Complete Press Kit - The Resort at Pelican Hill

FACT SHEET 

Set by the Pacific Ocean in Southern California’s chic Newport Coast ® , The Resort at Pelican 

Hill is one of the world’s finest Five-Star, Five-Diamond destinations offering unparalleled 

service and luxury. Embodying the vision and principles of Italy’s most renowned Renaissance 

architect, Andrea Palladio, Pelican Hill is a sanctuary of beauty and sophistication that sets 

new standards for a resort experience. Inspiring architecture and ambiance, a magnificent 

natural setting, exquisite accommodations, spectacular facilities including 36 holes of 

championship golf and a world-class spa, unsurpassed pampering, comforts and service – all 

blend to create a destination unlike any other. Pelican Hill is…the Possibility of Perfection . 

The Resort at Pelican Hill ® 

22701 Pelican Hill Road South 

Newport Coast, CA 92657 

(855) 467-6800 

www.pelicanhill.com 

Location: Along one of the most pristine and protected coastal enclaves remaining in Southern 

California, The Resort at Pelican Hill is set on 504 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the 

chic town of Newport Beach. Adjacent to the Resort, neighboring Crystal Cove stretches along 

3.5 miles of exquisite coastline framed by sandy coves, tide pools and a marine park. The Resort 

is also adjacent to more than 50,000 acres of permanently protected, natural open space, parks 

and trails. 

Getting There: Major interstate freeway (405) is less than a 10-minute drive and John Wayne 

Airport (Orange County) is just 15 minutes from Pelican Hill. Los Angeles International Airport 

is approximately 45 minutes north. 

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Accommodations: 204 Bungalows Guest Rooms & Suites, and 128 Villas 

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Pelican Hill Fact Sheet 

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Bungalow Guest Rooms & Suites: Ranging in size from 847 to 2,486 square feet, the 

Bungalows are lavished with luxurious appointments and offer an intimate, residential 

ambiance. Not one detail is overlooked to provide the most luxurious, relaxing and 

comfortable accommodations, including hand-crafted wood-beam ceilings, fireplaces framed 

by Italian limestone, deep soaking marble tubs, 40-inch flat screen televisions, wet bar, Bose 

sound systems, MP3 ports, wireless Internet, 500-thread-count sheets, and private terraces 

with unobstructed ocean panoramas. 

Villas: As the largest inventory of luxury, ocean-view home accommodations, the Resort’s 

two-, three- and four-bedroom Villas are available for daily rental. Villa guests enjoy every 

imaginable ultra-luxury appointment and the most thoughtful, comprehensive and 

personalized service program of amenities, pampering and individual attention of any resort 

in the world. Ranging from 2,200 square feet to 3,581 square feet, the exceptionally spacious 

Villas offer expansive terraces with dramatic ocean views, gourmet kitchens, dining areas, 

personal butlers and staff available around the clock to fulfill each guest’s every need and 

desire. The appointments immerse guests in the finest of everything, including: 

o Hand-hewn wood-beam alder ceilings and limestone fireplaces 

o Sumptuous beds with 500 thread-count linens 

o Luxurious baths with fine toiletries from Gilchrist & Soames 

o Marble walk-in showers and deep-soaking tubs 

o Wine cabinets and gourmet kitchens with Sub Zero refrigerators, Wolf ® oven and 

cook-top, professional cookware from Cuisipro 

o 60-inch flatscreen high-definition televisions, Bose audio systems, MP3 ports and 

wireless Internet 

o Private one- or two-car garages 

o Fine table linens from Rivolta Carmignani and Fili D’Oro 

o Granite countertops and pale fruitwood cabinets 

An exclusive privilege, enjoyed by Villa guests only, is the 10,000-square-foot Villa 

Clubhouse, a genteel and serene escape from the everyday world. With its understated, 

relaxed elegance and light-bathed living room, the Villa Clubhouse provides personally 

tailored service, private gourmet dining, a radiant blue pool created by hand-setting 300,000 

hand-cut glass mosaic tiles, luxurious cabanas and stunning vistas of the Pacific. 

The Coliseum Pool: Inspired by Rome’s famed landmark, the Coliseum Pool is among the 

most striking swimming pools at any resort. At the heart of Pelican Hill, guests gather here to 

see and be seen, while relaxing, pampered by pool attendants, and taking in the magnificent 

backdrop of endless sea and coast. Perfectly circular and 136 feet in diameter, the Coliseum Pool 

– one of the world’s largest circular pools – dazzles with its radiant blue bottom created by 1.1 

million hand-cut glass mosaic tiles and amphitheater of terraced decks, offering private cabanas, 

sunbathing areas, dining and fabulous ocean views. 

The furnished cabanas at the Coliseum Pool are suite-like with every amenity, from private 

servers, wet bars, Bose audio systems and flat-screen HDTVs to 12-foot ceilings, dining tables, 

chaise lounges and draping curtains for privacy. The saltwater pool features soft water that feels 

good on the skin. For vacationing families, a separate children’s area features its own circular 

pool, mini chaise lounges, sand play area and circular interactive bubble-jet fountain.


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Dining: A cornucopia of mouth-watering and singular dining experiences for every mood and 

occasion await at Pelican Hill, make dining one of the Resort’s unforgettable pleasures. 

Andrea Ristorante: The unprecedented attention to detail in Andrea, to recreate storied 

culinary traditions and classic dishes bursting with the true flavors of Italy, has resulted in 

remarkable Northern Italian cuisine, with Tuscan influences in particular, that rivals the 

nation’s top Italian restaurants. 

The Coliseum Pool & Grill: An incomparably fun and intriguing place to dine, the 

Coliseum Pool & Grill overlooks the “scene” at the strikingly iconic Coliseum Pool, backdropped 

by the Pacific Ocean. American favorites on the superbly prepared menu runs the 

gamut from pizzas, panini and sandwiches to seafood dishes, pastas, specialty salads and 

even smoothies. 

Pelican Grill: Located at Pelican Hill Golf Club, Pelican Grill presents the quintessential 

California dining experience, featuring cuisine prepared with the highest-quality fresh and 

locally sourced foods, al fresco dining on the ocean-view terrace, and a popular lounge with 

two huge 9’ x 6’ HD TVs for viewing sports events. 

Villa Clubhouse: Breakfast and lunch are served daily in the Villa Clubhouse dining room 

and terrace. On weekend evenings, the Villa Clubhouse offers Piccolo, a globally inspired 

small plates epicurean experience available exclusively to Resort guests. 

The Caffé: Guests are immersed in one of Italy’s most enduring national pleasures – the 

café life that is an indispensable part of la dolce vita – at this true Italian coffee bar serving 

Italian coffees, light breakfast fare, smoothies, homemade breads and pastries, traditional 

gelatos and more, further sweetened by panoramic ocean views. 

The Great Room: In Pelican Hill’s sophisticated yet unpretentious “living room,” guests 

indulge in the finer things in life. The Great Room offers a champagne cart, interesting and 

original Italian cocktails, and organic coffees, teas and infusions. 

The Spa: Awarded the Forbes Five-Star consistently each year since opening, The Spa at 

Pelican Hill ® invites guests to indulge their personal intentions of relaxing, renewing and 

invigorating. Evoking a “21st century balanced wellness philosophy,” The Spa recaptures the 

original philosophy, purity and effectiveness of the world’s most celebrated traditional 

treatments and therapies. The 23,000-square-foot Spa, with its dramatic 28-foot-high Palladian 

rotunda, wall of flowing water, 22 private treatment rooms, steam rooms, saunas and saltwater 

Roman soaking tubs, offers an unmatched experience – in a cocooned, sophisticated ambiance 

where every sense is awakened, and where every moment is one of extraordinary pampering and 

rejuvenation. 

So much more than a place to enjoy a good massage, the Spa helps restore health and balance 

through the ultimate personalized care. Spa guests can participate in daily beach walks, wellness 

retreats and more than 25 complimentary fitness classes weekly. The Spa also features a fullservice 

salon, fitness center, boutique and a mindful spa cuisine menu. 

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Pelican Hill Golf Club: One of the nation’s premier golf clubs, Pelican Hill Golf Club ® boasts 

36 holes designed by Tom Fazio with stunning ocean panoramas from every hole, a luxurious 

44,000-square-foot clubhouse with separate men’s and women’s locker rooms and lounges with 

a full array of appointments and amenities, the acclaimed Pelican Grill and lounge, Caffé II 

Italian coffee bar, a golf shop offering the latest golf fashions and accessories, and an 

intelligently designed, full-service practice facility. Conveniently located right outside the 

clubhouse door, the practice facility features an expansive driving range, practice greens and 

tour-event Nike Platinum One balls waiting for guests when they arrive. The two 18-hole 

courses, Ocean North and Ocean South, are both ranked among Golf Digest's America's 100 

Greatest Public Golf Courses. 

A preeminent institution of golf instruction in California, Pelican Hill Golf Academy offers 

dedicated teaching facilities, including two greens, bunkers and driving tees. The Director of 

Instruction, Glenn Deck, is one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 Teachers in America and one of Golf 

Tips magazine’s Top 25 U.S. Instructors. He offers monthly golf schools, special guest instructor 

programs, private lessons and a seasonal Junior Golfers’ Academy. 

Camp Pelican: The Resort at Pelican Hill’s ocean-view children’s retreat features a clubhouse, 

terrace, children’s pool and bubble jet fountain, all designed for Resort guests ages 4-12. Led by 

energetic and experienced activities specialists, themed half-day and full-day sessions offer 

stimulating activities that entertain children, while nurturing their inquisitive young minds. 

Meetings & Events: Unsurpassed standards of service and luxury, state-of-the-art facilities, 

an inspiring and easily accessible seaside setting, plush indoor meeting rooms and gorgeous 

outdoor venues make Pelican Hill the venue of choice for the most exclusive and demanding 

group functions, from top-tier board meetings and high-level corporate retreats to private 

banquets and elite conferences. With 20,000 square feet of function space, Pelican Hill provides 

a range of ballrooms and meeting rooms in the main hotel, as well as Mar Vista, a separate 

stand-alone event center with a variety of specialty spaces and its own arrival area, and an 

outdoor event lawn with an iconic Renaissance rotunda. 

Weddings: Offering a sought-after seaside location and exquisite ambiance, paired with 

unprecedented service standards and ultra-luxurious amenities, Pelican Hill is Southern 

California’s premier wedding destination. Couples may select from two spectacular, panoramic 

ocean-view ceremony settings, either the charming, free-standing La Cappella with its own bell 

tower, or the secluded, idyllic wedding lawn complete with an iconic and romantic Renaissance 

rotunda. Mar Vista, the preferred reception venue, offers large terraces for cocktails and hors 

d'oeuvres, personalized butler services and the grand ballroom for dining and dancing. 

Surrounded by magnificent high-ceilings and expansive walls of glass, Mar Vista’s inviting 

celebration space is bathed in natural light with eye-catching ocean and golf course views. 

Nearby Recreation & Leisure: Guests enjoy a variety of nearby activities, especially outdoor 

recreation, such as Crystal Cove beach outings, hiking and mountain biking through neighboring 

Irvine Ranch ® open space, parks and trails. Ocean activities include surfing, kayaking and 

paddle boarding along the coast, as well as yachting, sailing, sunset cruises and whale-watching 

excursions from Newport Harbor. Fashionable Newport Beach features upscale shopping at 

Southern California’s premiere outdoor shopping destination, Fashion Island ® , as well as 

Crystal Cove Promenade and Corona del Mar Plaza. Art galleries and performing arts also 

abound in the upscale beach towns surrounding The Resort at Pelican Hill.


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The Shops at Pelican Hill: Four boutiques and an online store offer endless possibilities for 

shopping enthusiasts. 

Allegra ® : The chic style of coastal California inspires the men's and women's apparel 

and accessories. 

The Newsstand & Gifts: Shop a selection of everyday necessities and exclusive Pelican 

Hill mementos, conveniently located near the Resort lobby. 

Spa Boutique: Take the spa experience home with a collection of renowned skin-care 

products, cosmetics, gifts, books and apparel, as well as The Spa at Pelican Hill’s private 

label products. 

Golf Shop: Located at the Pelican Hill Golf Clubhouse, this pro shop carries preferred 

name brand golf apparel, headwear, accessories, equipment and gifts. 

ShopPelicanHill.com: Take the Pelican Hill experience home with everything from 

complete Pelican Hill bedding sets and in-room products to logo apparel and signature 

Italian ceramics. 

Architecture 

Hotel, clubhouse and Public Facilities: Altevers Associates, San Diego 

Bungalows & Villas: Robert Hidey Architects, Irvine 

Interior Architect: Andrew Skurman Architects, San Francisco 

Landscape Architect: Burton Landscape Architecture, Solano Beach, California 

Interior Design: Darrell Schmitt Design, Los Angeles 

Management 

The Irvine Company Resort Properties assembled a team of the most experienced executives in 

the resort industry to establish new paradigms for service, luxury and the guest experience. The 

management team is headed by Irvine Company Resort Properties President Ralph Grippo, who 

was a senior executive with The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company for nearly two decades. Managing 

Director Giuseppe Lama has served with some of the world’s finest hotels, including general 

manager of the legendary Hotel Del Coronado. 

Executive Chef Jean Pierre Dubray was the executive chef of Five Diamond The Ritz-Carlton San 

Francisco. Spa Director Robin Dunivin previously led the spa esthetics team at The Ritz-Carlton, 

Laguna Niguel. Pelican Hill Golf Club Vice President – Golf Steve Friedlander previously 

operated Kohler Co.’s celebrated trio of Whistling Straits, Blackwolf Run and The Duke’s in St. 

Andrews, Scotland. 

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Media Contact: 

Kate Starr, Director of Communications and Public Relations 

Direct: 949.467.6833 | kstarr@pelicanhill.com

WHAT’S NEW – AUTUMN/ HOLIDAY 2013 

The Resort at Pelican Hill ® presents new dining, spa and golf experiences during the months of 

September, October, November & December: 

Festa dell’Autunno MMXIII 

September 20-22, 2013 

As autumn arrives along the coast of Newport Beach, The Resort at Pelican Hill presents its 

annual three-day harvest season celebration, bringing the sights, sounds, tastes and traditions of 

Italy to Southern California’s Tuscan seaside village. The series of weekend events features art 

created before your eyes, regional Italian fare and live performances by musicians, dancers and 

flag bearers. For a weekend, or perhaps just a day, experience the harvest season like never 

before as you are transported to somewhere much further away. Complete details at 

http://www.pelicanhill.com/pdf/press/Festa2013Release4-16-13.pdf. 

