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