"Laguna Surf Lodge" When Don booked our seaside hotel, it was still called Laguna Riviera Beach Resort. When we arrived last October, a new name greeted us on a temporary sign. Since 1948 The old name conjures up a ritzy image. In 1948, Harry & Lillian Willits had some European resort ideas, when they named their California hotel. They had been inspired, by earlier travels, to both the Italian and French rivieras. I've been to neither of the glam resort areas, but my photo of "Laguna Riviera" (from across the Coast Highway) looks a tad more Floridian. Which totally delights me! It reminds me of roadside motor inns that my family enjoyed when I was kid. Hints of the Past Don and I were newlyweds when we lived in Laguna Beach, in the '80s. We were in our twenties and much younger than The Riviera, but I was fond of the hotel's throwback charm, even then. I remember the car-port-style entrance, on the left. I remember peeking through the glass to see the pool, beneath the futuristic cone structure. Today, you can still see some of the beachy colors, on the yet to be renovated side. Spiffed Up! We knew about new ownership and renovation before arriving. When we pulled in through the opening, the old homey Riviera Hotel had bright new surprises. Over the years, the family friendly resort attracted lots of happy return guests. Even when it became a bit worn and aged. Some renovation was still in progress during our stay, but Laguna Surf Lodge had a relaxed, yet classy boutique hotel vibe. We were greeted by a charming valet guy, named Gabe. He offered us some refreshing flavored water, in eco-friendly metal cups. What's in Back? Before moving towards the office, I let my eyes follow the arrow on the brick drive. I could quickly see what made this hotel such a magnet, for over 7 decades. The 1-acre property has amazing views! This photo shows just a glimpse of the 5-level property, with stairs and pathways heading down to the beach! And surfers! We saw many, so the new name fits. Friendly Check In We found the temporary office in a welcoming space, with glass doors opening off to the pool area. An upbeat young woman named Rynn, checked us in. She seemed excited that we'd be staying in her favorite room. "It's one of the original rooms!" I loved her enthusiasm about the hotel's history. It first opened with only 12 rooms, then expanded to 41. Beverage Corner Rynn pointed out a corner of the lobby, where we could help ourselves to coffee and water. Right away I noticed the beautiful green glasses and colorful mugs. Rynn explained a little about the hotel's, new SCP ownership and its Holistic Hospitality approach. No paper cups here! "Soul Community Planet" The SCP stands for Soul Community Planet. There are currently at least 10 of these properties, mostly in the west. Here's a quick description I stole from their website: "Soul Community Planet (SCP) was founded on the core values of wellness (Soul), kindness (Community) and sustainability (Planet). We provide hand-crafted venues comprising hotels, coworking, restaurants, and fitness. For those who believe in the power of healthy living, kindness towards others and compassion for the planet." Family Run 1948- 2018 I do love a family run hotel. This is how the Riviera looked when the Willats family owned the hotel. They not only ran the hotel, but lived in it. Harry's son Bruce, took over in the 80's and evidently had good stories about growing up at the Riviera. There were stories of famous guests, like author Pearl S. Buck. She and her family came for annual 3-month stays. Did Bruce play with her kids? Not sure. It was 1952, when Richard Nixon's family stayed at the Riviera. The Nixon girls were pretty young, when they were seen tossing a ball with their dad on the beach. It was the weekend before Nixon was elected vice president. Meeting Jimmy During our stay, we didn't get to meet any politicians, or writers, or any members of the Willats family. But we felt delighted to meet Jimmy Bray in the office on the second day. I'm still not sure about Jimmy's title. He was way too gracious and fun and laid back, to introduce himself as "owner". But he was an absolute delight as we swapped stories about our shared love of historic hotels. Jimmy has played a big role in renovations of many properties around the country. His enthusiasm for Laguna Surf Lodge was contagious. His upbeat energy was shared with guests and staff alike. He introduced us to Mari, who had just tidied our room that day! Fun Cars After raving with Jimmy about how pleased we were with the renovated hotel and the top notch staff, I had to let him know how much I loved the fun vehicles! If we'd had more time and more money, we could have taken off in the 1967 Land Rover, with a guide and surfboards. The lodge offers a very cool "Dawn Patrol" adventure package, that