Event tickets, accommodation packages, dining and spa reservations may be arranged by 

calling 855-55-FESTA or visiting www.pelicanhill.com/festa. 

Children’s Resort Etiquette Classes 

Sunday, October 6, Saturday, October 19, Sunday, November 3 & Saturday, November 23 

As the holiday entertaining and travel season approaches, children are cordially invited to 

expand their understanding of social, travel and dining etiquette with a fun and educational 

class. Led by Kathleen Cover, Founder and President of The Etiquette School of Beverly Hills 

and Newport Beach, certified by the prestigious American School of Protocol, each 2.5-hour 

course offers a positive, relaxed and approachable setting. Separate age-appropriate sessions on 

each class date are designed for ages 5-7 or ages 8-12. 

$125* per child per class 

Couples’ Etiquette Soirées 

Thursdays, October 3 & 17, and Thursdays, November 7 & 21 

Just in time for holiday gatherings, polish your dining and social etiquette during this two-hour 

soirée led by Kathleen Cover, Founder and President of The Etiquette School of Beverly Hills 

and Newport Beach, certified by the prestigious American School of Protocol. Enjoy Prosecco 

and hors d'oeuvres, followed by dinner and dessert, while learning about favorable first 

impressions, party planning, gracious hosting, making conversation, written correspondence, 

domestic and continental fine dining and so much more. 

$150* per person per class 

Sweet & Savory Pumpkin Specials 

October & November 

At Coliseum Pool & Grill, Chef Marc Osier presents seasonal pumpkin delights in both savory 

and sweet varieties, such as creamy pumpkin bisque and pumpkin ravioli with sage brown 

butter sauce. 

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What’s New – Autumn/ Holiday 2013 

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Rose Wine Wrap 

October – December 

Relax and renew with a gentle dry brushing to prepare the skin for a warm rose-clay wrap that 

detoxifies and nourishes your entire body. After this hydrating envelopment the treatment 

concludes with a rehydration massage made of Rose Moroc lotion leaving the skin fragrant and 

glowing. Enjoy a glass of perfectly paired wine with this 50-minute treatment! 

$140 Mondays – Thursdays, or $195* Fridays – Sundays 

Holiday Bubbles & Blowouts 

December 

Enjoy a chilled glass of Italian Prosecco in our luxurious Spa Salon, as we shampoo and style 

your locks for that special holiday season celebration! 

$65* Mondays – Thursdays, or $70* Fridays – Sundays 

Holiday Glow “Red Carpet-Ready” Facial 

December 

Indulge in an 80-minute ultra-luxe facial that leaves your skin “red carpet-ready” for holiday 

season celebrations – including same-day events! Formulated with more than 30 active 

ingredients, including ATP and marine-originating DNA, this energy-producing cocktail 

combined with three targeted massages provides your skin with a recognizable difference, 

similar to a cosmetic lift. 

$200* Mondays – Thursdays, or $250* Fridays – Sundays 

*Prices exclude tax and gratuity. 

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WHAT’S NEW – WINTER 2014 

The Resort at Pelican Hill ® presents new dining, spa and golf experiences during the months of 

January, February and March: 

February “For the Love of Food” Culinary Academy 

Food is one way to the heart, and Pelican Hill invites you to celebrate your appreciation of 

everything epicurean with your loved ones this winter. In a luxurious Villa kitchen, the Resort’s 

chefs du cuisine lead hands-on preparation courses with wine pairings every Thursday evening 

in February. $175* per person per class, including wine pairings. Limited to 14 guests per 

class. Reservations are required and may be arranged by calling 800-820-6800. 

Thursday, February 6: That’s Amore 

Andrea Ristorante Chef Luigi Fineo adds a touch of Italian romance to cooking simple, 

delicious homemade pasta with veal piccata, plus Italian wine pairings and handmade 

sweets for your special Valentine! 

Thursday, February 13: Dinner of the Senses 

Pelican Hill Executive Chef Jean-Pierre Dubray demonstrates how to create your own 

multi-course small plates experience for two to be intimately enjoyed with no utensils. 

Thursday, February 20: California Tasting Table 

Pelican Grill Chef Derek Brooks shares his secrets to smoking, seasoning and grilling 

winter meats, to be savored with California wines among friends and family. 

Thursday, February 27: Family of Foodies 

Coliseum Pool & Grill Chef Marc Osier presents family-friendly recipes for food 

aficionados of all ages. Learn how to create healthy epicurean cuisine that brings the 

whole family together in the kitchen and around the table. 

Winter Olympics Dining Specials 

February 7-23 

Pelican Grill and Coliseum Pool & Grill bring the winter games from Sochi, Russia to you on 

nine-foot TV screens. At Coliseum Pool, cheer your team to victory on flat-screen TVs in your 

own private cabana. Resort chefs create Olympic-inspired specials honoring the day’s televised 

sports, with dishes representing the cuisine of the countries competing. 

Fireside Etiquette Chats 

Thursdays, January 30, February 27 and March 27 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. 

Join us for casual, cozy conversations with Kathleen Cover, Founder and President of The 

Etiquette School of Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, certified by the prestigious American 

School of Protocol. Sip Prosecco, coffee or tea, during an interactive group Q&A, with etiquette 

tips and amusing stories by the grand fireplace in the Resort’s Great Room. 

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What’s New – Winter 2014 

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Children’s Resort Etiquette Classes 

January 11 & 26, February 8 & 23, March 9 & 22 

Children are cordially invited to expand their understanding of social, travel and dining 

etiquette with a fun and educational class. Led by Kathleen Cover, Founder and President of The 

Etiquette School of Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, certified by the prestigious American 

School of Protocol, each 2.5-hour course offers a positive, relaxed and approachable setting. 

Separate age-appropriate sessions on each class date are designed for ages 5-7 or ages 8-12. 

$125* per child per class 

Winter Diamond Glow 

January - March 

Rejuvenate your entire body with our 80-minute Diamond Magnetic Ritual treatment, plus a 50- 

minute Classic Cleansing Facial featuring the Glam Glow mask. Enjoy special rates for the 

winter season exclusively. 

$300* Monday – Thursday, or $410* Friday – Sunday 

Valentine’s Chardonnay Body Butter Massage 

February 

In a beautiful couple’s suite, relax together with a sensual Valentine’s massage, featuring a dry 

brushing exfoliation, Swedish massage techniques and a silky smooth Chardonnay body butter. 

Indulge your senses with complimentary Prosecco, chocolate truffles and fresh strawberries. 

$425* Monday – Thursday, or $515* Friday – Sunday 

*Prices per person, excluding tax and gratuity. 

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OUR STORY 

The Resort at Pelican Hill ® , located along the coast of Newport Beach in sun-drenched Southern 

California, opened its doors on November 26, 2008. The unprecedented attention to detail – in 

every aspect of the property and guest experience, from the distinct and refined architecture to 

the most innovative and comprehensive personalized service program – sets Pelican Hill apart as 

a place like no other. 

Within one comprehensive destination, the Resort offers 128 Villas with unparalleled privacy 

and around-the-clock butler service; 204 residentially appointed Bungalow guest rooms and 

suites with private terraces and hand-carved limestone fireplaces; a Five-Star Spa with 22 

treatment rooms and rejuvenating amenities across 23,000 square feet; world-class 

restaurants including authentic Northern Italian cuisine at Andrea; an iconic Coliseum Pool, 

one of the world’s largest circular pools, with tiered decks and luxurious cabanas; and Pelican 

Hill Golf Club ® with 36 dramatic ocean-view holes designed by Tom Fazio. 

Featuring inspiring, expansive ocean views, Pelican Hill captures the essence of a seaside 

Italian village, terraced on a verdant hillside in harmony with the natural environment. The 

504-acre Resort is situated along one of the most serene and beautiful coastal settings in 

Southern California, where the Pacific Ocean laps tranquil beaches and thousands of acres of 

coastal habitat are permanently protected as open space or designated for recreational use 

only. At Pelican Hill, casual California elegance blends perfectly with grand architectural 

design based upon the principles of Italy’s renowned Renaissance architect, Andrea Palladio. 

Pelican Hill was inspired by the Renaissance belief that humanity is uplifted by aspiring to 

perfection. Underpinning this quest for perfection is the one aspect of Pelican Hill that sets it 

apart: service that is extraordinary, precedent-setting and the most personalized of any resort. 

With a level of pre-planning unrivaled in the luxury resort world, the service experience begins 

before the guest’s arrival. A personal travel designer plans and arranges every aspect and detail 

of the upcoming visit, from pre-shipping golf clubs to the Resort to scenting the accommodation 

with the preferred aromatherapy. Once at the Resort, the most highly trained, around-the-clock 

staff – from butlers to concierges, even chefs to cook personal meals – attend to guests’ every 

need, completely customize the experience, and create a truly one-of-a-kind stay. 

With a level of service and luxury unmatched in the resort world, the Five-Diamond destination 

continues to earn international acclaim, including recent honors as the 2012 Grand Resort 

selected by Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report; as Condé Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice 

Awards Top Southern California Resort (2012), Top U.S. Resort (2011), Top-Rated Golf Resort 

Worldwide (2012) and Top-Rated California Resort Spa (2012); in Travel + Leisure’s "Top 100" 

World's Best Hotels (2011 Readers’ Poll), and with two courses ranked among Golf Digest's 

America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses (2011). 

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Pelican Hill – Our Story & Timeline 

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PELICAN HILL TIMELINE 

September 2005 

November 2005 

August 2007 

November 2, 2007 

February 2008 

July – August 2008 

November 26, 2008 

The Resort at Pelican Hill breaks ground 

Pelican Hill Golf Club’s two courses close for two years, as architect 

Tom Fazio begins “re-perfection” design work 

Giuseppe Lama appointed as The Resort at Pelican Hill’s opening 

Managing Director 

Pelican Hill Golf Club and Pelican Grill open under the leadership of 

Steve Friedlander, VP – Golf 

The Coliseum Pool’s five-month process of laying 1.1 million handcut 

mosaic glass tiles by hand begins 

The Resort at Pelican Hill interviews more than 20,000 candidates 

and selects less than 1,000 to join its opening team 

The Resort at Pelican Hill opens and welcomes its first guests 

May 2009 Condé Nast Traveler selects Pelican Hill for "Hot List: 2009” 

recognizing the best new hotels and spas 

June 2009 

Travel + Leisure names Pelican Hill to the "It List" 2009 recognizing 

the best new hotels 

September 2009 GolfWorld names Pelican Hill among "Top 50 Resorts" in 2009-2010 

Reader's Choice Awards 

November 2009 

The Spa at Pelican Hill ® earns Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star Award 

and The Resort at Pelican Hill earns AAA Five Diamond rating 

Spa Magazine Silver Sage Readers' Choice Awards selects The Spa at 

Pelican Hill as Favorite New U.S. Spa 

March 2010 Golf Magazine selects Pelican Hill among "Premier Resorts 2010" 

Readers’ Choice honorees 

November 2010 

July 2011 

April 2011 

The Resort at Pelican Hill debuts at #22 among "Top 100 Best in the 

World 2010" ranking by Condé Nast Traveler readers 

The inaugural Los Angeles Times Readers' Choice Awards names 

Pelican Hill “Best Southern California Golf Course” 

Pelican Hill named top California Golf Resort by Condé Nast 

Traveler readers 

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Pelican Hill – Our Story & Timeline 

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May 2011 

August 2011 

October 2011 

Pelican Hill’s two courses each rank among Golf Digest’s America’s 

100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 2011/2012 

Travel + Leisure ranks Pelican Hill #6 "Top Resort in U.S./ Canada" 

& "Top 100" in World's Best Hotels 2011 Reader's Poll 

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report names The Resort at Pelican 

Hill Top 9 Golf Resorts, Top 10 Family Resorts & Top 20 Spa Resorts 

in 2011 Readers Survey 

Pelican Hill presents inaugural Festa dell’Autunno Weekend, a 

celebration of the harvest season, along its olive tree-lined lanes 

November 2011 

Condé Nast Traveler readers vote Pelican Hill the Top U.S. Resort 

December 2011 Andrew Harper’s Hideaway Report selects Pelican Hill as its 2012 

Grand Resort 

March 2012 

April 2012 

June 2012 

November 2012 

December 2012 

February 2013 

Golf Magazine recognizes Pelican Hill with the Green Resort Award 

and Eco-friendly Green Hall of Fame honors, as part of the 2012- 

2013 Premier Golf Resorts issue 

Condé Nast Traveler readers rate Pelican Hill the World’s Top Golf 

Resort 

Condé Nast Traveler readers rank The Spa at Pelican Hill as 

California’s Top Resort Spa 

Condé Nast Traveler readers vote Pelican Hill the Top Southern 

California Resort 

Pelican Hill Golf Academy PGA Director of Instruction Glenn Deck 

named Southern California PGA Teacher of the Year 

Pelican Hill becomes Newport Beach's only Forbes Travel Guide 

Five-Star Resort 

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TOP 10 DISTINGUISHING FEATURES 

The key features that distinguish The Resort at Pelican Hill ® include: 

New Paradigm for Resort Service: A new paradigm for guest service has been established at 

the two-, three- and four-bedroom Pelican Hill Villas, which offer: every imaginable ultra-luxury 

appointment and amenity; the most comprehensive and innovative service program of special 

amenities, personalized options, pampering and individual attention of any resort; a personal 

butler on duty 24/7, and a staff of chefs, concierges, housekeepers and others who can be 

available 24/7; pre-arrival planning by phone and email that is the most extensive and detailed in 

the resort industry; and pre-eminent anticipatory service based on both the pre-planning and 

intensive observation once guests have arrived. 

Inspired Architecture: Pelican Hill is a truly inspired adaptation of the architectural style of 

Italy’s Andrea Palladio, the most acclaimed architect of the High Renaissance whose work was 

based on the classic building principles of ancient Rome and Greece. At Pelican Hill, Palladio’s 

legacy has been reborn in a unique incarnation: the wisdom of the ancients, interpreted and 

shaped by a genius of the Renaissance, now adapted to the 21st century to create a resort of 

timeless beauty, proportion and vision. To create an architectural masterpiece in the image of 

Palladio, built upon the philosophical pedestal that humans are uplifted by striving for 

perfection, Pelican Hill mandated an emphasis on detail unsurpassed in the resort world. 

