Laguna Beach Travel Guide
Tags: Killer View / Beachfront Hotels / Laguna Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Nothing to Complain About Here at the Pacific Edge Hotel
We are suckers for a room with a killer view. We find that we are even more likely to forgive some minor hotel inconveniences if we can stare out the window at something pretty—yeah we are that shallow. Let's help out our fellow hotel mavens by uploading rooms with killer views to the HotelChatter/Flickr photo pool, or by sending the photo along to us. We will feature our favorites in this space from time to time. Remember to tell us the name of the hotel and the room number of the hot view.
What a pretty picture for a cool and dreary Thursday morning. (At least it is here in New York City.) Wouldn’t you give your right arm to be strolling on that sand, or sitting on the balcony gazing out at the Pacific? We probably would, but as it turns out, this killer view doesn’t have to come with a killer price tag. It’s not taken from the terrace of a five-star resort, but from the affordable Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach.
Tags: Sweet Suites / Hotel Renovations / Surfer Hotels / Themed Hotel Rooms / Laguna Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Laguna's Casa del Camino Just Got a Whole Lot Cooler
On what ended up being a sunny, yet slightly overcast day in Laguna Beach, we had the opportunity to check out ten recently overhauled rooms at La Casa del Camino, a comfortable boutique hotel that lies just above the city's famed shoreline. And just in case you're wondering, no, we didn't run into any ex-cast member of a certain O.C. reality television show.
Anyways, we're of the "we have to see it to believe it" variety; almost daily we catch wind of the latest multi-million dollar renovation, but it takes an in-person visit to determine exactly what makes those new, meticulously chosen linens and architectural changes worth a guest's time and, sometimes, extra money.
Casa del Camino's Surf Project differs from your run-of-the-mill update for many reasons. Not one, but ten designers were paired up with ten quintessentially Orange County companies that represent the best of surf and skate culture, from Roxy to bikini line L*Space. When we first entered the hotel, its traditional Spanish architecture, soft, recessed lighting, and a familiar seaside bungalow ambiance belied the hypermodern changes that lay inside the ten rooms.
Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Montage Resorts / OC Hotels / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags
Studio at The Montage Laguna Beach Wows Critic With Its $1,200 Bottle of Chardonnay
Now that Chef Craig Strong has taken over the kitchen at Studio, the restaurant at Laguna Beach’s Montage Resort, L.A. Times head restaurant critic, S. Irene Virbila, decided it was time to venture down the coast for a meal there, and the usually hard-to-please reviewer was positively raving about the food by the end of her dinner(s).
No other restaurant in Southern California has this mesmerizing view, and this happy combination of setting, great food, polished service and deep wine list makes Studio at Montage one of the region’s true destination restaurants.”
Tags: OC Hotels / Virgin America / Shira Lazar / Hotel Video Tours / → All Tags
Virgin America Celebrates New Flights Out of The OC With Hotel Stays
This post stars Shira Lazar but was written by Shira Levine. Just in case you had your Shiras confused.
OMFG, while it's probably beneath the Housewives of Orange County to fly discounted airfares, for the record we'd still rather endure a six hour turbulent flight than have Vicki, Lynne or Gretchen even in the same airport as us. For now we're hopefully in the clear so long as there is no red carpet or paparazzi. You never know with Richard Branson though asVirgin America launched its high-tech, low-fare service to Orange County, California today.
Tags: Holiday Hotels / Laguna Beach Hotels / → All Tags
Half-Off Rates at Surf and Sand Resort in Laguna Beach
If you’re looking for a California Christmas/Chanukah (or Christmukkah, for you OC-reruns-on-SoapNet fans), you’ve got five more days to book the Surf & Sand Resort’s “Night to Remember” package
Book a room at Surf & Sand Resort before November 30 for a stay between December 1 and 30 and get 50 percent off room rates of seaview accommodations with a private balcony, breakfast for two and complimentary valet parking, Rates start at $590, which, if you do your grade school math, amounts to $295 per night.
Although, we still think that's a bit pricey of a room rate and given the hotel's mixed reviews, we hope you’re don’t wind up part of the clientele who want to forget their visit.
