Hotel Joaquin

"Fall is a great time to visit the beach towns of Southern California, where the temperatures haven’t quite cooled off yet. In the endless summer town of Laguna Beach, the stylish Hotel Joaquin has 21 beach-chic rooms, with names like La Vue and Soleil, that are perfect crash pads for your O.C. adventures, whether it be pool, beach, or hitting the town. (Rooms are on the small side compared to the neighboring resorts, so nab one with an ocean view to sweeten your seaside stay.)" - Juliana Shallcross

"Why we love it: A seaside sanctuary that marries high design with local adventure The Highlights: - The mix of Mediterranean and mid-century California style - Working record players and vintage vinyl libraries in place of TVs in guest rooms - Complimentary morning yoga, plus an “Adventure Collection” full of bikes, kayaks, surfboards, and hiking and snorkeling gear The Review: Opened in 2018, Hotel Joaquin pairs downtown cool with coastal elegance. The property comes courtesy of Paul Makarechian, who grew up in Orange County and now owns Auric Road, a collection of “petite resorts” that also includes Korakia Pensione in Palm Springs and Sonoma Coast Villa Resort & Spa in Bodega, California. Once a roadside motel, Joaquin now blends elements of St. Bart’s, the Mediterranean, and mid-century SoCal beach culture for an exclusive yet relaxed feel, with curated artwork and vintage finds around every corner. Light floods the guest rooms, some of which have balconies and private patios (book La Vue for the hotel’s only picture window, framing views of the ocean and Catalina Island). Each room also includes a working record player and vinyl library, as well as Anichini linens, Le Labo bath products, and artisanal snacks curated by Farm to People. The bathrooms pull out all the design stops with imported marble, hand-painted tiles, and brass fixtures. At on-site restaurant Saline, guests can enjoy smoothies and other light fare for breakfast, wholesome salads and sandwiches for lunch, and Mediterranean-inspired share plates for dinner, along with house spritzes and creative cocktails all day long. When not lounging at the pool, take advantage of the hotel’s Adventure Collection, which includes complimentary surfboards, diving gear, bicycles, and more for exploring Laguna Beach. Should you prefer to hang on the beach, hotel staff will even set up your chairs, pack you a picnic, and deliver water sport equipment to Shaw’s Cove, just a two-minute walk from the property’s garden gate. Note: You must be over 21 to reserve a room and at least 18 to stay at Hotel Joaquin. Service animals only."

"Until last fall, anyone seeking a cozy place in Laguna Beach would have gotten as far as the imposing Monarch Beach Resort before realizing they should have hit Malibu instead. But now, pull up to this Californian dream of an inn —a space that exists somewhere between bungalow, motor lodge, and your best friend’s beach house—to find a suntanned crowd sipping beers on sofas by the fire in the indoor-outdoor living room. The vibe is relaxed, even by Southern California standards. Owner Paul Makarechian, who has a string of small hotels on the West Coast, wanted Joaquin to be a place to drop in to: barefoot, rule-free. Staff are cheery; guests will know everyone’s first name by the end of the weekend—including George, Joaquin’s resident adventure guru, who is likely to stop by during dinner to see who wants to go kayaking on the Pacific the next day." - Archana Ram

"Set the scene.On the Pacific Coast Highway, this Laguna Beach motel has had a shiny, bright makeover. There’s an art-filled living room instead of a lobby; then, it’s straight outside to the blue-sky-meets-Pacific-Ocean panorama. What's the story?Two local hoteliers bought this crumbling pile and undertook an extreme makeover to bring the Cape Cod structure in line with the expensive, barefoot-chic style of its SoCal surroundings, with interior designer Robert McKinley (who did Montauk’s Surf Lodge) working his magic. What can we expect in our room?White lacquered walls, exposed beams, and McKinley’s finds, like mid-century modern chairs, from the flea markets of Paris and Normandy. All are different. Some have bijou ocean-facing balconies, while two second-floor rooms, Mer and Ciel, are among the smallest yet have excellent blue views from the bed. Then there’s a Marantz turntable in lieu of a television set and a selection from the 550-strong vinyl collection in the living room. Beach Boys or Eagles feel particularly apt. How about the food and drink?The guests-only Saline showcases the skills of chef Leo Bongarra (formerly of L.A.’s Sunset Tower Hotel), who adds shaved truffles gratis to his seasonal Med-leaning dishes such as grilled scallops on celery root and parsnip purée, and serves chlorophyll water with edible flowers. Much has been made on social media of his cerulean sea algae spirulina ‘milk’ which tasted divine over ‘rawnola’ with coconut and cacao shavings. Sous chef Kuo makes a mean seafood salad at lunch with the catch of the day plus basil, mint, and other herbs from the rooftop garden. Anything to say about the service?It is uniformly impressive and seamless. It's very relaxed but guests are taken seriously. Who comes here?They are a bunch who looks beautiful in the California sunlight. Up with the sun, early morning hiking, then back for 9 a.m. yoga in the organic garden. You'll find them handling surfboards, kayaks, diving gear, and Linus bicycles, wearing Surf tees, no shoes, Celine slides for driving home in a convertible. What's the neighborhood scene like?This strip of coast is a laid-back bolthole for artists and surfers, with million-dollar beach shacks overlooking the Pacific. In-house ‘adventure guru’ George Vitolo will take guests up trails above Laguna, paddleboarding and sea lion-spotting at Shaw’s Cove, or to the best surf breaks at Rockpile Beach, for serious wave riders only. Between the surf shops in Laguna, find the best empanadas at The Stand Natural Foods and tacos at La Sirena Grill. And anything you'd change?A few more Moroccan rugs in the rooms upstairs might muffle other guests’ movements. Locals will wish they could dine anytime at Saline—but guests will love the exclusivity of it. Anything else they have that's helpful?The Road is a very impressive little paper in-room guide. It was unusually well written and full of valuable addresses and local secrets, such as Dartmoor Hike for its sublime blue views and reggae nights at The Dirty Bird a few miles down the highway. Is it worth it—and why?Yes—this is one of southern California’s most appealing beach towns, and the Joaquin is a true original." - Cynthia Rosenfeld

"Reopened on May 15 with limited reservations to allow for extra cleaning. Open-air layout helps with ventilation. Partners with Ecolab for a five-step sanitizing process using EPA-approved disinfectants." - Natalie Beauregard