Resort within a Resort: Two growing international hospitality trends – creating a “hotel 

within a hotel” offering more discriminating and demanding guests a higher level of luxury, 

service and privacy, and the desire for residential-style accommodations that offer exceptional 

personalized service and can accommodate multi-generational family travel and groups of friends 

– have reached the highest heights at Pelican Hill. With 128 two-, three- and four-bedroom villas, 

Pelican Hill has more luxury, ocean-view home accommodations available for daily rental than 

any other resort. 

World’s Largest Circular Pool: Perfectly circular and 136 feet in diameter, the Coliseum 

Pool is one of the largest circular pools in the world. It’s the most strikingly unique swimming 

pool of any resort with vaulted arches, a radiant-blue bottom of 1.1 million glass mosaic tiles and 

ultra-luxurious private cabanas. 

Authentic Northern Italian Restaurant: From creating a one-of-kind, temperaturecontrolled 

Cucina della Pasta (pasta room) to sourcing the finest 100-year-old Balsamic vinegar, 

the restaurant goes to extraordinary lengths to recreate the most authentic Northern Italian 

cuisine. 

Spectacular Natural Setting: Pelican Hill is located on the most pristine, serene and 

protected coastal enclave remaining on the Southern California coast. 

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Distinguishing Features 

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Locally Sourced Ingredients: Throughout the Resort, guests find fresh seasonal fare with 

many ingredients sourced locally from the Irvine Ranch ® , located just 8 miles inland from 

Pelican Hill and accessible to resort chefs because of the Resort’s and the Ranch’s shared 

ownership by the Irvine Company. Taking locally grown a step further, Pelican Hill has made and 

served its own Resort-grown olive oil, sourced from more than 750 olive trees on property. 

Personalized and Indulgent Spa Experience: The 23,000-square-foot Spa takes 

personalization and indulgence to new heights, in a cocooned and sophisticated ambiance, where 

every sense is awakened. The Spa at Pelican Hill has consistently earned the Forbes Travel Guide 

Five-Star Award each year since opening. 

A Premier Golf Club: One of the nation’s premier golf clubs, Pelican Hill Golf Club is also like 

a private club for Resort guests, who enjoy preferred tee times and dining reservations, privileges 

at the luxurious clubhouse, and more. 

Consummate Management Team: A team of some of the most experienced, sophisticated 

and discriminating executives in the resort industry was assembled in 2007 to mold the Resort in 

the pre-opening phase, establish new paradigms for service, luxury and guest experience, and 

create a resort that is among the finest in the world. 

# # # 




THE COLISEUM POOL, ONE OF THE WORLD’S LARGEST CIRCULAR 

POOLS, IS PELICAN HILL’S HUB OF RELAXATION AND PAMPERING 

Inspired by the timeless curves of Rome’s famed landmark, the Coliseum Pool is the most 

strikingly unique swimming pool at any resort – and the heart of The Resort at Pelican Hill ® . At 

the Resort’s pleasure forum overlooking endless sea and coastal backdrops, guests gather daily to 

see and be seen, immerse themselves in the hottest pool scene on the coast, relax under the 

Southern California sun, and wile away the days pampered by pool attendants in ultra-luxurious 

private cabanas. 

Perfectly circular, 136 feet in diameter and three feet deep throughout, the Coliseum Pool is one 

of the largest circular pools in the world, holding 380,000 gallons of water. It dazzles with classic 

architecture of vaulted arches, corniced columns and amphitheater of terraced decks. Set like a 

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precious gem amidst this stunning architecture, the pool itself is a work of art. Its radiant blue 

bottom was created by hand-setting 1.1 million hand-cut glass mosaic tiles. 

Daily Pleasure Forum: The Coliseum Pool is truly the heart of Pelican Hill, where the guests 

gather daily for relaxation, pleasure and pampering. Sunbathing in luxurious lounge chairs or 

relaxing in their own private cabana, guests’ every need is fulfilled by pool attendants, from 

towels to cool drinks and tasty poolside fare. 

Ultra-Luxurious Cabanas: The 18 cabanas are suite-like pleasure centers unto themselves, 

equipped and appointed with every amenity. Each private cabana includes a Bose music system; 

30-inch flat-screen HD TV, mini refrigerator stocked with complimentary sodas, juices and 

water; ceiling fan and recessed lighting on dimmer switches; circular dining table with two 

chairs; and two luxurious lounge chairs. Located on the pool’s upper level, the cabanas are 170 

square feet, with elegant drapes for privacy and personalized food and beverage service. 

Stunning Views: The Coliseum Pool is perfectly positioned to take in the most expansive and 

breathtaking panoramas. Guests enjoy an open view – a highlight of the poolside experience – 

that spans from verdant fairways to the Pacific to the Southern California coast. Starphire glass – 

which is clear and colorless, and doesn’t block or influence actual colors – encloses the pool area 

to protect it while ensuring unimpeded, pure vistas. 

Saltwater Pool: Guests enjoy chemical-free soft salt water that feels good on the skin. 

Coliseum Pool & Grill: The poolside restaurant is an incomparably fun and intriguing place 

to dine, with its superbly prepared menu of American favorites, whimsical table settings of bright 

aquamarine plates and blue-tinted glassware, relaxed and unpretentious atmosphere, and 

magnificent back drop of the Pacific Ocean. The menu offers everything from pizzas, pannini and 

sandwiches to seafood dishes, pastas, specialty salads and even smoothies. The bar features a 

giant nine-foot flat-screen HDTV for viewing sports and other events. A Coliseum Kids menu 

serves endless pizza, pasta and gelato, among other children’s favorites. 

Kids Pool: For vacationing families, a separate children’s area called Camp Pelican features its 

own circular pool complemented by a circular interactive bubble jet fountain, as well as tables 

and play areas. 

# # # 




PELICAN HILL GOLF CLUB IS A STANDOUT 

AMONG THE NATION’S PREMIER GOLF CLUBS 

With 36 spectacular holes “re-perfected” and refined by Tom Fazio, a luxurious clubhouse, a 

signature restaurant with al fresco dining, expertly-appointed practice facility, dramatic 

architecture and a stunning natural seaside setting, Pelican Hill Golf Club is one of the nation’s 

premier golf clubs. Opened in November 2007, it was the first component of The Resort at 

Pelican Hill ® to be completed. 

The Golf Courses: Originally designed in the early 1990s by Tom Fazio, and conceived in 

harmony with the dramatic natural coastal environment, 18-hole Ocean North and 18-hole 

Ocean South cover nearly 400 picturesque acres by the Pacific Ocean. Fazio returned in 2005 

and spent two years, as he explained it, to “re-perfect” all 36 holes in a location that is “one of 

the most spectacular in golf.” While the sister courses offer two distinctly different playing 

experiences, they have a stunning characteristic in common: incredible ocean views from nearly 

every hole. Both Pelican Hill courses have ranked among Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest 

Public Golf Courses. 

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The Clubhouse: The 44,000- 

square-foot clubhouse is a luxurious 

facility with separate men’s and 

women’s locker rooms and lounges 

with a full array of appointments 

and amenities; acclaimed Pelican 

Grill restaurant and its popular bar; 

Caffé II, an Italian coffee bar; and a 

golf shop offering the latest golf 

fashions and accessories. 

Pelican Grill: Located at the golf 

club, this restaurant celebrates the 

best of the California lifestyle, with 

its gorgeous seaside location, 

delectable menu of California Cuisine prepared with the highest-quality fresh and locally sourced 

foods, stylish and comfortable décor, gracious personalized service, and sophisticated, yet 

relaxed bar with two huge 9’ x 6’ HD TVs for watching sports events. For the quintessential 

California dining experience, al fresco terrace seating features spectacular ocean and golf course 

views, as well as hidden heaters and sunscreens for year-round comfort. The generous and 

balanced wine list features mostly California selections and more than 30 wines by the glass. 

Dramatic Architecture and Design: The clubhouse impresses with its dramatic 

combination of comfortable, elegant California style with the classical architecture of Italy’s most 

renowned architect, Andrea Palladio. The warm, welcoming interior ambiance is created with a 

palette of earthy golds, rusts and camels that create a backdrop for striking elements such as 

deep booths, high ceilings with beautiful alder paneling, Venetian plaster, textured fabrics and 

leathers, crackling fireplaces and rustic urns. Large, arched Palladian-style windows open up the 

magnificent coastal panoramas. From the clubhouse, golfers reach the first tees by driving their 

cart over the Resort’s stunning and iconic entrance: a classically-designed bridge that appears as 

if it could span the Arno River in Florence. 

Environmental Design: Encompassing 400 acres that include 80 acres of protected habitat, 

Pelican Hill Golf Club sets a new standard for green golf resorts with its environmentally 

friendly water management system. As part of Pelican Hill’s development, the two existing 18- 

hole ocean-view golf courses closed for two years, allowing renowned designer Tom Fazio to “reperfect” 

his masterpieces, which originally opened in the early 1990s. 

As part of this renovation, Pelican Hill went to unprecedented lengths to design and install a 

water-management system based on conservation and recycling, designed to protect the area’s 

most important asset: the Pacific Ocean. Orange County Coastkeeper, an environmental 

organization consulted during the planning process, has deemed the water-management system 

as the most advanced of any seen on the California Coast, likely to become a model for the state. 

Sophisticated irrigation and five underground rainwater runoff collection cisterns enable the use 

of only as much water as needed by monitoring how much water vegetation needs and how 

much the soil can hold. A full-time water quality manager monitors and maintains the system, 

which essentially accomplishes three things: 1) conserves water; 2) reduces the amount of debris 

and contaminants in the water; 3) and captures and recycles runoff. 

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Practice Facility: The intelligently designed and full-service practice facility is conveniently 

located just outside the clubhouse door, and once ready to play golfers depart in a golf cart right 

from the practice area. In addition to an expansive and picturesque driving range that plays 

uphill, there is a complete practice tee – including target greens, sand bunkers, approaches, 

roughs and fairway turf – designed to give players an advance glimpse of the design elements 

Fazio incorporated into the courses. Tour-event Nike Platinum One balls are waiting without 

having to ask for them. 

Forecaddie Service: Pelican Hill Golf Club includes professional forecaddie service in its 

guest fees. The goal of the forecaddie, a service offered only at the finest country clubs and 

resorts, is to enable guests to enjoy the best round of golf possible. The forecaddies allow golfers 

to concentrate on their game and ride in the comfort of their golf cars while they perform a full 

array of support duties from finding golf balls to assisting with club selection. For each hole, the 

forecaddie goes ahead of the golfer to mark shots where they land. Once the golfer is on the 

green, the forecaddie does everything from providing advice on club selection and reading greens 

to raking sand bunkers, taking the flagstick out of the cup, cleaning clubs and golf balls, 

obtaining yardages and replacing or repairing divots. 

Instruction: A preeminent institution of golf instruction in California, Pelican Hill Golf 

Academy offers dedicated teaching facilities including two greens, bunkers and artificial-surface 

driving tees. The Director of Instruction, Glenn Deck, is one of Golf Magazine’s Top 100 

Teachers in America and one of Golf Tips magazine’s Top 25 U.S. Instructors. He offers 

monthly golf schools, special guest instructor programs, private lessons and a summer season 

Junior Golfers’ Academy. 

YogaGolf: Pelican Hill Golf Academy offers highly personalized yoga golf classes to improve 

flexibility, strengthen muscles and stabilize the mind – all benefits to enhance the game of golf. 

Taught by Director of Instruction, Glenn Deck 

and a certified yoga instructor, the two-hour Yoga 

Golf session integrates mind, body and golf. 

Classes are kept small at four or less students, so 

individual attention is given to each student. 

The instructors lead students through a series of 

movements, with and without golf clubs, 

assessing each student and establishing which 

yoga poses will enhance the individual’s needs. 

Students then have their golf swing videotaped 

and analyzed on-the-spot by Deck, while the yoga 

instructor collaborates on a customized yoga 

session to improve each student’s specific need, 

such as improving range of motion, balance, 

flexibility and rotation. Following the yoga 

session, Deck works with students on their full 

swing, as well as chipping or putting. 

Yoga improves several elements to a player’s game such as balance, muscle control and mental 

focus. Breathing exercises are combined with various stretches and yoga poses to release 

stressed muscles, improve flexibility and build hip and leg strength. These techniques all come 

together to develop better body alignment and enhance one’s swing. 

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Rates: The per-person rates for each 

18-hole golf round on either course 

are: 

Daily Guest Fee: $290* per player 

(for tee time reservations made up 

to 2 weeks in advance) 

Resort Guest Fee: $275* 

Twilight Guest Fee: $160 

Non-Playing Rider Fee: $20 per 

person 

Rental Clubs: $80 per set (includes 

two sleeves of Nike golf balls) 

Group rates available upon 

request. 

*Includes Forecaddie. 

** Includes golf, golf car with use of 

Laser Link range finder, practice 

balls, event assistance, advance 

registration fee, one Forecaddie per 

foursome and Forecaddie gratuities. 

Special Amenities: 

Custom golf car with canopies and contoured, stitched seats like those found in luxury cars 

Complimentary valet parking and practice facility use, with Nike Platinum golf balls, bottled 

water, towels and tees 

Accolades: 

Golf Magazine, "Premier Resorts" Readers Choice, Silver Medal, 2012-2013 & 2010-2011, 

and Green Golf Resort Hall of Fame, 2012 

Golfweek, "Best Resort Courses" 2012 & 2011, and "Best Courses You Can Play" 2013, 2012, 

2011, 2010 & 2009 

Golf Digest's America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 2011, Ocean South & Ocean North 

LINKS Magazine, Top 25 Golf Resorts of the World, 2013 

Condé Nast Traveler, World's Top-Rated Golf Resort (2012) & Ranked #1 California Golf 

Resort, Readers’ Choice Awards, 2012 & 2012 

Andrew Harper's Readers' Choice Awards 2012, 2011 & 2009, "Top Golf Resorts" 

Los Angeles Times, Best Southern California Golf Course, Readers’ Choice Awards 2012 & 

2011 

The Orange County Register, Best of OC, "Best Golf Course/Driving Ranges" in Orange 

County 2012, 2011 & 2010 

OC Metro, 2012 Green Team Awards, Pelican Hill Golf Club 

Golf Digest "The World's Greatest Golf 2009/2010," Ocean South 

GolfWorld, September 2009 - 2010 Reader's Choice Awards "Top 50 Resorts" 

Golf Digest, Green Star Environmental Award Finalist 

# # # 




HIGHLY PERSONALIZED WELLNESS EXPERIENCES FULFILL 

INTENTIONS TO RELAX, RENEW AND INVIGORATE AT THE SPA 

To visit The Spa at Pelican Hill ® is to embark on a highly personalized voyage of fulfillment and 

realization in the most pampered and indulgent of spa ambiances. In the cocooned and 

nurturing world of The Resort at Pelican Hill’s Five-Star Spa, guests are immersed in the 

ultimate in individualized care and their desires are fulfilled with the renowned global therapies 

using only natural and organic products. 

