Why guide?
This is the resort Santa Cruz has been eager for. Cosmopolitan with a sprinkle of upscale coastal bliss, La Bahia Hotel & Spa provides a brand new perspective on a weekend getaway to a seaside city lengthy recognized (and beloved) for its bohemian vibes.
Set the scene
The Spanish Mediterranean façade and meticulously laid brick herringbone driveway feels good for its iconic beachfront location; it additionally retains what’s ready inside a pleasant shock. When you step within the foyer, it feels a bit extra like a house—okay, palatial property—than a resort. La Bahia’s muse and inspiration is a well-traveled woman affectionately known as Aunt Elva. As you discover, you’ll glimpse all of the paintings, trinkets, and tchotchkes she collected from all over the world and introduced again to her mansion in Santa Cruz. There’s every little thing from Italian marble on the bar high to dangling Moroccan pendant lamps and fragile Asian vases. Calvin and Hobbes followers (who isn’t?) will need to peruse the gathering of espresso desk books. At first look, the scene is unusually eclectic, however the extra you dig in, the extra cohesive and comforting it feels.
With black and white striped chaise loungers, sunny yellow and white umbrellas, and vibrant pink towels, the pool space offers off legendary European beach club vibes. Servers ship palomas and Aperol Spritzes bejeweled with La Bahia branded cocktail umbrellas. Primo views of the surf, cabanas, hearth pits, and an infinity sizzling tub, present much more causes to linger longer.
I spent two nights at La Bahia Hotel & Spa lower than per week after the property welcomed its first in a single day visitors. While La Bahia has the potential to place Santa Cruz on the map for the discerning traveler, throughout my go to, it was clear there have been numerous locals checking the property out, sipping cocktails within the foyer, and eating on the pair of patios overlooking the ocean.
The backstory
The resort constructing could also be new, however its roots date again practically a century to when architect and UC Berkeley professor William C. Hays designed a neighborhood of oceanfront residences and a resort. Thanks to its Spanish Mediterranean design, putting bell tower, and enviable beachfront location steps from the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, it turned a metropolis landmark. In the early Nineteen Forties, the United States Navy used the resort and residences as a convalescent hospital for wounded troops. After the warfare, the property was bought plenty of occasions all through the a long time and misplaced its luster. A developer from Chicago pursued the development of a brand new resort on the website, however backed out earlier than securing all the needed approvals. That’s when Ensemble Hospitality, proprietor of close by Dream Inn, stepped in and introduced the plan for Santa Cruz’s first luxurious resort to fruition.
The rooms
The 155 visitor rooms and suites bubble with persona and a cheery magnificence. Just just like the foyer and different public areas, they function a refreshing mash-up of shade and design components. There are greater than two dozen room varieties to select from, however the majority function an ocean view. I stayed within the spacious, 757-square-foot Cowell Suite with a trio of outside balconies, the most important of which appeared straight on the glowing Pacific and was outfitted with a fuel hearth pit, comfortable furnishings, and a eating space. There are smile-inducing touches round each nook, however the headboard portraying Santa Cruz in a dreamscape (floating ship included) is a signature piece in all lodging. The vibrant floral wallpaper and bone inlay mirror mixture within the half bathtub is a showstopper. (In a time the place all too many resort loos are beige and boring, it’s a splashy scheme that may encourage you to take a threat whenever you redecorate at residence.) A couple of different pearls present in all lodging: hand-carved rest room vanities, wooden beaded tassels that function do-not-disturb indicators, and bed room slippers that you simply’ll really need to take residence. (Staff hope you are taking them too.)
Food and drink
From regionally caught fish to strawberries and artichokes plucked from close by fields, the property’s signature restaurant High Tide and informal counterpart, Low Tide Bar & Grill, each take full benefit of the bounty of their yard. While the latter serves an all-day menu that focuses on artisan pizzas and sharables similar to surf tacos (utilizing regionally made tortillas), the dinner menu at High Tide skews Pacific Rim. Creative standouts for me included the vegetarian spring rolls with daikon, carrots, and a pineapple black bean sauce, miso-glazed butterfish atop forbidden rice, and an agnolotti with chili oil and cotija. I ordered from an a la carte menu, however a prix fixe providing is claimed to be within the works. The foyer bar, Pearl serves a enjoyable lineup of craft cocktails. Ask for the Soda & Popcorn, a glamorous twist on a rum and Coke with brandy, rum, Tempus Fugit Crème de Banane, lime, and Mexican Coca Cola topped with caramel popcorn. Plunge bar and eatery sustains visitors who can’t bear the considered leaving the pool. Although the presentation longs for a glow-up, choices similar to a Niman Ranch Kobe burger, garlic parmesan-topped French fries, and catch of the day ceviche match the invoice.
