The Creature from the Inn at Laguna (Laguna Beach, CA)
June 15, 2011
I’ve been here before, but this time I plussed it up and spent way too much to see how well the Inn at Laguna can perform. Admirably well, but well enough? Hmm. The Inn at Laguna wants to be all shishi and upscale but somehow falls spectacularly short. The makings are all here—the pacific ocean, palm trees, sun, sand, babes in bikinis, and yet the property (though not shabby) lacks a certain something. Maybe it’s the plastic showers?!
My meetings are really not this far south from LAX, but who’s asking? Laguna is a quirky, quasi-artsy town with just a few too many wannabe hippies and skate rats hanging out with the tourists. If you twiddled the California dial between the LA and San Diego settings, you would likely dial in Laguna. Plenty of touristy shopping and a very good local bookstore that is sadly closing in August 2011. I think Laguna is heading in the wrong direction…like Britney Spears or politics in the United States.
Room 514 is a special room, probably the best one on the property. However, it is severely overpriced and slightly under decorated. Plus the fees (resort, popcorn, parking). Just give the the price straight please…do not nickel and dime me to smithereens.
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The Inn at Laguna remains pegged at four shower heads, not because of their showers, but rather due to their environs. I’m hoping to find somewhere even cooler to stay down here. Here is why to stay in Laguna in the first place. Introducing…drumroll…the Pacific Ocean.
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For dinner, I went a mile south to French 75 which is not awful but is basically overpriced and avoidable. Upon arrival, I ordered a French 75 (the drink from 1915) and had to let the bartender and wait staff know how it is made. It is never a good sign when the namesake drink is unknown. There were a couple of guitarists playing hits from the early ’90s. Youch. Food? Acceptable. Not going back.
For you budding mixologists, the French 75 Cocktail has many different variations. This is not at all surprising considering that the drink has been around in one form or another since 1915. Here’s the one I like.
French 75
1 oz. gin (Hendricks is what I call for)
.5 oz lemon juice
teaspoon of simple syrup
mix in the bottom of a champagne flute, add champagne to fill and garnish with a twist of lemon and a cherry.
Inn at Laguna Beach = “LA” in high style
March 3, 2011
Fortunately I was able to escape the Rancho in San Diego for a meeting up north in LA. I stopped halfway to spend the night in the Inn at Laguna Beach. As I type this entry I can hear (and see when I look up) the Pacific waves roll in.
I can tell I am getting way closer to LA than San Diego because the front staff girls (nichole and nikki) were just as awful as the surfer boy (pat) parking attendent was great. I was supposed to have a suite to get some work done in…but wires were crossed and no suite for me (and a low floor to boot). But I am almost over that now. We’ll see what happens tomorrow.
My room, though small, overlooks the ocean. But first, the bathroom. Nothing fancy here. Lots of mirrors and nondescript ugly tiles.
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The all important mirror effect makes the anteroom/bathroom seem bigger than tiny.
But…wait for it…the coup de grace is when you look up.
For all its too low non-suiteness, room 203 simply does not suck. I wonder how good this hotel could be if my travel people did the right thing?
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If the front desk staff were less LA and the room I requested were what I got (that’s two counterfactuals in one for those of you counting!), the Inn at Laguna may get better than four showerheads. An upgrade will have to wait for next time.
Georgian Hotel, Santa Monica
February 5, 2010
I’m supposed to be home now, but instead I am in Santa Monica. The snow storm of the century is busy dumping lots of snow back home. In fact, all flights to Dulles from California were canceled (two days running). The United computer chose to reroute me (for a third time) through LA, so I decided to come down a day early from San Francisco.
Luckily, there’s a great old hotel called the Georgian Hotel right on Ocean. I’ve stayed here before for various meetings and I knew I could get a beautiful room with an ocean view while I wait for the storm to disperse back home.
On to business…here is a view of the bathroom. Not much of a shower, really, but it fits the spacious 4 room suite gestalt. Note the rubber duckie.
Here is a view of room. The ocean is out there somewhere past all the raindrops.
This is a five showerhead kind of a place. If you have to be stuck in California, it might as well be here.
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