Surf and Sand (resort) and Splashes (spa) in Laguna Beach

Surf and Sand (resort) and Splashes (spa) in Laguna Beach
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The Surf and Sand in Laguna Beach, California has achieved legendary appeal for those fortunate enough to have stayed there during its 55 years of operation. Located at 1555 South Coast Highway, it was built in 1948 as a beach side motor lodge with 26 rooms. Artists discovered Laguna Beach and over the years made it a premier vacation destination. Art galleries, the famous Sawdust Festival, the Laguna Playhouse, and the Master of the Arts Festival attract visitors from all over the world to this small, charming community nestled between Newport Beach and San Diego.

Driving into the creamy cocoa beige stucco entrance one is greeted by valet parking attendants. They set the tone by providing a warm welcome. The architecture is Mediterranean-style with a stunning DeWain Valentine water sculpture that was donated to owner James Colachis by the City of Laguna Beach. Owing to a recent two million dollar renovation the Surf and Sand looks brand new. The reservation area is light, airy, and open.

In 1992 internationally renowned interior designer James Northcutt refurbished the rooms and suites. Chairman Kathryn Colachis, a brilliant decorator in her own right, recently refreshed the property once more. The decor evokes memories of classic New England summer homes with bleached wood, muted pastels, and charming original seascape watercolors. Even the elevators have been painted with early 20th century seaside scenes that set a whimsical, relaxing tone. The lines are clean, the views, spectacular.

My daughter Lucy and I found our room to be a small slice of heaven. The room itself was beautifully appointed with a bedroom, sitting area, and behind the white plantation shutters and the sliding glass doors, a private balcony overlooking the vast blue Pacific Ocean. Down below, on the sand, Surf and Sand beach attendants catered to guests needs; setting up umbrellas; delivering chairs, and food and beverages while lifeguards watched over swimmers of all ages. Being August, the cool salt water was the perfect compliment to the hot sun. The waves are excellent for body surfing or using a boogie board while still being gentle enough for small children.

The Surf and Sand is situated on 500 feet of beachfront. Flanked by multimillion-dollar private homes, and bordered by rock formations that form natural barriers, the property provides a sense of privacy and security. If walking the coastline is your fancy, scaling the rock abutments at low tide is still easy to do.

It is also very tempting to sit outside on your balcony and relax. There is a fully stocked Honor Bar, and room service. Ben and Jerry's old-fashioned sundaes and ice cream can be scooped at your doorstep between 7 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Two thick white cotton Frette robes and Surf and Sand slippers were in our closet. In the bathroom, a half clamshell was filled with Aveda products, soaps and bath salts that revitalize, and lotions that soothe. Attached to the travertine marble wall was a hairdryer. The only thing that I did not find was a coffee pot. The Honor Bar has everything from a split of French champagne for $37.50 to a miniature bottle of Ketel One vodka for $6.50. There are more than a dozen tiny bottles of liquor from which to choose. The refrigerator has beer, wine, and goodies.

It is now 6:10 p.m. and from the balcony I watch three teenaged boys fishing in the surf to the left of the hotel. The waning sun casts a wide sheath of shimmer across the blue water. Stories of Pacific Ocen pollution don't seem relevant when I can look down from my sixth floor balcony and see the translucent bluish green below. In the distance, the occasional boat speeds past. In the evening the maid appears to turn the thick white quilted bedspread down. She places a couple of delicious Belgian chocolates near the pillow along with a hanging card that can be marked for breakfast. Cleverly the Surf and Sand makes room service as easy as checking off items, along with the time you wish them to be delivered, and hanging it on the outside of your door. Sometime during the night someone will collect it, and "voila", breakfast arrives at the appointed hour. The king size bed in our room is the ultimate in comfort. In fact, everything in the room lends itself to making us feel at home.

The Surf and Sand is privately owned by James and Kathryn Colachis, a couple dedicated to solidifying the resort's reputation as a first class, casually elegant destination. It is the perfect setting for couples seeking a romantic interlude, families looking for a place that will satisfy young and old; business conferences, and social functions. This year the Surf and Sand partnered with Stepping Stones Child Development Center to offer professionally organized half-day camps for children ages 4 to 12. Drop-in care during selected times is $10 per hour, with evening sessions Tuesday, Friday and Saturday at $35 per session.

John Gates, assistant General Manager, took my daughter and me on a tour of the modernized, expanded hotel. "Each of the 165 rooms and suites," Gates explained, "has a view of the water. There are no bad rooms." He led the way to one of the thirteen suites with a starting rate of $1,100 per day. The suite was a larger version of the regular rooms. There was a balcony with a comfortable living room, a private bedroom, with the addition of a second bathroom. Blushing beige travertine marble makes the bathrooms throughout the property elegant yet comfortable. Custom woven sisal rugs, linen ecru fabrics with pale blue and green stripes, and custom fabricated matchstick lamps with a patina finish are standard features in rooms as well as suites.

Tan Fans Stop HereClimbing a few stairs we arrived at the brick courtyard, a popular setting for weddings, charity events, and private parties. "We do very little advertising," John Gates tells us, explaining that the Surf and Sand has become a yearly visit for many guests. "Some book a year in advance. They make their reservations for next year when they're leaving." He emphasized that it's best to book two to three weeks in advance during the summer months. Special rates are offered occasionally.

Citrus trees line the entryway to the new Aquaterra spa, built, according to our tour guide at the site of the original motorlodge. All four of the Surf and Sand buildings share the same Mediterranean-style architecture, and one would never know that they had been built and rebuilt over the years. Flower-lined walkways lead to the new spa reception area where a signature scent wafts through the pungent sea air. The Aquaterra Spa has specially formulated its own cr