| Why just read about the rich and famous | | | | resort has attracted a consistent stream |
| when you can vacation with them? A stay | | | | of getaway travelers, most hailing from |
| in a Newport Beach luxury waterfront | | | | California and arriving by car ' |
| hotel will give you an up-close look at | | | | although John Wayne Airport is only a |
| how the other half lives -- or maybe we | | | | 15-minute drive from the resort. The |
| should say the other 10 percent. | | | | temperate coastal weather and the |
| The Balboa Bay Club will be glad to | | | | property's waterfront location are big |
| share its front-row view of the good | | | | draws. |
| life now that this legendary club of the | | | | In fact, Newport Beach is a pretty good |
| Newport Coast elite has opened half its | | | | draw all on its own. Take a drive and |
| units to the general public. Before | | | | you'll see that modern, wide palm |
| 2003, the resort's prime Newport Beach | | | | tree-lined thoroughfares take visitors |
| real estate was only available to | | | | through some of the priciest real estate |
| members of the club. Now there are 150 | | | | in the country, the gorgeous blue |
| rooms and 10 suites available to anyone | | | | Pacific Ocean almost always visible with |
| yearning for some weekend affluence. | | | | just the slightest elevation. |
| Staying at the club a night or two would | | | | World-class shopping and fine |
| be a sure-fire way to impress the | | | | restaurants are in nearly every part of |
| significant other, or to completely | | | | the city ' and, we might mention, the |
| escape from job stress, but still keep | | | | club's restaurant, the First Cabin, is |
| costs within reason. We consider resorts | | | | no slouch either. Famous galleries, |
| like the Balboa Bay Club | | | | exquisite home furnishing stores and |
| "special-occasion" getaways ' places we | | | | many fascinating shops are awaiting your |
| go to celebrate, not just to get away. | | | | exploration in nearby Corona del Mar. Or |
| With small houses on nearby Balboa | | | | visit Fashion Island, one of two Orange |
| Island going for $4 million and 100-foot | | | | County super retail complexes that just |
| mega-yachts parked in slips right out in | | | | seem too grandiose to be called shopping |
| front of your bay-view suite, the Balboa | | | | centers (the other being South Coast |
| Bay Club takes you many steps beyond the | | | | Plaza in nearby Costa Mesa). Name a |
| average getaway. | | | | store found on New York's Fifth Avenue, |
| The first clue you're not in Kansas | | | | and you'll probably find a version of it |
| anymore is when you cruise the circular | | | | at Fashion Island. |
| driveway to the lobby area. Behind that | | | | For the outdoor enthusiast, it's just a |
| line of dark-colored, late-modeled SUVs | | | | five-minute drive from the club to Upper |
| there's a gleaming new two-seat sports | | | | Newport Ecological Reserve, a 752-acre |
| car you don't quite recognize because, | | | | coastal wetland that is home to 200 rare |
| in all likelihood, it's not the kind of | | | | and endangered bird species. Visitors |
| car available at your local auto mall. | | | | enjoy walking tours through the area. |
| Then it's not one or two valets, but a | | | | On our visits to Newport Beach, we have |
| platoon of at least six fair-haired | | | | enjoyed shopping on Balboa Island, which |
| young gentlemen running to and fro to | | | | has a tiny, but busy Main Street ' |
| make certain that no one waits long for | | | | actually it's called Marine Avenue ' |
| their vehicle. | | | | which is just a few short blocks with |
| And the service just keeps on coming. | | | | about 70 shops and restaurants to |
| From the smiling young woman at check-in | | | | explore. This little example of Small |
| to the cordial bellhops to the | | | | Town Americana offers a wide selection |
| extraordinarily punctual room service | | | | of shops in all price ranges as well as |
| attendants ' who managed to bring us | | | | several boutiques and galleries. |
| cookies and milk while the cookies were | | | | The downtown shopping area is just part |