The Ambiance: Guests enter to a fresh 

scent of the Mediterranean and through a 

dramatic 28-foot Palladian rotunda, with 

light reflecting off a tranquil water wall. 

Inside the 23,000 square feet of the Spa are: 

22 private treatment rooms designed for 

quiet comfort and deep relaxation; 

luxurious, separate dressing areas for men 

and women with every amenity and 

appointment; an array of facilities including 

men and women’s Acqua Colonnade with 

herbal steam rooms, saunas, whirlpools and 

soaking tubs; a state-of-the-art fitness 

center; full-service salon; a Barber Chair 

Lounge; and a boutique. 

Natural, Organic & Seasonal: All 

plants, herbs, extracts and botanicals used at 

the spa, from wild sage to Sorrento lemons, 

are natural, organic and grown here in 

California – in some cases in the resort’s 

own backyard. The spa and the organic 

products used turn with the seasons as well, 

focusing on figs in the fall, pomegranates in 

winter, honey in spring and lavender in 

summer. In addition, Body Bliss of Sedona, acclaimed for its development of natural and 

authentic products, has created a proprietary product line for The Spa at Pelican Hill, including 

signature massage oils from avocado and olive and aromas from fruits and wild flora. 

Before Arrival: In advance of arrival at the Spa, the therapist introduces himself/herself to the 

guest and discerns the guest’s personal goals – whether to replenish with treatments that 

rejuvenate, restore balance and detoxify; or invigorate with therapies that strengthen, energize 

and boost immunity; or simply relax with treatments that help you unwind and relieve stress 

and tension. 

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A Welcoming Immersion: 

Following a warm and graceful 

welcome, an itinerary of the 

guest’s spa journey is presented, 

enclosed in an artistic book handcrafted 

in Venice. Escorted to the 

Italian-inspired relaxation area, 

the guest is provided a warm spa 

robe, slippers and a locker that 

opens to the invigorating scent of 

an aromatherapy sachet. As a 

relaxing prelude to the treatment 

or therapy, a pre-service tea is 

served as a calming wall of water 

gently flows nearby. 

The Spa Menu: The menu features traditional rejuvenating treatments and heralded therapies 

from around the world – with an emphasis, however, on restoring and maintaining their original 

purity, authenticity, philosophy and effectiveness, which too often have been lost in today’s 

evolving spa world. Appropriate treatments for each guest are determined based on the guest’s 

goals and intentions, and are then customized accordingly for the guest, including matching the 

guest with the appropriate therapist or technician, elevating well being and pampering to an art 

form. The Spa at Pelican Hill is also expanding the traditional definition of a “spa,” adding an 

exhilarating new dimension to the spa experience by having a professional naturalist on staff to 

conduct everything from nature hikes to horticulture classes. 

Treatment Rooms: The 22 large and airy rooms, designed for quiet comfort and deep 

relaxation, are colored in natural hues of ivory and tan with splashes of silvery blue, and feature 

silent corkboard flooring, soothing honey-maple cabinetry, hand-poured candles and the 

fragrance of locally grown lavender. For bath treatments, there are two treatment suites with 

infinity bathtubs. A medical treatment room is used for facials employing micro-dermabrasion, 

micro-current and other techniques. 

Incorporating Nature: The Spa at Pelican Hill sits in the midst of a natural haven, where 

wild aromatic sage, sumac and fennel mix with fresh on-shore ocean breezes and sun-drenched 

hillsides along a pristine coastline. Inviting guests to embrace nature at the Spa, Pelican Hill 

offers a variety of classes and activities, such as Restorative Yoga in the Movement Studio, daily 

hikes along Crystal Cove’s bluff-top trails, and Sunrise Boot Camp overlooking the ocean. Oneon-one 

fitness offerings include personal training and private Pilates sessions. 

Balanced Wellness Retreats: The Spa offers year-round Balanced Wellness Retreats with 

personalized one-day or two-day “Build Your Own Retreat” options for a transformative mind, 

body and spirit experience. Focusing on the ideas of slowing down our busy lives and making 

mindful decisions that sustain our wellness, retreats include motivational interactive 

discussions, instructor-led exercise sessions, nutrition planning, cooking demonstrations and 

spa treatments. 

# # # 




DINING FOR EVERY MOOD AND OCCASION, FROM CLASSIC ITALIAN 

TO AMERICAN FAVORITES TO QUINTESSENTIAL CALIFORNIA 

A cornucopia of mouth-watering and singular dining experiences for every mood and occasion 

awaits at The Resort at Pelican Hill ® . Guests enjoy classically prepared, Tuscan-influenced 

Italian cuisine and al fresco dining at the Resort’s signature restaurant, Andrea Ristorante; 

casual terrace dining with American favorites at the poolside Coliseum Pool & Grill; 

sophisticated refreshments in the elegant, light-bathed ambiance of the Great Room; a dozen 

fresh gelato flavors made daily and an of array of customized Italian coffees at The Caffè; light 

dining in a relaxed residential ambiance at the Villa Club; and a quintessential California dining 

experience at Pelican Grill. 

Andrea Ristorante: 

The unprecedented 

attention to detail in 

Andrea to recreate storied 

culinary traditions and 

classic dishes bursting 

with the true flavors of 

Italy has resulted in 

acclaimed authentic 

cuisine and 

complementary wine 

selections. Led by Chef 

Luigi Fineo, Andrea 

sources the perfect 

ingredients and 

implements time-honored 

practices and 

preparations to recreate 

the best of Italy, particularly Tuscany. Diners savor salads made with 100-year-old Balsamic 

vinegar, delicate milk-fed veal dishes, exquisite pastas made in a one-of-kind, temperaturecontrolled 

Cucina della Pasta (pasta room), and artisan-style gelato made in the Laboratorio del 

Gelato (gelato laboratory). 

As in Italy, Andrea is seasonally focused, with the menu adapting to the finest ingredients 

available throughout the year. A chic, yet understated and relaxed atmosphere is highlighted by 

the perfect location, at the heart of the Resort, to capture the most inspiring panoramas of the 

coast and the sun setting over the Pacific. A glassed-in wine room displays 1,200 bottles, 

predominantly from Italy and notably a number of vintages exclusive to Andrea. Before, dinner 

apéritifs are sipped in the luminous ambiance of the round-shaped bar with its golden granite 

countertops and golden fruitwood paneling. Open-air dining on the beautiful ocean-view terrace 

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can be savored throughout the year with the radiant-heat travertine flooring. Andrea offers 

dinner daily and serves lunch Wednesdays through Sundays. 

Coliseum Pool & Grill: The casual resort lifestyle on the Southern California coast comes to 

life at the Coliseum Pool & Grill. Between the social scene at the Coliseum Pool, the gorgeous 

ocean vistas, the whimsical table settings of bright aquamarine plates and blue-tinted glassware, 

and the wide and creative selection of American favorites on Chef Marc Osier’s superbly 

prepared menu, the Coliseum Pool & Grill is a fun and intriguing place to dine. Back-dropped 

with a magnificent view of the Pacific Ocean, guests dine overlooking the strikingly iconic 

Coliseum Pool with its radiant blue bottom created by hand-setting 1.1 million hand-cut glass 

mosaic tiles. 

Coliseum Pool & Grill serves 

breakfast, lunch and dinner 

daily, offering fresh seasonal 

fare with many ingredients 

sourced locally from the 

Irvine Ranch ® , located just 8 

miles inland from Pelican 

Hill. With a large selection of 

pizzas, panini, sandwiches, 

seafood dishes, pastas, 

specialty salads and even 

smoothies, there’s something 

on the menu for every taste 

and desire. A lounge with 

nine-foot TV screens is a 

favorite for sports viewing 

and families delight in the 

“Coliseum Kids’ Menu,” 

featuring an endless pizza, 

pasta and gelato option. 

The Caffé: Guests are 

immersed in one of Italy’s 

most enduring national 

pleasures at this true Italian 

espresso bar, bursting with 

the tantalizing aromas of 

freshly ground and brewed 

coffee. As in Italy, time seems 

to stop for guests when they 

kick back with their favorite 

coffee, read a newspaper, 

have a conversation or just 

watch the world go by. On 

the menu are the gamut of Italian coffees, light breakfast fare, brioche, panini, smoothies, 

homemade breads, delicate fruit tarts, traditional gelatos and more. The Caffé even has an added 

touch not found at other espresso bar: an endless panoramic view of the Pacific. Whether one 

prefers their coffee sweetened or not, this is la dolce vita.

Dining at Pelican Hill 

Page 3 

Pelican Grill: The 

restaurant at Pelican Hill 

Golf Club celebrates the best 

of the California lifestyle with 

its gorgeous seaside location, 

delectable menu prepared 

with the highest-quality fresh 

and locally sourced foods, 

stylish and comfortable 

décor, dynamic Italianinspired 

architecture, terrace 

with spectacular ocean and 

golf course views, gracious 

personalized service, and 

sophisticated, yet relaxed bar 

with two huge 9’ x 6’ HD TVs 

for watching sports events. In the open display kitchen, the master culinary team led by Chef 

Derek Brooks creates an array of innovative seafood and steak dishes that have made Pelican 

Grill one of the most popular dining spots on the Southern California coast. Dining al fresco on 

the terrace – which is equipped with hidden heaters and sunscreens for year-round comfort – is 

the quintessential California dining experience. The generous and balanced wine list features 

mostly California selections and more than 30 wines by the glass. Pelican Grill is open for lunch 

and dinner daily. 

Great Room: Located at the heart of the Resort, in the main lobby, the Great Room is a 

sophisticated, yet unpretentious “living room” – where the cultivated grace and beauty of 16th 

century Europe is energized by the illuminating light of California streaming in through a cupola 

– guests indulge in the finer things in life. Delectable beverages, an electric atmosphere and 

Tuscan-inspired palette of bronze, gold and green make the Great Room a delight for all the 

senses. The Great Room offers a champagne cart, interesting and original Italian cocktails, and 

organic coffees, teas and infusions. Traditional afternoon tea time featuring performances by a 

classical harpist is held Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays. The Great Room features contemporary 

live music and a small plates menu on Friday and Saturday evenings. 

Villa Club: With its understated, relaxed elegance and personalized service, the Villa Club is a 

genteel escape from the everyday world, exclusively for Villa guests. Villa guests dine overlooking 

a work of art – a pool boasting a radiant blue bottom created by hand-setting 300,000 hand-cut, 

glass mosaic tiles – and the Pacific Ocean beyond. Natural light contributes to the warm and 

welcoming ambiance of the Villa Dining Room, where residential-style tables, a breakfast buffet 

and a light a la carte lunch menu are served. Guests may also opt for breakfast on the clubhouse 

terrace, or lunch poolside. On weekend evenings, the Villa Clubhouse offers Piccolo, a globally 

inspired small plates epicurean experience available exclusively to Resort guests. A sense of 

serenity imbues the Villa Club, complementing the simple luxury and casual dining. 

# # # 




THE VILLAS ESTABLISH THE NEW PARADIGM 

IN ULTRA-LUXURY ACCOMMODATIONS 

The two-, three- and four-bedroom Villas at The Resort at Pelican Hill ® offer the ultimate 

accommodations, with every imaginable ultra-luxury appointment and the most comprehensive 

and innovative service program of special amenities, personalized options, pampering and 

individual attention of any resort in the world. The unprecedented service – combined with the 

unequaled size, scope, quality and quantity of the Villas, the level of pre-arrival planning, the 

around-the-clock staff, the exclusive Villa Clubhouse and pool area, and the exceptional privacy 

– sets the Villas at Pelican Hill apart from the accommodations at any other resort in the world. 

The new paradigm for a guest experience that Pelican Hill was committed to achieving from the 

outset has been realized in particular with the Villas. 

Distinguishing Features of the Villas 

Around-the-Clock Butler: Unlike the typical resort butler who is available set hours or 

on-call off hours, the Villa personal butlers are on duty 24/7 to fulfill every need and desire. 

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The pre-arrival planning by phone and 

email is the most extensive and detailed 

in the resort industry, arming the butler 

with a wide breadth of knowledge of the 

guests’ preferences and requirements 

while enabling extensive advance 

itinerary arrangements and the gamut of 

personalized appointments. 

Personalization is taken to the ultimate 

heights from the basics, such as the 

aromatherapy in the Villa and the 

beverages in the bar, to the specialized 

such as arranging for a Personal 

Shopper and then being on hand to fold 

and put away the purchases, or having a 

chef prepare a favorite menu and then 

serving it at a candle-lit table on the 

Villa’s ocean-view terrace. Intensive 

observation in the initial hours and days 

of the guest’s stay adds to the butler’s 

knowledge, honing the definitive 

anticipatory service that adds special 

touches and subtly take the guest 

experience to the next level, such as 

noting a favorite TV channel and having 

it on at low volume whenever guests 

return to the villa. 

24/7 Staff: While the personal butler is 

on duty 24/7, a variety of other staff can 

also be available at anytime to pamper 

and support guests, such as a personal 

chef to prepare a customized meal late at 

night in the state-of-the-art gourmet 

kitchen. 

Exceptional Spaciousness: The twobedroom 

Villas are 2,193 square feet; 

three-bedroom 2,573 square feet and 

four-bedroom 3,581 square feet. All 

include expansive terraces, most with dramatic ocean views, and private one- or two-car 

garages. 

