Staff was amazing very accommodating, it is contactless and you text your needs and their response is so quick. The rubber ducky and stuffed horse animal for my three your old was a hit and appreciated the specialized touch on making it faMily oriented.We spend most of our days poolside. This staff is beyond amazing and wish i could name them all. Lets point out thr rounds of snacks that they give you making your feel Like royalty. Ice cream sandwiches, watermelon, frozen grapes, rose spray for refreshing moments OMG!! Drinks were pricey, 20$ but woah generous pours and given to you safely in bottles .
Cons: beach club was a bit of a let down. Staff wasn’t welcoming And as my first time didn’t really “sell” me why it was special. I personally had to pry answers out of them only nice guy was the bartender he had a shaved head. Other then thatYoung kids that look bored. Never went back and probably wouldnt. Looked forward to the coconuts they advertise As well but i guess its no longer provided, bummer !!!
Malibu cafe : I recommend asking staff about their openings during your stay was bummed they closed down for the first night cause of a wedding so didnt get to have the bday dinner we planned there. Went to the new ranch club instead kinda of okay. May I recommend smores for the summer for the kiddos or ice cream? Think that would be a nice added touch. Given the circumstances in todays world i assure that some of the experiences that were lacked was more than likely a change with covid. I plan to make this our summer spot yearly and intend on returning in sept! Also if you have a well Behaved pup bring them I regret not bringing mine !!
Thank you Calamigos for now getting me hooked ! You made our family time truly special. Give a high five to each member because they work so hard you all rock !! See you soon!!
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Date of stay: July 2020Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
This was our first visit to the ranch. My wife and I wanted to get away for a few days. On the plus side, the ranch is beautiful with private cottages (that are especially valuable during the Covid pandemic). We upgraded to a premium cottage and loved the outdoor lounge / showers. The staff was incredibly friendly, most notably Sergio and Jeri from the Great House, Tyler from the beach club, and Danny at the front desk. Also the valet with red hair (sorry didn’t catch your name!).
The staff wore masks at all times and it was especially convenient that they texted us re: time of room cleaning or any other services that were required. We were there Labor Day weekend and still the resort felt minimally populated. We had an amazing dinner at the Ranch House on the outdoor lawn. (Although we had to move tables to get away from nasty septic tank smell that was percolating over half the lawn, yuck). The Malibu cafe was fun and lively too. Highly recommend the Branzino.
On the minus side, we were never told to use the Mulholland drive entrance so we ended up circling round several times trying to figure out how to enter. The bathrooms were poorly maintained in common areas (eg ranch house bathroom had cobwebs all over the walls, women’s beach house bathroom had no toilet paper). Similarly, there were very few hand-sanitizer stations throughout the resort. Also some of the staff were super knowledgeable and others seemed to have no idea about things. For example, we asked about nearby hiking and somebody at the front desk couldn’t offer any useful suggestions (he basically stood in front of us and googled “nearby hikes”). Also the spa / gym were closed but that’s because of the covid pandemic so totally understandable.
One thing that may be helpful for fellow surfers: this is not a a surf spot. Rocks at the beach entry and the beach club is in a cove. So you’ll need to go elsewhere for waves. Also FYI The beach club has bathrooms but no designated changing cabanas.
Overall, for a romantic getaway it’s a very unique spot in a gorgeous setting. Highly recommend.
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Date of stay: September 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
I was honestly blown away by how great our stay was. I had been eyeing Calamigos Guest Ranch for years and the pandemic finally pushed me into booking a "staycation" there. I have stayed at some pretty awesome places (Turtle Bay, the Grand Hyatt in Wailea, NoMo in NYC) but no other hotel has provided the level of service that I experienced here. It's unmatched. During our stay, I forgot about the pandemic and felt like I was really on vacation.
The property itself is beyond gorgeous and I really loved exploring the grounds and wandering around, I saw a cow (awesome!), a lake, a ferris wheel so many nooks to explore. The decor is perfection, from the room itself to the lobby to all the sitting areas around the hotel where you can lounge, read and just relax.
At the main pool, the water temp was refreshing in one and delightful bath water temp in the other- I didn't want to leave. No problems at all finding chairs or getting service. Its bliss. When I sat down, a server immediately came and brought me complimentary ice cold Evians. Drinks were batched (which I was unsure about at first) but boy did they taste amazing and pack a punch. The margarita came in a bottle that is like 16oz, it made about 3 cocktails! Loved it. They also came by with complientary snacks!