involves a day of surfing and beach dining. Ship Shape! While checking in, Gabe effortlessly made 2 trips with luggage to our room. By the time we headed down the pathway, I'd fallen in love with the hotel. With all the time we've spent in Laguna Beach over the years, we've never seen more than a street view of the hotel. It was exciting to finally stroll down the zig-zag pathway. Looking up at the structure, the balconies and windows made me think of some kind of whimsical ship! Or maybe a humongous houseboat! Room 101 Luckily when Don booked, he made sure we had an ocean view room with a balcony. That was enough to thrill me. Since the rooms are all very unique, I wasn't sure what to expect. I was excited to learn we were staying in one of the original 12 rooms. It took us a while to reach it, at the lowest level. But it was still high above the beach. "Peaceful Room" We never saw another room, but I can see why Rhnn thought this room was the best! The whole front of the room was glass. It was considered one of their "peaceful rooms", with lots of light and airy space in the front portion. A modern table with four chairs, sat beside a wall of white brick. A little reminder of the old structure! There was a great wet bar, with fridge and sink and I loved the framed photo... hugging a surfboard! Sit a Spell At the foot of the bed, we had a comfy couch and a sweet table made from a slice of tree. We could lounge and enjoy the view out the glass doors, or we could enjoy some nearby nature, right in the room! Green In the center of all those tree rings, there were 2 tiny pots. Those miniature succulents sort of delighted me! On a nearby wall, there was a circular piece of art. It looks flat in my photo, but the soft moss and feathery fronds, were growing right out of the circle. Ahh! Peaceful Sleep! The bed itself was luxurious, with an avocado green mattress. A first for me. But the bed was also surrounded with comforting features. I love an adjustable lamp with plug-in options. Above the wood headboard was another piece of calming art. Did it flutter when the ceiling fan was turned on? Forgot to check. Sounds and Scents On one table, there was a round "Yogasleep" machine, that offered up soothing sounds or music! In fact there was a dreamy melody playing, when we entered the guest room! On the other table there was an essential oil diffuser, with the most lovely and subtle aroma. A bottle of pillow spray was handy as well. Brand New I love a retro bathroom with pink tile, but there was nothing mid-century modern about our bathroom. I was more than happy to give up the 1950s look for this lovely space. We had everything from double sinks to illuminated mirror. An enormous shower and even a fabric steamer, for wrinkled clothes. No TV Part of the Peaceful Room approach meant no TV. It was actually a treat to not have the option. There was a generous space beside the bed. Just right for a little stretching or yoga time. There was even a mediation pillow. I found a yoga mat in the closet and a "Well-Being Play Book" nearby. The enormous mirror could have helped me perfect some yoga poses...or ballet... or photos! The mirror came in handy in the evening, before Don and I headed off for tiki drinks at Royal Hawaiian. We did an "Old People Selfie" with the mirror. I hoped to spotlight Don's bird of paradise shirt and my flamingo dress, but mostly I captured the nice floors! The Deck! I was thrilled to have a private deck, but never did I expect a 2-level set-up! We opened our glass doors to an upper balcony. A set of stairs led down to a spacious deck, with an L-shaped couch and a massive umbrella. And a view that never got old! We made sure to catch sunset on the first evening. In late October, that happened around 6. Then off to dinner. In the morning we grabbed complimentary coffee from the lobby and returned to enjoy our view. The coffee was delicious, btw! From a local brewing co. We enjoyed breakfast treats from Orange Inn, just a block away. For lunch we had tacos from a nearby cafe, along with Sangria flavored soda! The deck lured us back in the afternoon for a little tea and some reading... very curious Laguna Beach history! Surfers and Sunset On the second night, we made sure to stop back at the hotel, for another sunset on the deck. The waves were minimal, but the surfers were still entertaining to watch. They used every last bit of sunlight to catch the last waves of the evening. I realize I posted 16 photos related to our deck and view. I don't have to tell you, that we were in love with that glorious deck. No matter what time of day! What Else? We had only 2 nights and the time went fast. We didn't make use of the little shared space, tucked into the property about halfway up from the beach. We could have played corn hole or enjoyed fire pits in the evening. 