Finest of Everything: The Villa appointments immerse guests in the absolute finest of 

everything from the interior finishes, materials and furniture to the glassware and china, 

including: hand-hewn wood beam ceilings, limestone fireplaces, sumptuous beds with 500 

thread-count linens, luxurious baths with fine toiletries from Gilchrist & Soames and marble 

walk-in showers and deep-soaking tubs, 15-bottle wine cabinets, and gourmet kitchens with 

Sub Zero refrigerators, Wolf oven and cook-top, professional cookware from Cuisipro, fine 

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The Villas at Pelican Hill 

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table linens from boutique manufacturers Rivolta Carmignani and Fili D’Oro, granite 

countertops and pale fruitwood cabinets. 

Latest Technology: The gamut of the latest technology includes WiFi, Bose audio systems, 

MP3 ports, 60-inch HD TVs in the four-bedroom Villas and 50-inch units in two- and threebedroom 

Villas. 

Villa Coordinators: As personal travel designers, Villa Coordinators plan and arrange 

every aspect and detail of the guest’s Pelican Hill experience in advance of arrival. The 

unprecedented amount of advance planning makes a Villa stay just as much a personal tour 

as a resort vacation. 

Villa Clubhouse 

An exclusive privilege, enjoyed by Villa guests only, is the 10,000-square-foot Villa Clubhouse. 

With its understated, relaxed elegance, light-bathed “living room” with butler service, private 

gourmet dining, radiant blue pool created by hand-setting 300,000 glass mosaic tiles, 10 

luxurious cabanas and stunning vistas of the Pacific, the clubhouse is a genteel and serene escape 

from the everyday world. The 170-square-foot cabanas boast every amenity including: Bose 

music systems; 30-inch HD TVs; mini refrigerators stocked with complimentary beverages; 

ceiling fan and recessed lighting on dimmer switches; dining table with two chairs; two 

luxurious lounge chairs; and elegant drapes for privacy. 

Resort within a Resort 

With 128 Villas, Pelican Hill has the largest inventory of luxury, ocean-view home 

accommodations in the resort world available for daily rental, the same as a hotel room. The 

Villas fulfill the need created by a growing trend in the upscale hotel industry: the desire for 

residential-style accommodations that offer exceptional personalized service and utter privacy. 

With the 24/7 staff of butlers, concierges and housekeepers, along with the unprecedented scope 

of pre-planning, guests may check-in at their Villas and, if they choose, never stray beyond their 

spacious accommodations; anything they need or desire is provided and handled by the 

dedicated staff. 

Niche Market Appeal 

The Villas are ideal for the needs of multiple niche markets including: affluent travelers with 

several homes looking for a turn-key vacation that is an extension of their luxury lifestyle; 

generational travelers that may include three generations of family traveling together; couples 

seeking an intimate romantic getaway to celebrate a special occasion such as an anniversary; 

celebrities in search of the ultimate private retreat; and friends on a guys’ or girlfriends’ getaway. 

Extended Stays 

Pelican Hill’s 128 Villas are the perfect solution for a variety of home transitions, ranging from 

one week to a year or more. The Villa Luxury Extended Stay Program includes many services 

and amenities, such as concierge, weekly housekeeping, personal grocery programs, and access 

to the Resort’s spa, fitness center, golf course, pools, in-room dining, coach services and more. 

# # # 




AT CAMP PELICAN, KIDS ARE VIP GUESTS, TOO, 

ENJOYING THE ULTIMATE PERSONALIZED VACATION 

At The Resort at Pelican Hill ® , kids are VIP guests, too – and like the adults in their family, they 

are catered to with the ultimate personal attention, and a full array of specialized activities and 

amenities, to surpass all their vacation expectations. 

A unique, exciting adventure designed for guests ages 4-12, Camp Pelican is a children’s retreat 

offering both indoor and outdoor activities that entertain while nurturing inquisitive, 

imaginative and creative minds. Activities and entertainment involve interaction with each other 

and Camp Pelican’s caring, gracious staff. 

Camp Pelican is a separate facility away from the adults, just for kids. Indoor amenities include 

comfortable bean bag chairs, two big-screen HD TVs, popular video games, karaoke, iPod 

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accessories, board games, complete computer stations, arts and crafts, and age-appropriate 

books and magazines. The outdoor patio area features comfortable furniture, a spouting bubble 

jet fountain, a swimming pool, ping-pong and more. All year round, Camp Pelican offers a weekly 

schedule of themed days, special guests like the “Lizard Wizard” with his reptile zoo, summer 

sand castle building and the ever-popular Kids’ Night Out dinner and movie nights. 

The Teen Adventure Program for young adults ages 13-17 features off-property activities like 

kayaking, surfing lessons, paddle boarding and shopping excursions. 

The highly experienced and energetic Camp Counselors acknowledge each newly arriving child, 

begin conversations with them and introduce them to the other kids to get them involved and 

interacting. A warm welcome ensures that each child is comfortable and getting all they can out 

of a Camp Pelican visit. 

With the extensive pre-arrival vacation planning conducted by Pelican Hill, the adult guest 

experience begins well in advance of arrival – and so does the child’s experience. The Resort 

gathers information on young guests, such as favorite movies and foods, hobbies, allergies, birth 

date and nicknames. When the family checks in to their Villa or Bungalow suite, the children feel 

so much at home when they find their accommodation outfitted with special amenities tailored 

to the ages of the children, such as child-sized robes and night lights. If the guest is an infant, the 

accommodation can be child-proofed and stocked with specific supplies. 

Arrival for youngsters is also a special experience. Pelican Hill’s youngest guests receive a resort 

map, and instructions for the first piece of the puzzle for the Resort’s signature children’s 

Scavenger Hunt. Additionally, children and young adults receive special welcome gifts in their 

Bungalow or Villa upon check-in. During the summer season, Young adults ages 13-17 receive a 

disposable underwater camera. 

At Pelican Hill, children are catered to in every way, like the adults in the family. They also have 

a blast during their stay – a vacation of their own – and can’t wait to return to Pelican Hill. 

# # # 




TIMELESS BEAUTY, PROPORTION AND VISION IN THE FOOTSTEPS 

OF ITALY’S MOST INFLUENTIAL ARCHITECT 

He had an unquenchable passion that inspired him to great achievements – and many others 

over the centuries would emulate his Palladian principles. Today, a unique embodiment of the 

renowned architect’s vision, a masterpiece unlike any other in America, stands in Newport Beach. 

PALLADIO’S LEGACY 

Andrea Palladio (1508-1580), the acclaimed architect of the High Renaissance and arguably 

Italy’s most influential architect ever, is celebrated for his churches, villas, palaces and other 

grand edifices in Northern Italy. Internationally heralded over the centuries, his architectural 

style – based on the classic building principles of ancient Rome and Greece – emphasizes perfect 

harmony with the natural landscape. 

While the modern-day concept of a resort property was unknown in Palladio’s day, the grand 

master would be impressed by the inspired adaptation of his Palladian style at The Resort at 

Pelican Hill ® . Crisp lines, elegant proportions, classically-designed porticos, beauty combined 

with functionality, new yet timeless, residential yet grand – these are descriptions of Palladio’s 

work, shared by Pelican Hill. Appropriately, the Resort opened November 26, 2008 – virtually 

500 years to the day of the birth in 1508 of Palladio. 

Palladio was only a youth when he dedicated himself to the study of architecture, becoming a 

disciple of Vitruvius, the first century-BC writer who chronicled Roman architecture and 

conducted continuous empirical research at ancient architectural sites. Palladio came to believe 

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that the ancient Greeks and Romans had found a perfect union of geometry, measure and 

proportion in their architecture – qualities and characteristics that mirrored the beauty found in 

nature and the human body. He committed himself to reviving this harmony between nature and 

architecture that, in his view, had been lost since ancient times. 

His passion and talent grew by the day, enabling him to rise up from obscurity and a workingclass 

background at a time when social mobility was virtually non-existent. Palladio was initially 

trained as a stone mason, but his genius gained him architectural apprenticeships, entry into a 

top educational institution and eventually commissions – on his way to becoming the unofficial 

first architect of the world’s most celebrated architectural site, the city of Venice. He excelled so 

at his studies at the Trissino Academy that the young Andrea Di Pietro della Gondola was 

renamed Palladio, after the Greek goddess of wisdom, by his mentor and distinguished scholar of 

the time Gian Giorgio Trissino. 

By publishing his I Quattro Libri dell’ Architettura (The Four Books on Architecture) in 1570, 

Palladio made his ideas and thinking accessible to the entire world, for all time. Indeed, his 

architectural gospel spread to the far corners of the European continent, and even to the New 

World where Thomas Jefferson employed Palladian principles in the construction of his famed 

Virginia home of Monticello. 

A MODERN PALLADIAN ADAPTATION 

In Newport Beach, at Pelican Hill, Palladio’s legacy has been reborn in a unique incarnation: the 

wisdom of the ancients, interpreted and shaped by a genius of the Renaissance, now adapted to 

the 21 st century to create a resort of timeless beauty, proportion and vision. 

As Palladio would have done, Pelican Hill nestles into the coastal hillside site, engaging and 

complementing the natural setting, adapting to the gentle slope of the terrain through terracing. 

A full range of distinctive Palladian elements grace and define the Resort, including rows of 

arched porticos, barrel-vaulted ceilings, multi-story entry rotundas, graceful corniced columns 

that create temple-like settings, gracious courtyards with flowing fountains, and archways that 

frame vivid vistas of the sea. 

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The adaptation of Palladio’s principles is evident, when comparing the Resort with such works by 

the renowned architect as Villa Emo (photo below left), built near Venice for the Venetian Emo 

family, and Villa Rotonda (photo below right), in Palladio’s adopted hometown of Vicenza. 

COUNTLESS DETAILS 

Understanding that the creation of a masterpiece is in the countless details, and that the 

Palladian ethos was to strive for perfection, continuous experimentation and testing of materials, 

textures, colors and applications went on for many months to create the right look and feel of all 

interior and exterior surfaces and settings – to create an atmosphere that melds the timeless 

brilliance of Palladio’s Renaissance with Pelican Hill and its location on the California coast. 

From conception through grand opening, Pelican Hill mandated an emphasis on detail 

unprecedented in the resort world. The goal was two-fold: to achieve an authentic adaptation of 

Palladian architecture that is aesthetically pleasing, timeless, and perfectly suited to the coastal 

setting; and to ensure the perfect guest experience, where every aspect, step and moment of a 

guest’s stay is comfortable, satisfying and uplifting. The possibility of perfection…is in the 

numerous tiny details, such as the following examples: 

Design Details: 

Specialized artisans were brought in to create classical doors and windows, crafted of 

wood and bronze. 

Hand-cut and carved limestone from Italy is 

sourced for all fireplaces, in public areas, 

Bungalows and Villas. 

Herring-bone design brickwork (photo at right) 

from the main square of Siena, Italy, is replicated 

throughout the Resort in arrival areas, entry 

courts to the Villas and Bungalows, walkways and 

loggia. 

Millwork, including moldings, crowns and column 

capitals, are true to the Renaissance period. 

Classically designed lighting from Italy includes wrought-iron pendant lanterns and 

sconces. 

Railings and wrought iron are modeled after Italian Renaissance prototypes. 

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Landscaping: 

Imparting a feeling of timelessness and substance, Pelican Hill features mature plants and 

trees with lush intensity, so the Resort appears to have been here for many years. 

Reminiscent of an Italian village, Mediterranean landscaping is used throughout the 

Resort, mostly notably approximately 750 mature olive trees that line the main 

thoroughfares and access roads to the Bungalows and Villas. 

Colors, Textures & Finishes: 

Under the direction of consultants with specific expertise, continuous experimentation 

and testing of materials, textures, colors and applications, was conducted for many 

months as part of a master plan to create the authentic look and feel of classical Italy for 

all interior and exterior surfaces and settings. 

Color and antiquing of roof tiles to replicate those on old Italian buildings. 

Lime-based Italian plaster used on interior and exterior walls, requiring adjustments 

throughout construction because the color evolves as it dries and ages. 

A dedicated mock-up yard, where the different colors, surfaces and materials were 

developed, tested and finalized before being applied to the actual construction. 

Guest Experience: 

Acoustic plaster throughout the Resort reduces noise and enhances privacy. 

Clear and colorless Starphire glass, which doesn’t block or influence actual colors, 

encloses guest room terraces, pools terraces and other areas to ensure open, pure vistas. 

Laminated Starphire glass with a low E film, which has a light bronze tint, creating a 

perfect and protected ambiance in all public areas and accommodations. 

Heated floors in outdoor dining terraces provide comfort on cool mornings and evenings. 

# # # 




LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE: TRANSFORMING A CALIFORNIA 

HILLSIDE INTO A MEDITERRANEAN VILLAGE BY THE SEA 

Landscape architecture defines outdoor space and draws upon many disciplines, 

ranging from horticulture, geology and ecology to art, design and lighting. At The Resort 

at Pelican Hill ® , it incorporates the additional component of Palladian principles. 

Pelican Hill was created in the image of Italy’s most renowned architect, Andrea 

Palladio, who championed classic building principles in perfect harmony with the 

natural landscape. Successfully carrying this theme from the buildings into the 

environment where they were placed, achieving cohesiveness and harmony, was 

paramount. Applying Palladio’s distinct style, the Resort’s design goals focused on the 

simplicity of form and geometry, as well as balanced landscape architecture. 

Bill Burton, of Burton Landscape Architecture Studio, the company that took on the 

challenge, described it as “creating a relaxed harmony within a classical structure.” At 

Pelican Hill, this meant transforming a verdant hillside by the Pacific Ocean in Southern 

California into a Mediterranean village by the sea. The landscape architects brought 

everything together, from planting mature olive and cypress trees to creating intimate 

walkways and courtyards for carefully orchestrated personal and communal guest 

experiences. 

Olive trees are the central unifying theme of the landscape. More than 750 mature olive 

trees, including 30 century-old trees, all chosen for their unique trunk and limb 

character, are planted on the 504 acres of the Resort. The evocative image recalls the 

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manicured maturity of the countryside in Tuscany or Umbria, imbuing the Resort with a 

timeless sense of permanence and tradition. 

Like a true Mediterranean village, Pelican Hill 

has fruit-bearing olive trees which can be (and 

has been) harvested to make rustic olive oil. 