We enjoyed lunch at the Beach Club. They had 2 chairs and an umbrella setup for us on the sand and brought out our food and drinks while we watched the birds fly and the waves crash. They also gave us complimentary coconuts that were so refreshing. I can't believe this is a resort amenity that is available- its so awesome.
Dinner at the Malibu Cafe was delicious and service was attentive. Plenty of spacing between tables too. Even just the walk over there was fun, again- the grounds are so cool.
We had a wonderful night back at the room enjoying the patio and the peace and quiet. The bathroom is packed with really good products (again complimentary) . The bed and bedding made for a great nights sleep and we topped it off with a classic breakfast on the great lawn in the morning.
When we got into our car to leave, the valet had placed cold Evians and mints in our car and offered us free branded hats and sparkling waters. Such nice touches.
Onto the staff: Danny at the front desk was always there to assist and gave us a good guide to the property. Luis also gave us top notch service and made us feel so welcome. Also thank you to Manny, Gerry (breakfast) and the wonderful Valet guys whose names now escape me.
I wasn't sure so a staycation could feel like a real vacation and the truth is, it may not be elsewhere, but it sure IS at Calamigos. I'm already planning on coming back.
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Date of stay: October 2020
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heading to LA from Phoenix to visit my daughter and 7 month old granddaughter, I was a little apprehension, so we decided to spend the weekend at this amazing resort up in the mountains in Malibu. The service was impeccable, and we felt very safe the whole time we were there. Its a beautiful resort and ranch, with a bit of a modern feel, mixed with a laid back casual aesthetic, that melded into the woods, and mountains perfectly.
We stayed in the cottages which were very private, and each had a private courtyard, with an outdoor shower, and sitting area. We were able to enjoy three different pools, all not too crowded, with food and drink options available. There was a nice mixture of families, and couples, with babies definitely welcome.
Mostly appreciated was the meal setup, with all food ordered from bars set up in strategic spots thru out the resort, and tables set up with plenty of space in between. We were far enough away from anyone, and felt completely safe with our masks off when eating. Love the breakfast every morning spread out on the lawn, with plenty of shade, and even fans if needed. The food was amazing, staff exceptional, and atmosphere was beautiful! Definitely recommend this as a great getaway from the LA
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Date of stay: August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The Backstory We first viewed this property while looking for a place to stay in Malibu for our wedding weekend. We were blown away: the property is breath-taking, especially if you love nature and the outdoors as we do. The Good In addition to the above, the property is expansive. The rooms were well-appointed, and a perfect blend of modern and rustic. The food tasted great and was reasonably priced. Everyone wore masks. The Bad Details are important. And this is where Calamigos doesn’t quite measure up to other “luxury” properties. The valets/bellmen were understaffed. When moving from the cottage to the suite, it took 45 minutes to get luggage assistance. On checkout, it took a full hour from request of the car (valet was the only option) until the car finally arrived. We ordered room service the morning after our wedding. The suite has a private patio; I was envisioning the classic room service with a tray and plate covers. Instead, we got lukewarm food in cardboard boxes. The air conditioning in the suite was not adequate. The room never quite cooled off. The Ugly We had dinner on the lawn outside of the spa. Great setup, but, the sewage smell ruined the meal.We made the best of it, but really? Our very expensive suite had paper-thin walls. We could literally hear a television blaring from our next door neighbor. . We eventually fell asleep thanks to headphones and earplugs. All in all. We had a good stay. Not great. Definitely not excellent. By far from luxurious.
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Date of stay: August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Calamigos is so perfect, that we booked another stay as soon as we left! It's a great getaway from LA and a totally different universe that will change your vibes with even the shortest stay! The premium private cottages are small but well appointed and it feels like your own home away from home, plus the outdoor shower is a dream. Book a massage at the spa, spend the day at the pool, exercise in the fitness center (hello Peloton!) or take a trip to the beach club! Dinner at the Ranch Club is top rated, wonderful service with delicious food. Food at the pool is also incredible - plus they give you treats periodically like popsicles, smoothies and appetizers. Service at the front desk is incredible. The only problem is the rooms are noisy if you have loud neighbors, They should really do special adult weekends (no screaming kids please) or have sections appointed as "quiet rooms". I don't know why anyone would watch TV on vacation ever, but if they do, you can hear everything in the next room. They should offer "TV free" rooms for like minded people who want immerse themselves in the experience.
