CLAES Ovation at Hotel Laguna is excited to announce, with the help of its faithful diners and OpenTable.com, CLAES Ovation at Hotel Laguna has been named as one of the Top Scenic View Restaurants in the Nation by OpenTable Diners. This honor will be inclusive along with our award winning wine list (Wine Spectator Award, Best Award for Excellence for 9 Years - Gold Bacchus Winner, 1998) and celebrated Inspirational menu. All diners at CLAES Ovation within the next week will receive a complimentary glass of champagne to celebrate the honor!

Laguna Beach, CA -- (SBWire) -- 08/05/2011 --Andersen Hotels is elated to reveal CLAES Ovation at the historic Hotel Laguna has been named as one of the Top Scenic View Restaurants in the Nation by OpenTable Diners. This long-standing restaurant is well versed for being recognized and celebrated for its view of the Laguna Beach coastline.

This prestigious list of restaurants is derived from reviews submitted by OpenTable diners for more than 12,000 restaurants in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Based on feedback collected from OpenTable diners between July 2010 and June 2011, the 50 award-winning restaurants received the highest scores.

The honor of being listed is double-fold for this newly reinvented eatery because it comes from the Guests! "We’re so pleased to recognize these award-winning restaurants because what they’re doing is creating singular dining experiences,” said Caroline Potter, OpenTable's Chief Dining Officer. “In addition to the priceless views, the restaurateurs and staffers are providing flawless service and cuisine that complements the awe-inspiring scenery. Each restaurant serves a meal to remember.”

Hotelier Georgia Andersen says “I am so excited to know that not only are our guests enjoying our cuisine, they also are enjoying the complementing view! To be nationally listed with restaurants such as Top of the Tower in New York is just an honor beyond compare.” Andersen holds a prominent membership with invite-only culinary society Confrèrie de la Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, maintaining the title of Bailli Honoraire of the Orange Coast Riviera Bailliage. A plaque from the distinguished group is displayed proudly outside the doors of CLAES Ovation.

Executive Chef Paul Bauer is “excited to add another prestigious decoration to our location. Along with our award winning wine list (Wine Spectator Award, Best Award for Excellence for 9 Years - Gold Bacchus Winner, 1998) and famed menu, it was only a matter of time before our renowned setting received recognition to match”.

The view that is showcased only from CLAES Ovation previously made headlines in the Orange County Register in an article written by Anita Lau (May 31, 2011 - "You can go for the View, stay for scallops”, Orange County Register, LIFE Section, p. 3) as well as her epicurean online blog “diary of a Mad Hungry Woman” (http://www.madhungrywoman.com). Anita Lau ends her observations by saying, “The view alone is worth a visit”.

The week immediately following the announcement of the National Listing, CLAES Ovation will be thanking its supporters with a gratis glass of champagne to celebrate for every diner who comes in! “The diners gave us this honor so we would like to share the celebration with them” says Heinz Hofmann, Chief Operating Officer. CLAES Ovation is open for dinner Wednesday through Sunday with reservations starting at 5:00 p.m. You can make your reservation at http://www.opentable.com/claes-ovation or by phone (949) 494-1151.

About Hotel Laguna
Prominently located in the heart of downtown Laguna Beach, Hotel Laguna is a historic 65-room boutique hotel with a European flair sitting on an exclusive stretch of the Southern California coast. Hotel Laguna was the very first hotel in Laguna Beach and the first substantial business building as well. Being the most recognizable structure in Laguna Beach, this building of Spanish-style architecture was built in the 1930s and has given 112 years of almost continuous service. Picturesque, romantic and harboring an intriguing past, the Hotel Laguna was purchased by the Andersen Family in 1985. Soon after, the interior and exterior were refurbished and the ‘Grand Old Lady’ quickly became an award-winning establishment with multiple outlets, including the OceanView Bar & Grill, Private Banquet Rooms and newly awarded CLAES Ovation!

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