Surf
and Sand (resort) and Splashes (spa) in Laguna Beach by
Linda Lane
The
Surf and Sand in Laguna Beach, California has achieved legendary
appeal for those fortunate enough to have stayed there during
its 55 years of operation. Located at 1555 South Coast Highway,
it was built in 1948 as a beach side motor lodge with 26 rooms.
Artists discovered Laguna Beach and over the years made it a
premier vacation destination. Art galleries, the famous Sawdust
Festival, the Laguna Playhouse, and the Master of the Arts Festival
attract visitors from all over the world to this small, charming
community nestled between Newport Beach and San Diego.
Driving
into the creamy cocoa beige stucco entrance one is greeted by
valet parking attendants. They set the tone by providing a warm
welcome. The architecture is Mediterranean-style with a stunning
DeWain Valentine water sculpture that was donated to owner James
Colachis by the City of Laguna Beach. Owing to a recent two
million dollar renovation the Surf and Sand looks brand new.
The reservation area is light, airy, and open.
In
1992 internationally renowned interior designer James Northcutt
refurbished the rooms and suites. Chairman Kathryn Colachis,
a brilliant decorator in her own right, recently refreshed the
property once more. The decor evokes memories of classic New
England summer homes with bleached wood, muted pastels, and
charming original seascape watercolors. Even the elevators have
been painted with early 20th century seaside scenes that set
a whimsical, relaxing tone. The lines are clean, the views,
spectacular.
My
daughter Lucy and I found our room to be a small slice of heaven.
The room itself was beautifully appointed with a bedroom, sitting
area, and behind the white plantation shutters and the sliding
glass doors, a private balcony overlooking the vast blue Pacific
Ocean. Down below, on the sand, Surf and Sand beach attendants
catered to guests needs; setting up umbrellas; delivering chairs,
and food and beverages while lifeguards watched over swimmers
of all ages. Being August, the cool salt water was the perfect
compliment to the hot sun. The waves are excellent for body
surfing or using a boogie board while still being gentle enough
for small children.
The
Surf and Sand is situated on 500 feet of beachfront. Flanked
by multimillion-dollar private homes, and bordered by rock formations
that form natural barriers, the property provides a sense of
privacy and security. If walking the coastline is your fancy,
scaling the rock abutments at low tide is still easy to do.
It
is also very tempting to sit outside on your balcony and relax.
There is a fully stocked Honor Bar, and room service. Ben and
Jerry's old-fashioned sundaes and ice cream can be scooped at
your doorstep between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Two thick white cotton
Frette robes and Surf and Sand slippers were in our closet.
In the bathroom, a half clamshell was filled with Aveda products,
soaps and bath salts that revitalize, and lotions that soothe.
Attached to the travertine marble wall was a hairdryer. The
only thing that I did not find was a coffee pot. The Honor Bar
has everything from a split of French champagne for $37.50 to
a miniature bottle of Ketel One vodka for $6.50. There are more
than a dozen tiny bottles of liquor from which to choose. The
refrigerator has beer, wine, and goodies.
It
is now 6:10 p.m. and from the balcony I watch three teenaged
boys fishing in the surf to the left of the hotel. The waning
sun casts a wide sheath of shimmer across the blue water. Stories
of Pacific Ocen pollution don't seem relevant when I can look
down from my sixth floor balcony and see the translucent bluish
green below. In the distance, the occasional boat speeds past.
In the evening the maid appears to turn the thick white quilted
bedspread down. She places a couple of delicious Belgian chocolates
near the pillow along with a hanging card that can be marked
for breakfast. Cleverly the Surf and Sand makes room service
as easy as checking off items, along with the time you wish
them to be delivered, and hanging it on the outside of your
door. Sometime during the night someone will collect it, and
"voila", breakfast arrives at the appointed hour.
The king size bed in our room is the ultimate in comfort. In
fact, everything in the room lends itself to making us feel
at home.
The
Surf and Sand is privately owned by James and Kathryn Colachis,
a couple dedicated to solidifying the resort's reputation as
a first class, casually elegant destination. It is the perfect
setting for couples seeking a romantic interlude, families looking
for a place that will satisfy young and old; business conferences,
and social functions. This year the Surf and Sand partnered
with Stepping Stones Child Development Center to offer professionally
organized half-day camps for children ages 4 to 12. Drop-in
care during selected times is $10 per hour, with evening sessions
Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at $35 per session.