1950s? In this old postcard, you can see folks gathering in the same area. How I love the webbed lawn chairs and fringed umbrellas! If we'd visited in a busier season, we might have met some other guests as we gazed out at the sea. To the Beach The railings and views, made it seem like we were enjoying a vacation on a cruise ship! But we weren't trapped cruisers! We could easily follow the walkway down to the beach. On my first trip down, I was amused by the maze-like journey. Even though there was only one way up and one way down. The lush growth created a wall, beside the white railing. It was exciting to see what was around each corner. A sweet little table for 2, surprised me at one point. A little platform just off the path, offered a perfect sunset view. Before reaching the gate to the beach, there was a long narrow deck with about 10 rocking chairs. So many options for enjoying the view! I saved the rockers for later. I had to get my feet on the sand. Before opening the gate, I checked out a collection of beach supplies, that guests were welcome to use. There were beach chairs and boogie boards, umbrellas and sand toys! I took nothing, but left my sandals behind. I so wanted to step back far enough to photograph the complicated structure of the hotel. Impossible. I'd have to swim a long way out, to really see the whole thing. So I walked along the beach instead. I headed north and found myself at Laguna's lively Main Beach. The Pool! With a gorgeous beach, I hardly needed pool time. But I wanted the whole Riviera experience! Another postcard image gave me an idea of how the pool looked... maybe in 1957? Just guessing that date. That was a good year. My birth year. Don and I were the only guests who were drawn to the pool that day. I did a little posing before I got in the water. The pool area hasn't had the full remodel yet. That meant I could sit in the flower-shaped hot tub and imagine the day when swim caps were required. But those gals in the postcard image weren't wearing caps! Maybe they had different rules in California. I remember Florida pools in the '60s. Oh how I hated the women's cap rule... regardless of hair length! Don was reading in a chair and I didn't have any lady friends to gab with, so I leaned my head back and studied the umbrella-like structure above me. I really do love that thing! Did it have glass at one time? I should have asked Jimmy how they plan to refurbish this area. Please don't remove this retro thing! Nighttime The hotel had a whole different feel when the sky was dark. There is always something magical about being near an ocean at night. I will never forget the sound of the waves as we wandered up and down the walkway. Daytime But I absolutely loved the light, bright feel of our hotel in the daylight! Even with fog in the morning, the views were the best! The surfers were out at 7 am. I think most were high school age, heading to school soon. Even though the water was unusually calm, we spotted surfers at all hours! Location! What a treat to be able to walk to restaurants and shops, without grabbing the car. It was a fun walk on the sand, to Main Beach and further north to Heisler Park. Returning along the Coast Highway, offered up good people watching, shops and restaurants. What's Notable? A classy seaside boutique inn, with a mid century vibe! The room with its balcony was above and beyond, in every way. The hotel's location was just right. And in the future there will be a restaurant/bar and spa, a plunge pool and much more on site. We felt like we'd hit the jackpot with our accommodations, as well as our service. I must say, that Jimmy and the welcoming staff, played a big part in making our stay so extra special. It's rare to see such an eager staff working together. It was hard to leave this little bit of paradise. But Jimmy gave us hugs and begged us to stay in touch. So I guess that means we'll have to return!
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![]() Ninety Notable
Nights My New Year's Resolution for 2014 was to start documenting some of the memorable overnights I've had in some very odd and curious motels and hotels. Like the adventures in my Dining Blog, I have learned to enjoy the surprises that happen when you step out of the comfort zone, far away from the well-known chains. I began with a few entries recalling my very first home away from home memories from my youth. Then, I started sharing about some of the quirky and unforgettable motels, hotels and inns that my husband and I have discovered in recent years. The best part about this challenge was making some lists with Don and getting on the road in search of new overnight adventures. I gave myself a 2-year goal to write up 90 stories and the goal was met. Now we just keep on adding! Archives
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