Montage Laguna, or for something smaller/more affordable get a room at Surf & Sand... smaller, but the rooms facing the ocean front are amazing since they are so close to the water.

Also a huge fan of Pelican Hill if you like golf, but its not really "on" the beach in terms of room views.

Hotel Del Coronado, Lido House, The Resort at Pelican Hill, Ritz Laguna Niguel

We are planning a CA trip for Spring Break in mid-April. We are going to hit up Disney but want to drive down further south along the coast to stay at a nice resort along the beach. Proximity to San Diego a plus as we are also considering going to Legoland but would be interested to hear of any favorites south of LA!