Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club — Hotel in Westlake Village

Calamigos Guest Ranch will far succeed your every expectation and transport you to an absolute dream world. Right off the bat, I would like to start this review by sincerely thanking every team and staff member at Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club for a truly beautiful and unforgettable experience—you made our Christmas holiday so very special and my husband and I are beyond grateful your hospitality.

My husband and I have stayed at Calamigos before in a premium private cottage; it was extremely comfortable for two people; we especially loved the outdoor shower and the fact that the cottage was surrounded and shadowed by giant, beautiful trees. This time, we were fortunate enough to have the opportunity to stay in a newly renovated single bungalow…and WOW! I cannot express to you just how AMAZING the bungalows are! Our bungalow had an incredible (private) front porch with couches and a fire pit, which is where we spent most of our evening under the stars with a delicious bottle of Calamigos Cabernet Sauvignon.

The king size bed was the most comfortable bed I have ever slept in. It was almost hard to depart from when waking up in the morning, but the resort has so much to offer on the property grounds (restaurants, hikes, spas, gym, several pools, hot tubs, etc.) that you don’t want to waste a minute of your day sleeping it away.

The best part of the private bungalow (aside from the enormous sized bathroom with a shower that is comparable to the size of normal bedroom and gorgeous built in skylight) is the outdoor bathtub. Again, you are surrounded by the beauty of nature and gorgeous, tall trees that provide for shade and privacy and it is soooo relaxing that I became a prune because I spent hours in this hot bath.

Although the price for a single bungalow may seem costly, I can promise you it will be worth every penny so don’t hesitate to book it, if it’s available (these are very popular, rightfully so—and the book fast so don’t miss the opportunity to stay in a bungalow if you can)! There are so many special features about this bungalow that make you feel like absolute royalty and you won’t regret it.

I don’t want to fail to mention that Sundays are the best at Calamigos; when my husband and I arrived, we headed straight to the Ranch Club restaurant and bar with our dog (yes, it is a dog friendly resort—the most dog friendly resort you’ll ever stay at!).

On Sundays, they not only have TV’s so you can watch football (a big part of our Sunday routine), but also endless mimosas and bloody Marys! But these are not just any mimosas and bloody Marys…they come with an assortment of charcuterie, fruits and desserts (see the pictures I’ve included for reference).

Also, you HAVE to order the BLACK TRUFFLE CROQUE MADAME! I know I emphasized this meal in my last review, but I must reemphasize that this is the BEST Croque Madame, if not the best breakfast, I have ever had in my whole life.

Finally, I must specifically mention the team members who work at the Ranch Club restaurant and bar—thank you so much for the above and beyond service you provided to us, and your outstanding hospitality. And finally, a very, VERY special thank you to Connor Jacob, the resort manager at Calamigos. We are so beyond grateful for your kindness, sincerity, and making sure our every need was met during our stay. THANK YOU!

I could rant and rave for pages on end about all of the people and things that make Calamigos Guest Ranch so great, but unfortunately I am limited in my character count, so I will end with this: Calamigos is Paradise. It is hands down the best resort you could choose to stay at in all Malibu (if not, all of Southern California in my honest opinion). Treat yourself to a bungalow suite, and allow the team at Calamigos to take it from there as I can guarantee they will take care of you like royalty and make your stay at the resort an experience that you will...

The property is beautful. Peaceful and there is a lot of attention to detail when it comes to the property itself. The rooms are beautiful, luxurious and well appointed.

The staff is very friendly.

I had to move rooms twice. The first room the tub did not retain water. The stopper was broken. The second room, like the first, had an overwhelming smoke odor. All of my clothes still smell like smoke. I was too tired to change rooms and just went to bed. I changed rooms the following day. At first we thought it was because it was a fireplace room, but that wasn't the case. It seems to be isolated to the rooms in that area only. Other fireplace rooms had no smoke scent whatsoever. Even the lobby with the burning fire had no odor.

I found the valet staff and front desk staff very friendly but the service was low. Example: I asked for almond milk for the coffee in the lobby. The staff member was friendly but never returned. I tried again 2 hours later and it took over 20 minutes for them to return with the almond milk.

The property was virtually empty. I saw almost no guests. There was no staff at either pool area. However, I loved it. It was like my own private ranch. However, it's clear that staffing in some areas, not all, was at a minimum given the limited number of guests. I don't blame them. I was fine seeking out staff as needed. They also text you so you can communicate with them at any time.

The jets on one side of the hot tub were broken.

The manager was delightful and very grateful for the feedback. She comped half of my room because of the tub and the other half after the smoke issue. Even with the challanges I decided to stay an extra night.

The food was wonderful. The room service was delivered without a tray to eat it on. Just the plates of food. So if you're going to eat in bed or on the couch it needs to be placed on your lap.

The valets were very helpful and kind.

I would return because the property is stunning, peaceful and the staff was kind and very helpful. There were some challanges but they corrected them. They just need to pay more attention to a few important details i.e. the smokey rooms and service i.e. room service and delivery on requests. It made no sense given the level of detail of the property, the number of staff on site, the price, the amazing service with the valet, text service and then drop the ball on putting anyone in smokey rooms with tubs that don't drain, hot tubs that don't work and requests that weren't delivered...after an hour. It would have been perfect and I would have extended anyway if not for the...

I stayed for two days at Calamigos Guest Ranch and Beach Club with my husband and my dog—and we had the best time! The property is located in a quiet, remote and incredibly beautiful area of Malibu—the Ranch itself is very well maintained and clean. From the time I made the reservation online to the moment we checked in, the staff were extremely responsive and helpful. They were quick to respond to all of my inquiries via email and gave us the option to go through the entire check-in process through their website. This saved us a lot of time when we finally arrived at the hotel!

We absolutely loved our premium private cottage that included an outdoor shower, complimentary wine, water, non-alcoholic beverages, snacks, and a personalized candle! We also loved the breakfast/brunch and lunch offered at the main restaurant—the black truffle croque monsieur and clam chowder pot pie were seriously incredible and have easily become two of my favorite meals—ever! Words cannot describe how delicious they were (just look at the pictures for reference).

The best part about Calamigos is that it’s pet friendly! They had an amazing goodie bag for our dog upon check in that included dog treats, toys, bath items, and a custom Calamigos doggy bandana! They also had a dog bed and dog bowls already set up in our room. And how can I forget to mention the dog room service!? Yes! You are provided a dog menu and can order room service, all day long, for your furry loved one—for free! The meals range from chicken and spinach to beef and carrots—duck and sweet potatoes to salmon and rice! Our dog was in heaven!

During our stay, we also visited the Beach Club. What a gorgeous place that includes a full bar, restaurant, pool, showers, beach chairs, beach towels, and private beach access. Although the hotel will offer to shuttle you, we decided to drive (it’s only about 12-15 min from the resort itself). There is plenty of parking at the beach club if you do decide to drive.

I do need to make very special mention of Michael (K.), the bartender at the smaller bar/restaurant near the spa pool. He was so outgoing and incredibly friendly. He made sure our drinks were always full and that we had everything we needed at all times. Even after leaving the bar/restaurant to relax by the spa pool, he still came out frequently to check on us. Thank you, Michael, for your amazing hospitality, outstanding customer service, and...