# Coastal Luxury Resort Conversions Marriott's The Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point Debuts By Jana Pijak | Written with AI assistance | Published 2026-09-16 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ocean-cliffs References: [hoteldive](https://www.hoteldive.com/news/california-jw-marriott-brand-conversion/830502)  Marriott is converting the Laguna Cliffs Marriott Resort & Spa into The Ocean Cliffs at Dana Point, a JW Marriott Resort, following a multimillion-dollar renovation. The property will be a 371-key hotel positioned around a [holistic well-being focus](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/luxury-wellbeing-series-2025) and refreshed public areas. Design firms HKS and ROAM are directing the redesign for the blufftop site that looks over Dana Point Harbor. Planned upgrades include an expansive resort pool, a larger multiacre event lawn, a reworked arrival sequence, a [signature chef-driven restaurant](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/sandals-resorts-international) and expanded meetings facilities highlighted by a new 6,000-square-foot ballroom. Guest rooms are being reimagined to reflect Dana Point’s seaside character, and the resort will keep family amenities such as the updated family pool, cabana rentals, Kid’s Club and Splash Zone while adding local programming and outdoor activities. Aimbridge Hospitality will continue managing the resort, and the conversion adds another JW Marriott property to the brand's portfolio. Image Credit: Marriott International ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.6/10 - Popularity: 64% | Activity: 44% | Freshness: 91% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Wellness-led Luxury Conversions:** Established resort assets are being repositioned around holistic well-being, creating room for differentiated hospitality concepts that blend spa, fitness, nature and premium service into a cohesive guest experience. - **Destination-driven Redesign:** Coastal character, local programming and outdoor activities are becoming central to resort refreshes, enabling properties to compete through place-specific storytelling rather than standardized luxury cues. - **Hybrid Leisure-event Resorts:** Expanded ballrooms, event lawns and family amenities reflect a shift toward properties that serve weddings, meetings, vacations and multigenerational travel within one upgraded resort ecosystem. ### Who This Affects Most - **Hospitality:** Luxury hotel brands are using conversions and renovations to accelerate portfolio growth while modernizing legacy properties for wellness-focused and experience-seeking travelers. - **Architecture and Design:** Blufftop resort redesigns highlight demand for firms that can integrate arrival experiences, public spaces, guest rooms and landscape features into distinctive coastal environments. - **Meetings and Events:** Resorts with larger ballrooms and outdoor lawns are expanding the market for high-end corporate gatherings and social events that combine business infrastructure with leisure amenities. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Strategic Hospitality Venue Rebrands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/the-maya.md) - [Adventure Destination Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marriott-bonvoy-outdoors.md) - [India-Based Luxury Hotel Concepts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/series-by-marriott.md) - [Curated Travel Experiences](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/caribbean-latin-america.md) - [All-Inclusive Resort Redevelopments](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/carambola-beach-resort.md) - [Zen Practices-Inspired Hotel Expansions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/jw-marriott-hotel-tokyo.md) - [Residential Luxury Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/residential-luxury-resorts.md) - [Modern Resort-Wide Renovations](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/omni-amelia-island.md) - [Surf Lagoon-Anchored Resorts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/marriott-international1.md)