Generally, Mediterranean vegetation was 

chosen when possible, not just to support the 

Palladian and Italian theme, but because 

Newport Beach is one of five areas in the entire 

world that truly replicates a Mediterranean 

climate. 

Complementing the olive trees, other species landscaped into the Resort are 69 Canary 

Palms and more than 250 specimen trees, such as Italian Cypress, Italian Stone Pines, 

Moreton Figs, citrus, Aleppo Pines and Canary Island Pines. Some of these trees, 

including several types of olives, were saved from the site and replanted. The trees 

define the public and residential outdoor areas of the Resort and offer a framework for 

all the other vegetation, including low, dense shrubs, flowering bushes, vines, 

groundcovers and sparingly used accents. All trees and plantings, not just the olive 

trees, were mature when put in the ground at Pelican Hill, imparting a sense of place 

and continuity. 

As in nature, the landscaping reflects seasonality, color variations and order, but is 

balanced by a sense of the random. Punctuating the refined Italian order, ensuring that 

the landscape does not become too uniform or repetitive, are carefully orchestrated 

experiences created with different flower colors, fragrances, contrasts and textures, in 

both the plantings and accents. 

The Resort’s Bungalows (photo at right) were 

conceived as an intimate village built on multiple 

terraces, carefully scaled for a sense of privacy and 

harmony with low walls and gentle slopes. Striking, 

yet subtle is the single, well-chosen flower color to 

articulate each terrace, while the vines will 

ultimately conceal the walls in a green veil. Pelican 

Hill’s Villa enclave features dense tree plantings on 

graded slopes at the rear of the area for privacy and 

streetscapes of pine and olive trees with shaded 

lawn overlooks inserted to afford ocean views. 

Secluded behind the Villa’s walled entrances are 

highly articulated private and personalized garden 

spaces with framed ocean views. 

Woven into the landscaping are vital village 

components: courtyards, charming pathways, 

fountains and a “main square.” Anchored with huge 

Moreton Fig trees, the courtyards, or auto courts, 

feature custom paving tiles created exclusively for 

the Resort and laid in intricate traditional Italian

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patterns. The main and largest court is modeled after the Piazza del Campo in Siena, 

Italy. Eight stone fountains were individually designed and hand-carved by Burton 

Studio artisans. Conceived as the main square, the Coliseum Pool is the Resort’s heart, 

hub, and an alluring pleasure forum where guests gather daily to meet, converse, people 

watch, relax and be pampered. 

Interesting Landscape Architecture Facts & Figures: 

There are more than 1,100 trees, all mature specimens, on the Resort grounds. They 

include more than 750 olive trees (30 of which are 100 years old), 69 Canary Palms 

and more than 250 other specimen trees such as Italian Cypress, Italian Stone Pines, 

Moreton Figs, citrus, Aleppo Pines and Canary Island Pines. Some of the trees, 

including several varieties of olives, were saved from the site and replanted. 

Over 200,000 shrubs and vines were planted. 

Among the dozens of flowering plants and vines planted at the Resort are: Red 

Carpet Rose, White Rose, Bird of Paradise, 'Lipstick' Daylily, 'Lighting Bolt' Daylily, 

'Cup of Gold' Daylily, Bougainvillea 'La Jolla,' Bougainvillea 'Jamaica White,' 

Bougainvillea 'Barbara Karst,' Bougainvillea 'James Walker,' 'Big Red' Kangaroo 

Paw, 'Yuletide' Camelia, 'Nuccio's Gem' Camelia,'Spellbound' Camelia, 'Hana Jiman' 

Camelia, 'Shishi Gashira' Camelia,'White Doves' Camelia, Kaffir Lily, Yellow Kaffir 

Lily, Fortnight Lily, Cup-of-Gold Vine, Blood-Red Trumpet Vine, Pink Powder Puff, 

Violet Trumpet Vine, White Chinese Wisteria, Star Jasmine, Orange Jessamine, 

Carolina Jessamine. 

Walls include 73,000 square feet of limestone, especially chosen and quarried for the 

Resort. 

Three of the four 40-foot-tall Moreton Bay Fig trees were originally planted nearly 

two decades ago as 48-inch specimen trees on Irvine Company property. Chosen for 

their perfect shape, they were boxed and moved to the site. 

The Resort has five auto courts (totaling more than 80,000 square feet) paved with 

customized paving tiles that were created and manufactured just for Pelican Hill. 

There are eight custom-designed, hand-carved stone 

fountains, including one which hosts water plantings and 

fish, and another that is a traditional koi fountain. 

Pelican Hill Golf Club’s fountain (photo at right), an 

unearthed Spanish wine vat from the 17th century, 

features a unique water circulation system developed to 

bathe the sides of the urn in a sheath of water, yet never 

splash outward. 

The Coliseum Pool holds 380,000 gallons of water and 

its radiant bottom, comprised of 1.1 million custom, 

radially set, 1.5-inch square glass tiles, took more than 

eight months to manufacture and install. 

It took over 6,500 man hours to complete the Resort’s 

landscape installation. That is the equivalent of a single 

person working 24/7 non-stop for nearly nine months. 

# # # 




EXPERIENCE HISTORIC COASTAL CALIFORNIA AT CRYSTAL COVE 

WITH PELICAN HILL’S EXCLUSIVE BEACH EXPERIENCE 

Old California is alive and thriving in one of the most beautiful ocean-front nature preserves 

remaining in Southern California – and it’s adjacent to The Resort at Pelican Hill ® . Along an 

undeveloped and unspoiled coast, sea birds frolic across 3.5 miles of sandy beach strewn with 

washed-up driftwood, and quaint, historic cottages take visitors back to a California lifestyle that 

time has passed by. 

The 2,791-acre Crystal Cove State Park and beach invites visitors to stroll along wild stretches of 

sea shore, explore tide pools, photograph dramatic rock formations and gaze at 80-foot bluffs 

lapped by the surf. Pelican Hill guests may walk, jog and cycle on miles of multi-use paths that 

meander through coastal hills and canyons. Swimming, surfing and kayaking are also popular 

activities in Crystal Cove’s calm coastal waters. At the ocean’s edge, visitors also enjoy a locals’ 

favorite, The Beachcomber Café, and Crystal Cove’s 46 beach cottages, which have been the 

setting for many Hollywood films. 

Historic District 

Truly setting it apart from other preserves at the ocean’s edge, Crystal Cove’s defining feature is a 

historic district of 46 beach cottages originally built during the 1920s to 1950s. The community of 

cottages was placed on the National Register of Historic Places for its unique architectural 

vernacular in 1979, the same year the Irvine Company sold the land to the State of California. 

California State Parks is currently restoring the Historic District and many of the cottages have 

already been returned to their original look. 

While the beach cottages eventually became popular sets for the filmmakers, Hollywood had 

already discovered Crystal Cove before any homes were built. The first of the16 films shot here 

over the years was the original Treasure Island in 1918, while the last was Beaches in 1988. In 

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between, the cameras rolled for such films as The Sea Wolf in 1920, a remake of Treasure Island 

in 1934 and The Creator in 1985. 

An Exclusive Beach Experience 

As part of a partnership with Crystal Cove Park and The Beachcomber, guests at Pelican Hill ® 

can spend a leisurely summer day on the pristine three-and-a-half mile beach within the 

stunning seaside nature preserve, complete with personal lounge chairs and umbrellas set up in 

the sand and special amenities and services. Welcome to the ultimate California outing at the 

sea: “The Pelican Hill Beach Experience.” 

Pelican Hill guests enjoy a host of special amenities and services including: 

Complimentary round-trip coach service anytime between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. daily; 

Complimentary Adult Beach Bag for two with two towels, two bottles of water, sunscreen, 

Smashball paddles and ball; 

Complimentary Children’s Beach Bag with two towels, two waters and assorted sand toys 

complete with bucket and shovel; 

Beach Attendants set-up complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas on the sand; 

And food and beverage service on the sand, provided by The Beachcomber Café. 

Crystal Cove is also home to a famous eatery, The Beachcomber Café, located right on the sand 

with an outdoor tropical-style bar called The Bootlegger. Pelican Hill guests can enjoy a nostalgic 

breakfast or lunch of California cuisine, featuring everything from organic salads and fish tacos 

to a Kobe beef burger. 

# # # 




THE MOST EXCLUSIVE WEDDING VENUE ON THE CALIFORNIA COAST 

With its gorgeous seaside setting, beautiful and romantic ceremony venues with dramatic views 

of the Pacific Ocean and the very finest personalized service, The Resort at Pelican Hill ® has 

become the most exclusive venue for weddings on the California coast for many reasons. 

Location and Luxury 

Along one of the most pristine and protected coastal enclaves remaining in Southern California, 

Pelican Hill is set on 504 acres overlooking the Pacific Ocean in the chic town of Newport Beach. 

There is no more exquisite place, and no more exclusive resort, to celebrate the exchange of 

vows. The extraordinary Five-Diamond destination Resort has set a new paradigm in exclusivity, 

service and guest experience. 

Three Incomparable, Scenic Settings 

Elegant Mar Vista is the perfect reception venue with its ultra-luxurious appointments, high 

ceilings and expansive walls of glass bathing the ballroom in light and showcasing eye-catching 

ocean and links views. The space opens to an expansive ocean-view terrace, creating indooroutdoor 

celebrations. Up to 220 guests can be accommodated for dining and dancing. Mar Vista 

is also separate from the hotel, with its own arrival area, allowing for more private weddings. 

Charming La Cappella, the resort's indoor wedding venue, is a uniquely romantic, free-standing 

building with its distinctive fireplace, hand-hewn wooden ceilings, bell tower and views to the 

sea. It is separate from the hotel for a more private event, and accommodates 120 for banquets 

and 180 for receptions. 

The idyllic Wedding Lawn, in a verdant and private setting, is the ultimate outdoor venue 

featuring an iconic Palladian rotunda and spectacular vistas over the resort, golf courses, and 

Pacific coastline. It accommodates up to 270 for a banquet and 350 for a reception. 

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Personalized Service 

Couples enjoy the ultimate in 

personalization throughout the planning 

stages, to ensure every detail of their 

event is arranged and implemented to 

their preference. Pelican Hill limits 

celebrations to just one wedding at a 

time, ensuring unwavering attention and 

heightened exclusivity. 

Once the couple checks in, a wedding 

butler is assigned to tend to their every 

need in their every need. Pelican Hill 

also provides a complimentary wedding 

night accommodation for the couple. The 

Resort’s Villas are particularly attractive 

to brides, grooms and their guests. 

Offering two-, three- and fourbedrooms, 

gourmet kitchens, luxurious 

bathrooms, private terraces with 

stunning ocean views and an 

unprecedented range of amenities and 

services, the Villas are the ultimate 

accommodations – unlike anything 

found at other resorts – offering 

exceptional versatility for 

accommodating family and friends 

attending the wedding event. 

Conveniently located just steps away 

from ceremony and reception spaces, the 

Bridal Suite provides a private place to 

enjoy moments together with family and 

friends. It features a spacious dressing 

room, adjoining gown storage and a 

luxurious salon and make-up station. A 

rich backdrop for photography, the 

Suite’s comfortable upholstered seating, 

silk pillows and an elegant color palette 

of soft greens, gold and ivory allows the 

bride to relax and take center stage. 

Wedding guests are looked after by a dedicated Wedding Concierge, who greets guests, organizes 

the couple’s gifts and creates a gift list. 

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PELICAN HILL CATERS TO THE HIGHEST LEVEL MEETINGS & EVENTS 

With its unsurpassed standards of service and luxury, state-of-the-art facilities, array of plush 

indoor meeting rooms and beautiful outdoor venues, and dramatic and easily accessible seaside 

setting, The Resort at Pelican Hill ® is a preferred venue for the most exclusive and demanding 

group functions, from top-tier board meetings and high-level corporate retreats to exclusive 

banquets and other events. 

The 20,000 square feet of function space includes a range of meeting spaces for board meetings, 

corporate retreats, social functions, weddings and other events. Spacious venue options include 

ballrooms and meeting rooms in the main hotel, as well as a stand-alone event facility called Mar 

Vista, with its own arrival area, separating group activities from the hotel and allowing for more 

private events. In addition to luxurious meeting rooms with outdoor terraces, Mar Vista offers 

such one-of-a-kind venues as La Capella, the Resort’s indoor wedding space, as well as an 

outdoor event lawn and striking rotunda. 

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Main Hotel: In the Resort’s main hotel, elegant rooms spill out into the light-filled loggia that 

features floor-to-ceiling windows, looking out over manicured greens and the Pacific Ocean. 

Facilities include: 

4,560-square-foot Pacifica Ballroom, handling up to 400 guests for receptions or 260 for 

banquets; the ballroom is divisible in three rooms, ranging from 1,040 to 1,920 square feet. 

1,012-square-foot Laguna Boardroom, an ultra-plush venue accommodating up to 22 

attendees. 

Balboa, Catalina, Lido and Newport meeting rooms, ranging from 999 to 1,326 square feet 

and accommodating 34 to 42 guests each for conferences, and up to 120 each for receptions. 

Mar Vista: Mar Vista, adjacent the main hotel with its own arrival area for more private 

events, features substantial terraces, outdoor fireplaces and event rooms that are filled with light 

from expansive walls of glass showcasing exquisite ocean and links views. Facilities include: 

Mar Vista A, B and C, each 1,156 

square feet. They can each 

accommodate 28 for conferences or 

100 for receptions. 

1,225-square-foot Mar Vista 

Lounge, for up to 100 guests 

reception-style. 

728-square-foot Sun Room, a 

circular, south-facing room bathed 

in light for up to 50 for receptions. 

1,886-square-foot Mar Vista 

Terrace, for up to 60 for banquets 

and 80 for receptions. 

3,150-square-foot Lower Patio, for 

up to 180 for banquets and 275 for 

receptions. 

2,752-square-foot La Capella, a 

uniquely romantic, free-standing 

building with a bell tower that’s a 

favorite for weddings and other gala 

events, accommodating 120 for 

banquets and 180 for receptions. 

Event Lawn & Rotunda: Pelican 

Hill event lawn is among the premier 

locations on the Southern California 

coast for an outdoor function. In a 

verdant and private setting, it features 

an iconic Renaissance rotunda and 

spectacular vistas over the Resort, the 

golf courses, the coastline and the Pacific Ocean. Spanning 4,950 square feet, the event lawn will 

accommodate up to 270 for a banquet and 350 for a reception. 