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Date of stay: May 2021
Location
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Was surprised with a trip to Calamigos as a gift from my SO. Upon arriving the valets were very responsive to our request to charge our EV. They also didn’t hover over us when we said we didn’t need help with our bags. Check in was smooth and Emmanuel kindly walked us to our bungalow. The private walled outdoor space was nice. The bedroom was on the small side. I didn’t care for the plywood aesthetic of the furnishings but it’s what the kids are into these days. The bathroom was ample but the very loud exhaust fan was on the same circuit as the lights. No way to enjoy the bathroom without the fan running since there is no window. A complimentary round of snacks in the room was unexpected except they were all junk food. Would have been nice to see fruit and/or healthy snacks. The mini split HVAC system next to the bed loudly buzzed, forcing the use of ear plugs. These are issues I would not expect to encounter with lodging at this price point.
Enjoyed the single complimentary cocktail offered at happy hour. Some days they’re bigger than others since they run low on glassware. Pool was a nice temperature for winter swimming. Gym was well equipped but the personal trainer working with another guest was a nonstop chatterbox.
Finally the grounds were fun to explore. It seems they could have a few dozen weddings/receptions in flight at any time, though none during our stay. We were challenged by a staff member since we don’t resemble their Millennial/Gen Y customer base. Explained that we were staying at the property and that was enough. The short hiking trails that start behind the Ferris wheel were scenic. At the highest point they offer ocean views. They also provided a bird’s eye view into the resort’s junkyard, complete with a surplus city bus.
Also, if you open a closed glass door at the bar, be sure it closes behind you. Too many guests were too entitled to notice. Don’t be one of them.
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Date of stay: February 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Landscaping blowers on Mondays kick up a ton of dust in the valet area. Be prepared to find a...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We spent Sunday and Monday night at Calamigos a couple weeks ago. When we checked in, the attendant described the facilities and escorted us to our cottage/room. On the way there I asked about the Beach Club shuttle for Monday and I was shocked to learn the Beach Club was closed Monday and Tuesday. Apparently this is frequently the case and they don't disclose this anywhere on the web site. Kind of wild that one of the key value props of the hotel is not open for multiple days each week. So, if you're expecting access to the beach, ask in advance what days it'll be open. I wrote the hotel on Sept 8 asking if it made sense to refund any of the bill given the Beach Club closure, and never got a reply. Otherwise, the food at the hotel is excellent, facilities solid, and pool service was top notch.
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Date of stay: August 2020
Rooms
Service
Sleep Quality
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
My fiancée and I stayed at calamigos for our anniversary and it was an absolute delight. I cannot hush about this place enough.
When we first checked into the hotel, we were greeted by three staff members who presented us with glasses of champagne and informed us about all the property had to offer during our stay (which was a lot!). When we got to our room - a cute and spacious bungalow - we were presented with complimentary snacks, bottle of wine, and face masks. Further, to make things even more special, when we returned to our room from dinner we were greeted with a bottle of champagne and a note wishing us a happy anniversary.
In addition to the complimentary beverages and snacks, the property was absolutely gorgeous. We enjoyed the most relaxing massages and day by the pool. We will definitely be going back and are even thinking of having our wedding here.
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Date of stay: March 2020Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
LAX is the closest major airport. I'd say it's about an hour drive, although it can be less or much more depending upon traffic. I'd check on the ranch's status from the recent wildfires before I traveled, but I know the place survived. It's a fabulous place-- I recommend it highly.
LAX is your best bet although if I could, I would try Burbank. However, I think Burbank is unavailable due to the fires. LAX is quite a hike - an hour long drive on the best day. You should probably expect 1 1/2 hours in traffic.
There are more places to choose from in the Malibu area.
PRICE RANGE
C$1,081 - C$1,927 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
ALSO KNOWN AS
calamigos ranch hotel malibu
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Calamigos Guest Ranch
LOCATION
United StatesCaliforniaMalibu
NUMBER OF ROOMS
52
Prices are provided by our partners, and reflect nightly room rates, including any mandatory fees. Taxes not included. Please see our partners for more details.
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