Surf & Sand Laguna Beach

"Why we love it: A Laguna Beach fixture with a prime surfside location The Highlights: - An ideal location just 500 feet from Laguna Beach - A kid- and pet-friendly vibe - On-site restaurant Splashes, which serves all three meals plus ocean views The Review: At Surf & Sand Resort, all 167 rooms—including 13 suites—offer sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, and the stunning mosaic pool sits just steps from the world-famous Laguna Beach. Often ranked among the town’s top hotels, the property also features plenty of cozy outdoor sofas and circular fire pits, where guests can further enjoy the vista and sea breezes. Rooms complement wicker and whitewashed wood with soft blue pillows, throws, and glass art, and boast extras like down comforters, marble bathrooms, and deep-soaking tubs. Some are even pet-friendly. Where the resort really stands out, however, is at Splashes restaurant, set just 25 feet above the waves. Here, guests can choose to sit by the windows inside or under a palm-shaded table on the patio while enjoying a breakfast of Nutella pancakes, a lunch of peach-and-pork-belly flatbread, or a dinner of freshly caught John Dory with red quinoa. For further indulgence, head to the on-site Aquaterra Spa, which offers everything from pumpkin pedicures to a body wrap with rosemary- and citrus-infused coconut oil. Guests should also make a point to get off property and explore the tide pools and rock formations at Wood’s Cove, which sits just a half mile from the hotel."