John
Gates, assistant General Manager, took my daughter and me on
a tour of the modernized, expanded hotel. "Each of the
165 rooms and suites," Gates explained, "has a view
of the water. There are no bad rooms." He led the way to
one of the thirteen suites with a starting rate of $1,100 per
day. The suite was a larger version of the regular rooms. There
was a balcony with a comfortable living room, a private bedroom,
with the addition of a second bathroom. Blushing beige travertine
marble makes the bathrooms throughout the property elegant yet
comfortable. Custom woven sisal rugs, linen ecru fabrics with
pale blue and green stripes, and custom fabricated matchstick
lamps with a patina finish are standard features in rooms as
well as suites.
Tan
Fans Stop HereClimbing a few stairs we arrived at the brick
courtyard, a popular setting for weddings, charity events, and
private parties. "We do very little advertising,"
John Gates tells us, explaining that the Surf and Sand has become
a yearly visit for many guests. "Some book a year in advance.
They make their reservations for next year when they're leaving."
He emphasized that it's best to book two to three weeks in advance
during the summer months. Special rates are offered occasionally.
Citrus
trees line the entryway to the new Aquaterra spa, built, according
to our tour guide at the site of the original motorlodge. All
four of the Surf and Sand buildings share the same Mediterranean-style
architecture, and one would never know that they had been built
and rebuilt over the years. Flower-lined walkways lead to the
new spa reception area where a signature scent wafts through
the pungent sea air. The Aquaterra Spa has specially formulated
its own crèmes, oils, and candles using many locally
grown ingredients. Their brochure describes, The healing, therapeutic
essences of the ocean and land are blended with indigenous aromatic
botanicals to be artistically expressed in the Aquaterra experience.
The practitioners of the body and healing arts are longtime
employees. They are referred to as artists, and after my deep
tissue massage with Anjelica, I would have to agree. Prices
are in line with other top-rated spas, but the caliber of service
and the quality of products send it to the top of my need to
repeat list. Spa hours are from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, and
are offGet Sme Ahhhs For Your Blaahsered to hotel guests as
well as the public.
From
the spa we walked to the 10,000 square foot freestanding conference
and meeting center. John Gates pointed out the spacious ballroom
areas, noting high ceilings, with some ocean views. The three
ballrooms are perfect for functions that require everything
from state-of-the-art audiovisual displays to elegantly decorated
weddings.
Upon
leaving the center we passed the gift shop, a separate entity
run by another charming, longtime employee. Knowing that many
staff members have been there for a decade or more is a great
indicator. Their feelings for the hotel are sincere, and when
they describe the owners as wonderful people, I find my experience
even more refreshing. The gift shop sells signature clothing,
artwork by the Rodrigo Kane, the wonderful artist credited with
many of the charming watercolors throughout the hotel; and sundries,
including reasonably priced sunglasses.
We
walked past the Olympic-size swimming pool with luxurious chaise
lounges and ocean views on our way to Splashes, the award-winning
restaurant that serves contemporary California-Mediterranean
cuisine inside the dining room or alfresco on the palm shaded
patio. "Seventy percent of our (Splashes) business is local,"
Gates tells us. And, it is easy to see why. Large windows open
to the pounding surf 25 feet below, and the expanse of blue
creates the illusion of dining on the upper deck of a luxurious
yacht. There is a separate bar and tiered outdoor dining. Executive
chef Christopher Blobaum prides himself on the use of locally
grown produce, and meat and fish flown in daily. The dishes
he creates are unique, original, and healthy.
For
breakfast there is fresh pressed organic carrot, orange, or
grapefruit juice, Irish oatmeal with organic sun dried fruits
and brown sugar, or the Three Oyster Mushroom and Brie Omelet.
There is a full menu with everything from a toasted bagel to
Eggs Benedict. Lunch includes unique offerings such as a Rosemary
Marinated Roasted Rare Lamb Salad with sweet onions, roasted
peppers, Kalamata olives, goat cheese and aged sherry vinaigrette,
or a tree-ripened Peach and Watercress Salad with spiced pistachios
and orange blossom honey vinaigrette. Dinner features everything
from a daily prix fix dinner to a delicious a la carte menu.
In fact, there are so many moutDine At Splasheshwatering choices
that it is genuinely challenging to make a decision. There is
an extensive drink and wine list.
Linda
Lane, Jetsetters Magazine Correspondent – Read Jetsetters
Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit
Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit
Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com
