GLOBAL TRAVELER’s vice president and digital director, Katie Skrzek, and I enjoyed a relaxing girls’ weekend at Terranea Resort. Located in Los Angeles County yet feeling far removed from the city’s rush, the resort offered the perfect quiet before we headed to Beverly Hills for GT’s annual GT Tested Reader Survey awards celebration. A few days of true rest and pampering helped us recharge for the busy event that followed.
Our stay had a balanced mix of activities and downtime. We visited Terranea through the Lexus Hotel Partner Program, a collaboration with 15 U.S. hotels that provides guests with a range of benefits such as resort credits, wine tastings, boat rides and discounted room rates. Many partner hotels have a Lexus vehicle on site for guests to drive, and guests can request a $1,000 certificate toward the purchase or lease of a new Lexus after their stay. At Terranea, our experience included use of a Lexus for transportation to and from the property along with a choice of Lexus-themed curated drive experiences.
Lexus for the weekend © KATIE SKRZEK
For our girls’ getaway we selected the Retail Retreat package. It included complimentary use of the Lexus, a GPS-guided drive to South Coast Plaza, valet parking at the mall, access to South Coast Plaza’s VIP suite, a VIP passport for the shopping center, a $100 gift certificate to South Coast Plaza and a $50 gift card for Terranea’s retail outlets. The themed drives are available to guests staying in the Shearwater suites and other itineraries on offer include The Adventure Escape and the Romantic Rendezvous. We drove a 2017 Lexus GS F, which handled Southern California’s coastal curves with poise and precision.
Beyond shopping trips and a celebratory glass of Champagne at the bar, we sampled many of Terranea’s dining options. Highlights included a seaside lunch at Nelson’s, an elevated outdoor dinner at Mar’sel, shared plates at Bashi and the extensive renovated buffet brunch at Catalina Kitchen. We also developed a fondness for the freshly baked cookies at Sea Beans and, naturally, for a bit of bubbly throughout the weekend.
The resort’s setting is exceptional, and Terranea is careful to preserve the natural beauty of the coastline. The property’s design follows principles of ecological sustainability, with practices that protect open space, improve wildlife habitat and enhance local water quality. The resort currently uses only one-quarter of its 102 acres for development, leaving the remainder preserved. Additional initiatives include food waste recycling, natural irrigation systems, saltwater pools, a sustainable approach to on-site growing, ecology and conservation programs, hybrid and low-emission vehicles, biodegradable golf tees and amenity containers, organic dry-cleaning services and employee uniforms made from bamboo and other organic materials.
Spa pool © TERRANEA RESORT
Our weekend also included time at the spa, which spans 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor space and features 25 treatment rooms, a fitness and wellness center, a Spa Café and a full-service salon. I experienced a preview of the Sound Sleep signature ritual, a treatment designed to help people relax, sleep better and recover from travel. The therapy combines light, soothing touch techniques with scent and sound to promote restful sleep—an ideal recovery after a cross-country flight.
Katie chose the Radiant Results facial, using products from the Rose Infinity Collection, a line developed from advanced research intended to repair aging DNA, boost moisture and stimulate collagen production. The treatment concentrates on the forehead, mouth and eye areas, leaving skin smoother and more radiant. Katie noticed and commented on the softness of her skin in the days after the treatment, and her complexion clearly benefited from the facial.
Before we left to return to the busy week ahead, we closed our stay with a seaside yoga session on Monday morning followed by a light, healthy breakfast at the Spa Café. We savored the final moments of ocean air, the sound of waves crashing against the cliffs below and the peaceful view that made our short escape feel like a complete retreat.
Terranea Resort
100 Terranea Way
Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
tel 310 265 2740
terranea.com