SURF & SAND LAGUNA BEACH

Surf & Sand is one of the few Laguna Beach hotels that lands you directly on the sand. But the address is just the icebreaker: 165 redesigned rooms and suites, tiered by how much ocean you want, with the roomiest oceanfront studios stretching to 550 square feet and a deep soaking tub angled straight at the Pacific. Standard rooms open around $600 a night, oceanfront categories run past $1,000 in peak season.

WHERE: Laguna Beach, California.

WHY WE WANT TO BOOK IT: Five hundred feet of private beach right on Coast Highway, oceanfront balconies on every redesigned room, and downtown Laguna’s galleries, boutiques, and coastal trails just steps away. It’s a coastal wellness retreat that never tries too hard — laid-back, sun-bleached, waves doing most of the talking.

BEST TIME TO VISIT: Laguna Beach’s mild coastal climate keeps this a year-round destination. Whale watching in winter, tidepooling and paddleboarding in summer, sunset walks any time.

WHAT ROOM SHOULD I BOOK? Ask for one of the rooms with a private oceanfront balcony. This is a Laguna Beach resort — the ocean views are the whole point.

WHO WILL FEEL RIGHT AT HOME HERE? Couples on a romantic weekend, wellness seekers drawn to Aquaterra Spa’s oceanview couple’s suite, and beach lovers who want direct sand access without leaving the property. Serious space and land means serious programming: there are 20,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor venues.

WHAT ELSE IS CALLING MY NAME? Splashes Restaurant serves seasonal California coastal cuisine under a hand-blown Chihuly chandelier with ocean views the whole way through. Bella Vista Terrace is the spot for fire pits and sunset cocktails, and the resort’s art collection — including works by Chihuly, Ran Ortner, and Eric Zener — is worth a slow walk through the lobby.

WHAT ABOUT THE RATES? Rates vary widely by season and room type. As if July 2026, expect standard rooms somewhere in the $600–700 range per night, with oceanfront rooms and suites running well past $1,000 in peak season, plus the daily resort fee. Check the resort’s website for the best and most updated pricing.

Surf & Sand Laguna Beach 

1555 South Coast Highway, Laguna Beach, CA 92651  |  (888) 579-8544

Book directly for the best rates and promotions: surfandsandresort.com

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW 

Do the rooms have private balconies with panoramic ocean views?

All 165 rooms and suites have a private balcony. Categories from the Oceanfront King up to the Premium Oceanfront studios (500–550 sq ft) each have expansive glass doors that turn the room and balcony into one continuous view of the Pacific. Poolview and Resort View rooms look out over the pool and grounds as well as the water. The Two Bedroom Oceanview Presidential Suite (1,110 sq ft) has two king bedrooms, each with its own en-suite bath and balcony

How close to the sand?

Very. 500 feet of private beach along South Coast Highway, directly on the water rather than across the road from it.

What makes the rooms feel considered rather than standard beach-hotel issue?

The details do the work: Italian stone walls in the bathrooms, polished stone vanities, porcelain tile, backlit mirrors.

Is this a good pick for a couple’s weekend?

It’s built with that in mind. Aquaterra Spa has an ocean-view treatment room designed for two, Bella Vista Terrace keeps fire pits going through sunset, and dinner at Splashes happens under a hand-blown Chihuly chandelier.

Is this the part of Laguna Beach to base yourself for a longer stay?

We say yes. The oceanfront stretch of South Coast Highway, where the beach is the property’s front yard and downtown Laguna’s shops and galleries are a short walk. Pool, 24-hour fitness center, and a full spa menu round out enough to fill several days without needing to leave.