Tags: Hotel Services / Hotel Openings / Laguna Beach Hotels / Green Hotels / Beach Concierges / → All Tags
"Sand Valets" Available Via Walkie-Talkie at New Laguna Beach Hotel
Seven4One opened quietly in Laguna Beach back in August, and we've been hearing enough buzz about the small eco-conscious boutique hotel that we got over our aversion to the somewhat-obnoxious name and headed over to the website to check the place out.
Prepared for yet another pretentiously green-ified swanky boutique hotel, we were pleasantly surprised that the emphasis was on serious service more than anything else. And we also found out that the name has something to do with the hotel's street address, not an area code or anything.
Oh! And they've got some pretty cool staffers, too: a GEM (Guest Experience Manager) is a concierge, a butler and a personal Assistant rolled into one; they greet each guest upon arrival and serve as the main point of contact for the duration of your stay. Well, unless you're on the beach, that is — in which case you're waited on by a Sand Valet, whom you contact via walkie-talkie to bring over a complimentary iPod (not for keeps), food, a refreshing water mist, or to align your beach chair for optimum sun exposure (seriously).
Tags: JDV Hospitality / Hotel News / Chip Conley / OC Hotels / → All Tags
Chip Conley and JDV Move Into Lauren Conrad's Territory, Laguna Beach
Chip Conley and his JDV Hospitality Group have taken over managing the 130-room beachfront Vacation Village in Laguna Beach, just five blocks from the city's downtown.
The OC Biz Journal reports:
The move is part of the company's plan to double its hotels in the next five years.
Joie de Vivre now has 35 hotels and expects most of its growth to be in Southern California.
It already has hotels in the Brentwood-Westwood area, Studio City and Long Beach and will manage the Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach slated to open early next year.
Vacation Village just underwent a $2 million room renovation last year so we doubt that it will need much sprucing up. But it will of course, need the complimentary JDV WiFi.
The hotel also two pools, a whirlpool and a 4,000-square-foot private residence, Pacific Edge, available for groups of up to 65 for events. So like, kids can hold their after-prom parties here or their "we just wanna party because we can" parties.
And we really hope that Chip and co. have a hotel-naming contest here. What would you call this place? The Real O.C. Hotel?
[Photo: Vacation Village]
Tags: Laguna Beach Hotels / TV Set Hotels / Hotel Packages / → All Tags
Thankfully, There's No LC Drama in This LB Hotel
Google "Laguna Beach" and the top result is a link to the third season of MTV's faux reality show. But Laguna Beach is more than a town that spawned numerous addictions to "The Hills."
In fact, in the amount of time you spend on the couch taking in yet another Hills marathon, you could be scoping out Laguna Beach for yourself with Surf & Sand Resort's "60 Hours at Surf & Sand" package, in honor of the resort's 60th anniversary this year.
Available from April 1 through June 30, the package is priced from $849 and includes two nights in an ocean-view room with a balcony; daily breakfast; $60 resort credit toward the resort's spa or food and beverage services; and "special surprises" delivered to guests' rooms throughout their stay, which we're hoping doesn't include spoilers of the next season of "The Hills."
Still fans of LC, Lo, Stephen and Kristen will rest peacefully knowing they are sleeping where the "Laguna Beach" kids partied in Season 1.
Tags: Hotel News / → All Tags
The Montage Takes a Page from MTV's Playbook
"Like everyone wants to be discovered in Laguna Beach ya know? Like me and Steeepheenn for example. We are just like the hottest things right now, ya know?"
We only wish Kristen from "Laguna Beach--The Real OC" had actually said those words. Then she could be the spokesperson for Montage Resort & Spa and their "Star in Your Own Romantic Getaway" offers.
Panoramic ocean views and sun-kissed beaches set the stage this February as Montage rolls out the red carpet for romance. Spectacular food and wine, sensual spa treatments, designer lingerie and glorious sunsets are among the starring attractions.
Talk about trying to cash-in on the MTV show.
But the deals aren't on the cheap. "The Romance Package" which includes two-night Ocean Front Suite accommodations, dining, a couple's massage, breakfast in bed and "a rose petal bath drawn especially for you by the resort's 'Romance Artist' is going for $5,000.
Related Stories:
· Star in Your Own Romantic Getaway in Southern California [Yahoo! PR News]
· Montage Laguna Beach reviews [TripAdvisor]
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