The spa
Is considered one of a form. With 4 indoor and 4 outside therapy rooms, The Spa at La Bahia takes up a great chunk of the sixth flooring. Its rooftop Zen Deck dominates primo rooftop actual property, delivering arguably essentially the most mesmerizing ocean views on the property. Decompress whereas lounging in comfortable daybeds, swaying in hanging chairs, or basking in a sauna overlooking the ocean. All remedies, from physique scrubs and facials to massages, are impressed by the Monterey Bay ecosystem and marine atmosphere. I like to recommend the La Paz de La Bahia; it’s a full-body therapeutic massage, natural foot therapy, and facial all rolled into one 80-minute stretch of whole rest. Multi-instrumental sound baths with sound bowls, harp, harmonium, and extra are additionally an choice.
The neighborhood/space
The spirit of summer time lives year-round on this quirky seaside city, stated to be the birthplace of mainland browsing. La Bahia Hotel & Spa faces Main Beach, with the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk⎯the oldest amusement park in California⎯to the left and the Santa Cruz Wharf to the proper. It’s a 1.5-mile stroll (overlooking the ocean practically your entire stretch) to the Mark Abbott Memorial Lighthouse, the lighthouse illustrated on the headboards behind each mattress at La Bahia. The beloved landmark overlooks browsing hotspot Steamer Lane and is residence to the Santa Cruz Surfing Museum. For those that want to roll alongside the coast, the resort has two Lincoln autos (a Lincoln Navigator and hybrid Lincoln Nautilus) that visitors can take out for take a look at drives and to discover the realm.
Set on the northern shores of Monterey Bay, Santa Cruz is about 80 miles south of San Francisco. If you’re flying into Northern California, San Jose Mineta International Airport (SJC) is roughly a 30-mile drive and the closest main airport. It’s about double the gap to achieve San Francisco International Airport (SFO), however you would possibly discover extra flight availability.
The service
Attentive however by no means stuffy or formal. Staff are all smiles, comfortable to be welcoming visitors and prepared to go the additional mile to make your keep a memorable one. Beach butlers stake out sought-after spots within the sand for visitors, establishing retro-inspired reclining chairs, umbrellas, cooler baggage, and extra. From the microfiber fabric left by housekeeping alongside my sun shades, to the easy-release key ring the valet attendant added to my automotive key fob to the monogrammed pillows on my mattress (A playful contact for visitors staying in signature suites.), kudos to your entire resort workforce for taking note of seemingly little however significant particulars.
For households
Families are welcome. At check-in, younger visitors are invited to dive right into a treasure chest teeming with plush and colourful sea life stuffed animals. Kids’ menus can be found all through the property. That stated, I feel tweens and youths will doubtless have extra enjoyable reveling within the social media-friendly décor. Selfishly, I would go away little ones at residence and return with my husband or a gaggle of girlfriends.
Eco effort
While the resort is a brand new construct, the soon-to-be century-old bell tower was restored. (The bell rings once in a while to have fun milestones such because the resort’s ribbon chopping.) Clay roof tiles from the unique resort and residences have been eliminated and reused atop the brand new construction. Single-use plastics have been virtually completely eradicated from visitor rooms. Water is offered in recyclable aluminum bottles, and filtered water stations are conveniently positioned all through the property. The resort options 4 residing roofs.
Accessibility
La Bahia Hotel & Spa is ADA-compliant and strives to be accessible to all. Accommodations for visitors with mobility points, in addition to listening to and visible impairments, are unfold throughout varied room classes, together with suites.
Anything left to say?
Guest experiences are distinctive and sturdy. Surf fanatics can hit the waves for a lesson with Santa Cruz native and professional surfer, Richie Schmidt, then take residence a custom-made surfboard, whereas espresso lovers can go for a behind-the-scenes tour with close by specialty espresso firm Cat & Cloud. Sunset cruises and guided bike rides to Natural Bridges State Beach may also be organized.
La Bahia goes out of its solution to accomplice with its Santa Cruz neighbors. Shoppers who pop into the resort boutique (virtually hidden within the nook of the foyer steps from reception) will discover unique jewellery items by native maker Desert Moon Design and artisan chocolate by close by Ashby Confections. (La Bahia additionally has a enjoyable limited-edition journey bag collab with ALOHA Collection.)
Lastly, don’t neglect to easily loosen up and benefit from the views of the surf and sand. The sounds of barking sea lions within the distance. It’s Santa Cruz at its finest.