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SUSTAINABILITY AT PELICAN HILL 

Beyond its 36 spectacular holes designed by Tom Fazio, acclaimed Golf Club and Academy, 

Italian architecture, luxurious accommodations, world-class dining, and stunning natural 

seaside setting, The Resort at Pelican Hill ® is one of the nation’s leading green golf resorts. 

Pelican Hill is one of the newest Golf Magazine Eco-friendly Green Hall of Fame Award 

winners, among just three U.S. properties selected in 2012. Pelican Hill has also been selected as 

one of OC Metro’s Green Team honorees in the magazine’s April 2012 issue. Since opening 

in late 2008, The Resort has also been named a Golf Digest Green Star Environmental 

Award Finalist. 

Land Stewardship 

Pelican Hill owner-and-operator Irvine Company Resort Properties is steward of one of 

California’s most beautiful stretches of coastal land, which encompass 504 acres, including 80 

acres of protected habitat. The Irvine Ranch ® , which includes Pelican Hill, has been under 

private ownership for nearly 150 years and is considered one of the largest and most successful 

master-planned urban environments in the United States. This land is a valuable, nonrenewable 

resource that must be managed with careful planning and long-range vision. In planning, 

building and operating The Resort, the Irvine Company Resort Properties continues the 

tradition of land stewardship, focusing on the long-term view. 

Water Conservation 

Pelican Hill sets a new standard for green golf 

resorts with its environmentally friendly water 

management system. As part of The Resort 

and Golf Club’s development, the two existing 

18-hole ocean-view golf courses closed for two 

years, allowing renowned designer Tom Fazio 

to “re-perfect” his masterpieces, which 

originally opened in the early 1990s. 

As part of this renovation, Pelican Hill went to 

unprecedented lengths to design and install a 

water-management system based on 

conservation and recycling, designed to protect the area’s most important asset: the Pacific 

Ocean. Orange County Coastkeeper, an environmental organization consulted during the 

planning process, has deemed the water-management system as the most advanced of any seen 

on the California Coast, likely to become a model for the state. 

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Sophisticated irrigation and five underground 

rainwater runoff collection cisterns enable the 

use of only as much water as needed by 

monitoring how much water vegetation needs 

and how much the soil can hold. The cisterns, 

which collectively hold 1.25 million gallons of 

water, are emptied within 10 days following 

each storm in order to continue capturing rain 

runoff throughout the rainy season. 

A full-time water quality manager monitors 

and maintains the system, which accomplishes 

three things: 1) conserves more than 50 

million gallons of water per year; 2) reduces 

the amount of debris and contaminants in the water; 3) and captures and recycles runoff. 

Water Diversion & Filtration 

Throughout Pelican Hill, catch basin inserts have been installed and maintained on all drains 

along cart paths to filter runoff water and capture organic debris before it enters the storm drain 

system. Inserts contain a blend of polymers, specifically aimed at removing oil derivatives and 

hydrocarbons from water. 

Built into the Ocean South Course’s hole 10 and hole 15, two bio-filtration/ bio-retention basins 

treat runoff from the adjacent Golf Maintenance Facility. The basins act as filtration devices, 

removing pollutants through a variety of physical and biological treatment processes. 

Pelican Point Lift Station, located on the Ocean South Course’s hole 12, takes dry season 

runoff flows from the golf course, a portion of Pacific Coast Highway and two adjacent 

neighborhoods, and pumps it to the Orange County Sanitation District's sewer system. This 

prevents waste water, debris and contaminants from entering the ocean at Crystal Cove State 

Park, which is designated as an Area of Special Biological Significance by the State Water 

Resources Control Board. Before the installation of this system, runoff reached the ocean yearround, 

some of it from natural groundwater sources, although a majority came from the 

adjacent neighborhoods. 

Wildlife & Habitat 

Pelican Hill is home to numerous animal species, including coyotes, bobcats, birds of prey, Great 

Egret, Road runners, rattlesnakes, California gnatcatchers, various waterfowl, and even 

shorebirds like the Whimbrel and the Willet. Thriving in the area, red-tail hawks have 

successfully housed fledglings for several years in a row, along with multiple other raptor nests. 

Supporting Pelican Hill’s wildlife, The Resort installed 10 bluebird nesting boxes throughout the 

Ocean South golf course. Three of the nesting boxes housed two clutches of eggs, and a total of 

19 bluebird chicks successfully fledged the nests. The golf course is also home to an ongoing 

bobcat study, featuring motion-sensor cameras. Cameras have captured at least five individual 

bobcats, led by a dominant male. Photos of a bobcat with two cubs have been captured on 

camera walking through a cart path tunnel. 

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Following the construction of The Resort, more than 16 acres of native Coastal Sage Scrub 

(CSS) habitat were installed on the golf course and adjacent areas to offset the impacts of 

development. Restoration areas that were converted from ornamental landscape beds and turf 

areas between golf holes are monitored by biologists who survey the sites annually. Nine coastal 

California gnatcatchers (listed as a Species of Special Concern in California and listed as 

Threatened by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) have been observed in these restoration areas. 

Energy Use and Conservation 

To conserve energy and reduce electricity usage during peak times, golf cart charging is rotated. 

The Resort completely shuts down certain areas of the property, such as unoccupied guest 

rooms and the central laundry facility, during low occupancy periods to reduce electricity and 

gas usage. LED lighting is installed throughout the property to reduce electricity usage, based on 

lower wattage of new lights, as well as reduce air conditioning demand due to the other lights 

generating much more heat per bulb. 

Waste Disposal 

Since opening, The Resort established a recycling and cardboard bailing program by switching 

out its original trash hauler, which only provided one bin type for all food waste and recyclables. 

The new program features five recycle bins and eight trash bins across the 504-acre property. 

Additionally, The Resort increased recycling with a new compactor system at its event center, 

which hosts large group functions that produce a great volume of waste. 

For green waste recycling, golf course landscape staff prune a majority of the pine trees on the 

courses and chip the material to be used as mulch in landscape beds throughout the courses. 

# # # 




PELICAN HILL GOLF CLUB – OCEAN NORTH COURSE 

HOLE-BY-HOLE DESCRIPTION 

1. The green on this beautiful 542-yard par 5 opening hole can be reached with two wellplaced 

shots. A new row of trees was added, and bunkers shifted from left to right, to 

favor the left side of the generous fairway, which is the safe play off the tee. A more 

aggressive play would be to skirt the inside edge of the long fairway bunker on the right. A 

well-placed second shot to the right sets up the best angle to approach this deep, doubletiered 

green. 

2. This difficult downhill 197-yard par 3 requires a precise tee shot with the correct club. 

Take into account the elevation change along with the wind when selecting your clubs. 

The percentage play is to the right side of the green, letting the slope feed the ball toward 

the hole. 

3. Enjoy the view from the elevated tee on this deceptive 409-yard par 4. Choosing a club 

that will leave the tee shot short of the fairway bunkers on the left and the barranca on the 

far-right side is the highest percentage play, and provides the best angle of approach. The 

two-tiered green slopes right to left with a bunker guarding the front left. Favor the right 

side on the approach onto the green. 

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Pelican Hill Ocean North Course 

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4. This next hole features a very challenging, slight dogleg left, 433-yard par 4. A well-struck 

drive down the left side, challenging the fairway bunker, will yield the optimum angle to 

approach the well-guarded, two-tiered green. It’s protected in the front and on the right, 

so favor the left side with your approach shot. 

5. An accurate tee shot is important on this downhill 441-yard par 4 because of the 

protection provided by a deep rough on the left and a fairway bunker on the right. Favor 

the left side on your approach to a downhill green protected on the right by a bunker and 

a canyon. Take into account the change in elevation, the wind and the slope of the fairway 

in selecting the correct club for the approach. 

6. This 170-yard par 3 features a slight downhill, demanding a forced carry over a canyon. 

Take plenty of club and favor hitting into the back of this double-tiered green. The slopes 

along the back and right of the green will send a well-placed shot rolling gently toward the 

center of the green. 

7. Here the player is up against a long, 450-yard par 4 that features a bunker in the middle 

of an extraordinarily wide fairway. A well-placed tee shot to the left of the fairway bunker 

provides the best angle onto the green, while a safe tee shot to the right of the fairway 

bunker provides the largest landing area. The green is protected by a bunker complex 

short right and a sharp drop-off to the coastal-sage scrub. It is recommended to favor the 

left side of the green on the approach. Achieving par is a good score. 

8. With spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, this exciting 540-yard par 5 invites a tee shot 

that challenges the bunkers on both sides of the fairway. A good drive here will allow for a 

downhill attempt at the green in two shots. Aim at the front-left corner of the green and 

the ball will feed toward the center. A safer play is to place the second shot just short of 

the far-left bunker, leaving a short downhill approach for the optimal angle toward the 

long, narrow green. 

9. A difficult, 424-yard par 4, this hole requires an accurate tee shot with distance control 

being a critical factor. A fairway wood, hybrid or long iron off the tee to the left center of 

the fairway is appropriate as the fairway becomes quite narrow for longer shots. There are 

also two series of bunker complexes in addition to an abundance of coastal-sage scrub 

guarding the right side. Facing an downhill shot from a lower lie onto the green, choose 

more club than you normally would. The elevation change is drastic and will allow your 

approach to carry to the front-right, green-side bunker. 

10. Here the player finds a slight dogleg left uphill 421-yard par 4. Off the tee, the fairway is 

guarded by bunkers left and right. An accurate tee shot splitting the fairway will provide 

the best look at the green. Your approach is uphill onto a long green with multiple tiers, so 

selecting the correct club is important here. A pot bunker protecting the front-left side of 

the green will challenge any aggressive approach if the hole location is on the left. 

11. This tantalizingly short downhill 369-yard par 4 doglegs slightly to the right with 

numerous bunkers along the right side. Favor the left side. Long hitters can end up safely 

on the fairway, close to the green. Your approach shot may be from a downhill lie, 

meaning the correct loft-club selection is paramount. Precise distance control with a lowrunning 

approach will allow for a fair birdie attempt. 

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Pelican Hill Ocean North Course 

Page 3 

12. A well-struck tee shot is a must on this uphill 202-yard par 3 as there are green-side 

bunkers left and right. Favoring the left side will allow a shot to feed toward the center of 

the green. The wise player would use an additional club for this tee shot. 

13. An accurate tee shot is needed to land on the fairway of this narrow downhill 345-yard par 

4. Consider using a fairway wood, hybrid or long iron off the tee so the shot can land in 

the widest part of the fairway, near the fairway bunker left. Your approach shot will be 

uphill toward an elevated green that plays longer than the noted yardage. The green has 

several slopes and is protected by bunkers front left and right. 

14. This inviting 411-yard par 4 with a slight dogleg right dares an aggressive tee shot 

challenging the right-side fairway bunkers. Any position on the fairway to the left or over 

the bunkers sets up an excellent approach shot. Your approach will lead onto an elevated 

green that slopes from back to front and is guarded by well-placed bunkers right and front 

left. Pay close attention to ocean breezes and select a club that will fly well onto the green. 

15. This demanding 445-yard par 4 has a slight uphill right-to-left dogleg. A deep fairway 

bunker guards the left side as the fairway is slanted slightly right to left. The preferred tee 

shot requires an accurate right-to-left draw to set up the best angle of approach. The long 

green tilts slightly right to left and has multiple slopes with bunkers protecting it short 

right and green-side left. An approach into the center of the green will provide a 

reasonable birdie putt to most hole locations. 

16. This 158-yard par 3 is uphill, deceptively so, and allows for an aggressive shot toward the 

flagstick. When selecting your club, take into consideration the strong ocean breezes that 

could in fact aid your tee shot. The green is two-tiered, back to front, and is heavily 

guarded by bunkers short left and long right. 

17. This is an outstanding 558-yard par 5 with a number of options. The safe play on your tee 

shot is to favor the left side, as the right features water and a large, intimidating fairway 

bunker. A risky tee-shot, challenging the fairway bunker, provides the reward of being 

able to attempt a very difficult second shot over a canyon and bunkers to the green. For 

many, the best play on the second shot is to aim at one of the bunkers on the left, so 

choose a club that sets up the ideal angle to approach. You’ll be hitting your approach 

towards an uphill green that slopes from back to front and is protected on the right by 

bunkers and coastal-sage scrub. 

18. A terrific and challenging finish is provided by this dogleg right 430-yard par 4. An 

accurate tee shot – using a fairway wood, hybrid or long iron – towards the fairway 

bunker complex on the left sets up the best angle for your approach to the green. The right 

side of the fairway is guarded by a deep and dangerous bunker complex and the entire 

right side is surrounded by coastal-sage scrub. The downhill approach will go over a 

canyon to an undulating green that is well protected with green-side bunkers on the right. 

Considering the elevation change at this location, selecting the proper club is imperative. 

Par is a great score on this hole and provides an excellent finish to a memorable golfing 

experience. 

# # # 




PELICAN HILL GOLF CLUB – OCEAN SOUTH COURSE 

HOLE-BY-HOLE DESCRIPTION 

1. After driving a cart over the iconic classically designed bridge, players start play with an 

outstanding 443-yard par 4 calling for an aggressive tee shot that challenges the right-side 

fairway bunker, yielding the best angle for a downhill approach to a very long green. The 

safe approach is toward the right side of the green. 

2. Accuracy off the tee is more important than distance on this 353-yard par 4 as any tee 

shot down the left side will kick towards the center of the fairway. Consider what level the 

hole is on as you approach this two-tiered green, which is well-guarded on the right by a 

large bunker. The best strategy is to favor the left side of the green. 

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Pelican Hill Ocean South Course 

Page 2 

3. Choose a 3 wood, hybrid or long iron off the tee on this dogleg right 346-yard par 4 and 

play down the left side of the fairway. This will leave an open shot onto the two-tiered 

green, which is heavily protected by two front bunkers making proper club selection 

critical for the approach. 

4. This downhill 142-yard par 3 plays shorter than the yardage due to a significant elevation 

change and the strong coastal winds at the player’s back. To achieve a reasonable birdie 

putt on this two-tiered green, club selection is vitally important. More conservative 

players should favor the left side of the green. 

