Once again breaking records for the hottest summer on record, if you’re anywhere other than under Karl’s protection in San Francisco this season, you’re probably dying for a beach vacation right about now.
But you don’t have to fly to Hawaii or Mexico for a taste of seaside luxury. Over the last year, Monterey Bay has welcomed a whopping five new or totally revamped properties that are perfect for a quick coastal escape.
From last month’s debut of The Sanctuary Beach Resort to the stylish new Stilwell Hotel in charming Carmel-by-the-Sea, these stays on Monterey Bay are your Rx for summer fun.
The Sanctuary Beach Resort
(The Sanctuary Beach Resort)
This summer, one of the only beachfront properties on Monterey Bay unveiled a brand new chapter. The Pacific is literally right outside your door—close enough to hear the waves crashing at night, close enough to bury your toes in the sand—at The Sanctuary Beach Resort, a collection of 60 cottages, suites, and rooms on 19 acres of shoreline next door to the Marina Dunes Preserve.
New Orleans design firm Farouki Farouki cultivated a vibe of seaside sophistication in their redesign of the property’s interiors, with calming ocean tones and laidback new-bohemian accents. Each room has a fireplace and private patio or terrace that opens onto the beach where a bonfire lights up every night at sunset. At the onsite spa and fitness studio (and on the beach, too) Monterey Bay Moves delivers a range of yoga, meditation, and sound baths, while daily guided nature walks give guests a deeper appreciation for The Sanctuary’s unique coastal ecosystem.
The aroma of wood fire saturates the Salt Wood Kitchen & Oysterette, the hotel’s fantastic Central Coast–inspired seafood restaurant helmed by up-and-coming star, executive chef Nestor Marin. In a modern dining room combining aesthetics both beach-chic and industrial, at the nautical-inspired bar and lounge and on the outdoor patio, locally sourced ingredients are crafted into seafood-forward dishes like rich curried mussels, tangy cioppino, and addictive seaweed-infused sourdough. Salt Wood also takes care of breakfast, which you select the night before from a menu of classics, and is delivered to your door by picnic basket in the morning.
// Rates start around $439/night; 3295 Dunes Dr. (Marina), thesanctuarybeachresort.comStilwell Hotel
(Courtesy of @stilwellhotel)
This spring, storybook village Carmel-by-the-Sea welcomed a charming new downtown stay. Stilwell Hotel channels the region’s coastal climes with a soothing seaside palette inspired by sand and surf in each of its 42 rooms. In the courtyard, plush loungers are warmed by multiple firepits and restaurant Foray—a space adorned in reclaimed Monterey Cypress, local abalone shells, and gyotaku prints of local ingredients—is renowned for its sustainably minded Central Coast fare. // Rates start around $525/night; San Carlos St. at 5th Ave. (Carmel-by-the-Sea), larkhotels.com
La Playa Hotel
(Courtesy of @laplayaca)
A $20 million renovation recently restored Carmel’s “grand dame,” La Playa Hotel, to the beauty of her youth. They spared no expense to honor the 120-year-old heritage of the one-time salon and artist retreat, drawing out the property’s warmth and bohemian eccentricity with new custom furnishings, lighting, and flooring, adding spa-inspired baths, enhanced guest programming like Champagne breakfasts, and even carving out three new one-bedroom suites along the way. Bud’s, La Playa’s historic dark wood–paneled tavern, got a touch-up, too—just enough to return the intimate, moody space to its original glory. // Starting around $589/night; Camino Real at 8th Ave. (Carmel-by-the-Sea), laplayahotel.com
Carmel Beach Hotel
(Rick Pharoah)
Sister to l’Auberge Carmel, Carmel Beach Hotel has all the luxury of its sibling in a boutique package. Sweet Carmel-by-the-Sea’s closest thing to a beachfront property (it’s just a block from the shore), the hotel’s 26 rooms and suites span seven historic bungalows and are decked out with soaking tubs and sweeping views. Only overnight guests have the privilege of indulging in Michelin-starred chef Justin Cogley’s artistry at the all-day restaurant Secoya or packed into a picnic basket for proper beach-going, and there are an array of restorative treatments at the intimate on-site spa. // Rates start around $481/night; San Antonio Ave. at 13th St. (Carmel-by-the-Sea), carmelbeachhotel.com
Le Petit Pali
(Courtesy of @palisociety)
Celebrating their first birthday this summer, the Palisociety’s twin Carmel outposts drip with bespoke design details and vintage-inspired style. At its locations on Ocean Avenue and on Eighth Avenue, Le Petit Pali evokes the charm of the old-school inn, with complimentary Champagne breakfasts, bath amenities from Diptyque, nightly hot water bottle service, and bicycles for tooling around town. A rotating menu of small bites and drinks hail from village favorites like Stationaery, Chez Noir, and Folktale Winery. // Rates start around $323/night; Junipero St. at Ocean Ave. and Junipero Street at Eighth Ave. (Carmel-by-the-Sea), lepetitpali.com
