Resort Marks the Holidays With a Flourish

A driveway with 400,000 lights and a 50-foot Christmas tree greets visitors to the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Dana Point.

The resort is decorated inside and out with thousands of colorful lights, poinsettias and holiday figurines, including 20-foot nutcrackers and a large gingerbread house, as well as a host of smaller Christmas trees in full holiday decor.

The holiday sights and sounds are open to the public, free of charge, throughout the holiday season.

“We go all out,” General Manager John Dravinski said of the hotel’s decorations.

“We feel whenever we do it, it should be in the style of a world-class resort.”

Dravinski said that the hotel, like all Ritz-Carltons around the world, celebrates the season in grand pageantry.

Since opening in 1984, the resort has brightened and beautified its grounds for Christmas for people of all backgrounds and religions to enjoy. This year, the decorations were styled with an Old English-European motif.

In addition to the festive ornaments and adornments, the resort grounds feature Christmas carolers during the holidays, spreading cheer to patrons and local visitors. Carolers also entertain at the hotel’s regular afternoon tea from 2 to 4 p.m. and during children’s teddy bear tea, which is offered at various times throughout the holidays.

“We’re decorated all around the hotel,” Dravinski said. “We ask everyone to come here. . . . It’s a great place to come to.”

Dravinski added that while Christmas is one of the hotel’s slower periods because of the seasonal slowdown in business travel, it is “one of the busiest times visually.”

The Ritz-Carlton is at 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive, off Pacific Coast Highway. Information: (714) 240-2000.