5. This exciting 359-yard par 4 provides at least two options. The best line off the tee for the 

best approach onto the green is to shoot left with a slight fade. Challenging the dogleg 

with a more aggressive line across the hazard toward the green provides a yardage 

advantage and should be played with a draw. Note that there is a bunker protecting the 

front of the green and a sharp drop protecting the back. From the fairway, the ball may be 

influenced by a slight downhill and a side-hill lie demanding an approach to the left side 

of the green. 

6. For the tee shot on this uphill 402-yard par 4, play to the right, as the left side of the 

fairway is guarded by a bunker. The approach shot to the green is uphill, from a sloped 

fairway onto an elevated green. Add at least one extra club to your bag for this shot. The 

green is long and tilts from back to front, so favor hitting long on the approach onto this 

slick green. 

7. The tee shot of this 193-yard par 3 is played from an elevated tee-box onto a well-guarded 

green, with water lurking along the right side and tricky ocean breezes. Account for the 

wind that may be coming off the ocean. The safest shot is onto the left center of the green. 

8. Play the tee shot of this 562-yard par 5 down the right side of the fairway to take 

advantage of the right-to-left slope. The landing area for the approach is well-guarded by 

bunkers that an aggressive player might challenge when setting up a third shot onto this 

deep green. Hitting an extra club is wise as the hole is located behind the greenside 

bunker on the left. 

9. An accurate tee shot is important on this challenging 455-yard par 4. The fairway is 

guarded by a long bunker on the left as well as trees that squeeze approach shots from the 

right. The green is slightly elevated with multiple tiers and a false front, so use plenty of 

club to reach the center of the green. Achieving par on this hole is an accomplishment for 

players of all skill levels. 

10. From the tee, the average player will find the fairway opens up slightly on the right side. 

The approach shot is onto a deep green that is guarded by a bunker on the right side. 

Favor the left side of the green to allow for a chance at birdie on this very challenging 475- 

yard par 4. 

11. The fairway of this 367-yard par 4 is protected by trees and a bunker on the right side, so a 

tee shot down the left hand side sets up the optimal angle for a shot at the green. When 

teeing off, the player only sees a white ball soaring in the blue of sky and water, creating a 

moment of suspense as to where it will land. The approach should be played with a short 

iron that demands accuracy because the green is well guarded by a complex of dune-like 

sand bunkers. 

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Pelican Hill Ocean South Course 

Page 3 

12. The green of this 159-yard par 3 is protected by bunkers short, right and long. With 

beautiful Crystal Cove State Beach to the left, consider the wind and favor the right side of 

this long, multi-tiered green. The hole location will affect club selection even in calm wind 

conditions. 

13. Take a moment to enjoy the beautiful coastline view before playing this picturesque hole. 

This short 131-yard par 3 has two separate greens: check the yardage plates for the left or 

right green to ensure you’re referencing the correct yardage to the correct green. Precise 

distance control will reward the player on this hole as both greens are heavily protected by 

bunkers, and subject to prominent ocean breezes. 

14. The uphill fairway of this 544-yard par 5 is guarded by trees and bunkers on the right, so a 

tee shot down the left side is ideal. The uphill second shot to the left or past the next set of 

bunkers allows for an optimal approach onto this multi-level green. The green undulates 

from left to right so playing your approach onto the correct plateau affords an opportunity 

for a birdie. 

15. The uphill dogleg right of this 407-yard par 4 requires stamina with each shot and plays 

longer than the yardage. Play the tee shot aggressively onto the left side of the fairway to 

allow for the optimal angle onto this very long green. The approach shot is onto a twotiered, 

elevated green that is well protected by coastal sage scrub with bunkers on the 

right and trees to the left. The long green is three-to-four tiers deep, so using plenty of 

club on the approach is essential to finding the correct tier. Par is an excellent score for 

players of all skill levels. 

16. Follow the spectacular view to this picturesque 219-yard par 3, where an infinity-edge 

green appears to play to the end of the world. The long green is flanked on both sides by 

bunkers and slopes from back to front. Check the wind, as there are no trees to block the 

ocean breeze. We recommend taking an extra club and playing to the center of the green. 

17. This challenging 570-yard par 5 requires accuracy off the tee in order to hit into the center 

of the fairway, which is guarded by a bunker right and trees left. Favor the left side of the 

fairway for your second shot to set up a better angle onto the green. Consider the most 

appropriate club and adjust your stance for the lie angle to compensate for the uphill 

approach. The green is protected by bunkers left and right so distance control is 

important. 

18. A challenging finishing hole of 453 yards where achieving par 4 is an excellent score. 

Deciding how much angle to cut off will determine how precise your tee shot needs to be. 

More aggressive players will challenge the coastal-sage scrub and bunkers left and right to 

reach the end of the fairway and set up a short approach to this elevated and multi-tiered 

green. Your approach shot should favor the left side of the green, which is protected by 

deep bunkers short right, as well as a left-to-right sloping, slick putting surface. This 

results in a truly great way to finish your round. 

# # # 




ACCOLADES & HONORS 

The Resort at Pelican Hill ® is the paramount realization of the superior quality and service for 

which the Irvine Company ® has been known since 1864. Through a continued commitment to 

excellence and the environment, the Irvine Company has built a lasting legacy developing 

master-planned communities, luxury apartments, resorts, golf clubs and commercial real estate 

that enrich communities. That legacy includes the donation of 50,000 acres to the preservation of 

the Irvine Ranch ® in Orange County. 

Pelican Hill has been honored to earn the acknowledgement of its peers and guests, including the 

following accolades: 

Andrew Harper's Hideaway Report 

Grand Resort Award 2012 (January 2012) 

Recommendation with 95 Rating (April 2011) 

Top Golf Resorts, 2011 & 2009 Reader Survey 

Top 10 Family Resorts, 2011 Reader Survey 

Top 20 Spa Resorts, 2011 Reader Survey 

Condé Nast Traveler 

Top Southern California Resort Spa in "Top 100 U.S. Resort Spas” Readers' Choice 

Awards 2012 (March 2013) 

Top Southern California Resort ranking in Readers' Choice Awards 2013 & 2012 

(November 2013 & November 2012) 

Top California Resort Spa and #5 ranking in "Top 100 Resort Spas – U.S. Mainland," 

Readers' Choice Awards 2011 (June 2012) 

World’s Top-Rated Golf Resort & #1 California Golf Resort, Readers' Choice Awards 2011 

(April 2012) 

#1 U.S. Resort, Readers' Choice Awards 2011 (October 2011) 

#1 California Golf Resort, Readers' Choice Awards 2010 (April 2011) 

Top 100 Best in the World (Readers' Choice Awards) 2011 & 2010 

Gold List 2013, 2012 & 2011 

Hot List: 2009, The Resort at Pelican Hill & The Spa at Pelican Hill 

Travel + Leisure 

Top 50 Resorts in the Continental U.S., World’s Best Awards 2012 & 2011 

500 World's Best Hotels 2012 & 2011 

Top 100 World's Best Hotels, 2011 Readers’ Poll 

America's Best Hotels 2011 

America's Best Coastal Hotels 2010 

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Pelican Hill Awards & Rankings 

Page 2 

World's Best Hotels for Families 2010 

It List 2009 

Robb Report 

World's Top 100 Resorts 2012 

Best of the Best 2009 

Wine Spectator 

Restaurant Wine List Award of Excellence 2013, 2012 & 2011, Andrea 

Celebrated Living 

Platinum Hotels 2011, Editor’s Mention 

Platinum Spas 2010, Editor’s Mention 

Forbes Five Star Rating 

2013, The Resort at Pelican Hill 

2013, 2012, 2011 & 2010, The Spa at Pelican Hill 

AAA Five Diamond Award 

2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009, The Resort at Pelican Hill 

U.S. News 

Best Hotels in the USA 2012 (Gold Badge) 

Golfweek 

Best Resort Courses 2012 & 2011 

Best Courses You Can Play 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010 & 2009 

Golf Magazine 

Green Golf Resort Award 2012 

Premier Resorts 2012-2013 Readers’ Choice (Silver Medal) 

Premier Resorts 2010-2011 Readers’ Choice (Silver Medal) 

Golf Digest 

America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 2013/2014, Ocean South 

America's 100 Greatest Public Golf Courses 2011/2012, Ocean North & Ocean South 

The World's Greatest Golf 2009/2010, Ocean South 

Green Star Environmental Award Finalist 

LINKS Magazine 

Top 25 Golf Resorts of the World, 2013 

GolfWorld 

Top 50 Resorts, 2009-2010 Readers’ Choice Awards 

Golf Odyssey 

Best New Resort, 2009-2010 Best Golf Vacations Destinations 

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Page 3 

Los Angeles Times 

Best Southern California Golf Course, 2012 & 2011 Readers' Choice Awards 

Best Hotel (Orange County), 2012 Readers' Choice Awards 

Best Day Spa (Orange County), 2012 & 2011 Readers' Choice Awards 

Best Southern California Romantic Restaurant & Fine Dining, 2012 Readers' Choice 

Awards, Andrea 

Best Italian Restaurant (Orange County), 2012 & 2011 Readers' Choice Awards, Andrea 

Best Southern California Hotel Bar/Lounge, 2012 Readers' Choice Awards, Andrea 

Best Southern California Sports Bar & Grill, 2012 Readers' Choice Awards, Pelican Grill 

Best Sports Bar & Grill (Orange County), 2011 Readers' Choice Awards, Pelican Grill 

Best Outdoor/Pool Bar (Orange County), 2012 Readers' Choice Awards, Coliseum Pool & 

Grill 

Best Breakfast/Brunch (Orange County), 2012 & 2011 Readers' Choice Awards, Coliseum 

Pool & Grill 

Western Golf Alliance 

Top 10 Southern California Golf Course Rankings 2012 

Entrée Travel Newsletter 

Best U.S. Resort, Best of 2010 

Orange Coast 

Top 10 Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

OC Metro 

Green Team Awards 2012, Pelican Hill Golf Club 

The Orange County Register 

Best Place to Get Married in Best of Orange County 2011 & 2010 

Best Golf Course/Driving Ranges in Best of Orange County 2013, 2012, 2011 & 2010 

Riviera Orange County 

Best New Luxury Restaurant 2009, Andrea 

OC Weekly 

Best Golf Course, Best of OC Awards 2011, Pelican Hill Golf Club's Ocean North Course 

Travel Weekly 

2012 & 2011 Superior Deluxe Property Rating in Hotel and Travel Index Classification 

System 

Smart Meetings 

2013 Best Coastal Hotels Smart Star Bronze Award 

2012 & 2010 Platinum Choice Awards 

Spa Magazine 

Favorite New Spa, 2009 Silver Sage Readers’ Choice Awards 

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Page 4 

Elite Traveler 

101 Top Hotel Suites 2009 

TripAdvisor 

Top 10 Relaxation/Spa Hotels in the United States, 2011 Travelers' Choice Best Hotels 

Award of Excellence 2013 & 2012, The Resort at Pelican Hill 

Award of Excellence 2013 & 2012, Pelican Hill Golf Club 

Award of Excellence 2013 & 2012, Andrea Ristorante 

Award of Excellence 2013, Pelican Grill 

Award of Excellence 2013, Coliseum Pool & Grill 

GAYOT 

5 Golden Keys Rating (Resort) 

Top 10 U.S. Romantic Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County (CA) Hotels 2012 

Top 10 Orange County (CA) Romantic Hotels 2012 

Top 10 Orange County Romantic Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Chef's Table Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Italian Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Food Rating Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Wine List Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Star Spotting Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Outdoor Dining Restaurants 2012, Andrea 

Top 10 Restaurant Views in Orange County 2012, Coliseum Pool & Grill 

OpenTable 

Top 10 Orange County Restaurants for Italian Food, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, Andrea 

Top 10 Orange County Restaurants for American Food, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, 

Pelican Grill 

Top 10 Orange County Restaurants for Best Ambiance, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, 

Pelican Grill and Coliseum Pool & Grill 

Top 10 Orange County/ Los Angeles Restaurants for American Food, 2011 Diners' Choice 

Awards, Pelican Grill 

Best Ambiance, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, Pelican Grill 

Best Service, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, Pelican Grill 

Great for Lunch, 2011 Diners' Choice Awards, Coliseum Pool & Grill 

Top 50 U.S. Restaurants for Best Italian Cuisine, 2010 Diners' Choice Awards, Andrea 

Top 50 Most Romantic Restaurants in the U.S., 2010 Diners' Choice Awards, Andrea 

# # # 




THE MANAGEMENT TEAM 

(Full bios are available for each of The Resort at Pelican Hill ® executives listed below.) 

Ralph Grippo, President, Irvine Company Resort Properties: A senior executive with The Ritz 

Carlton Hotel Company for nearly two decades, he was most recently as vice president and area general 

manager for seven luxury hotels in China, while also serving as general manager of the company’s China 

flagship, The Portman Ritz-Carlton in Shanghai. 

Giuseppe Lama, Managing Director: An Italian hotelier who has served as general manager of some of 

the world’s finest hotels including the legendary Hotel Del Coronado, San Diego, and most recently 

Estancia La Jolla Hotel & Spa, La Jolla, California. 

Steve Friedlander, Vice President – Golf: His 30 years of experience operating renowned golf clubs 

includes, most recently, Kohler Co.’s celebrated trio of Whistling Straits and Blackwolf Run in Wisconsin 

and The Duke’s in St. Andrews, Scotland. 

Jean Pierre Dubray, Executive Chef: Originally from France, he was previously with The Ritz- 

Carlton Hotel Company for more than 20 years, most recently as executive chef of The Ritz-Carlton San 

Francisco and its Five Diamond restaurant The Dining Room. 

Robin Dunivin, Spa Director: Robin brings over 20 years of leadership experience in the spa industry, 

having served as spa manager for Satori Day Spa in Long Beach, California and in a management role at the 

Ritz-Carlton, Dana Point. 

Frank Ashmore, Director of Sales & Marketing: With more than 20 years in the luxury hospitality 

market, his previous experience includes leadership roles with Destination Hotels & Resorts, The Ritz- 

Carlton Hotel Company, West Paces Hotel Group, Solís Hotels & Resorts and Capella Hotels & Resorts. 

Amanda Reeve, CMP, Director of Meetings & Special Events: Her 16 years of event planning and 

luxury hospitality experience includes 10 years with Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts and leadership roles at 

Florida’s Ocean Reef Club and the PGA National Resort & Spa. 

# # #

Complete Press Kit - The Resort at Pelican Hill

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