| still warm ' the service at the Balboa | | | | of the attraction on Balboa Island, an |
| Bay Club, during our stay, was | | | | island small enough that you can walk |
| consistently top-rate. | | | | entirely around its perimeter in less |
| And then there are the rooms. Once we | | | | than two miles. It's fun to observe life |
| opened the door to our bay-view suite, | | | | on an island that remains exclusive |
| we could fully appreciate the club's | | | | because it is so expensive. There is no |
| location and attention to detail. The | | | | denying that the ever-present sunshine |
| sliding glass doors opened to a maritime | | | | and the harbor views create a quiet |
| show that continued from dawn to dusk. | | | | respite from bustling city life and |
| From small Duffy boats to super-yachts, | | | | clogged freeways. The colorful villas |
| from kayaks to college rowing teams, the | | | | and vacation-style homes on the island |
| sights and sounds of Balboa Bay are | | | | are quite lavish for their size. |
| mesmerizing. You'll be tempted to spend | | | | Walk out onto your deck at the Balboa |
| many an hour on the one of your two | | | | Bay Club and you'll likely see many |
| private decks that are perfect for | | | | electrically powered Duffy boats -- |
| viewing all of the water activities. | | | | which you can even rent for your own |
| The rooms are over-size and our | | | | cruise on the bay. Duffy boats are made |
| one-bedroom suite actually had two of | | | | locally and are specifically designed to |
| these large rooms with two bathrooms, | | | | take a group of people out on the water |
| one so spacious it had three dressing | | | | in total comfort and luxury for simple |
| areas, a walk-in closet, a two-person | | | | harbor cruising. The 21-foot boat we |
| Jacuzzi-style tub and a separate shower | | | | rented could accommodate 10 adults with |
| room. The bathrooms were Italian marble, | | | | plush bench seats on each side of the |
| the counter-tops granite and the overall | | | | boat with table tops available in the |
| design was reminiscent of those bathroom | | | | middle for drinks or snacks. The boat |
| areas you see in home d?r magazines ' | | | | was entirely shaded and had plenty of |
| you know, the ones you wonder if you | | | | open areas on the sides to enjoy the |
| will ever really be able to afford. | | | | view. It was easy to operate and |
| Large-screen TV, high-speed internet, | | | | requires little or no boating |
| games, they're all there. And, when it | | | | experience. |
| came time to turn in for the night, our | | | | Our Duffy boat wasn't exactly like the |
| luxuriously appointed king-size bed was | | | | 100-foot mega-yachts tied up in from of |
| form-fitting and among the most | | | | our suite at the Balboa Club -- but |
| comfortable we've ever slept on. Oh | | | | let's just say it was a tad bit easier |
| those 10 percent do live well. | | | | on fuel. |
| The Balboa Bay Club actually was created | | | | AT A GLANCE |
| in 1948, back when there were far fewer | | | | WHERE: The Balboa Bay Club is in Newport |
| people living in Newport Beach and the | | | | Beach, which is located in Orange |
| area was a popular getaway for Hollywood | | | | County, south of Los Angeles. It is |
| elites. There are about 2,800 members of | | | | easily reached on the 405 freeway. |
| the club, which includes a couple | | | | WHAT: A playground for the wealthy, but |
| thousand or so living on the property | | | | still within reason for the average |
| and the others just dropping by to use | | | | middle-income family if you go for just |
| the spa, Olympic-style pool and other | | | | a weekend. |
| recreational facilities. Past and | | | | WHEN: Year-round, with blue-sky weather |
| present members of the club include such | | | | virtually any time of the year. |
| familiar names as John Wayne, Humphrey | | | | WHY: "Weather and water" as one club |
| Bogart, Robert Wagner, John Travolta, | | | | executive explained. The weather's |
| Jerry Seinfeld and Jim Carey. | | | | perfect most of the time, and the club |
| The first few years of the "public" | | | | is the only waterfront resort in Newport |
| Balboa Bay Club have gone well and the | | | | Beach. |