Southern Cal...hotel on beach?

[smilequeen]

We are probably going to make a trip to Southern California this summer and we'd like to stay sort of between LA and San Diego so that we can take the kids to Legoland and Disneyland. We would prefer to stay in a nice hotel on the beach (or within walking distance). Any suggestions?

We were looking at this one, but totally up for other suggestions. Don't mind spending that much, but if there is a nice place that is a little less expensive that would be awesome.
http://www.montagelagunabeach.com/

[twindad]

Do you want to stay in a hotel or are you open to renting a condo? We used vrbo.com and vacationrentals.com to find a great condo in Encinitas that we rented 2 summers ago. We could walk to the beach easily and it was not crowded. We loved the flexibility of eating in when we wanted to (take-out, simple meals from Trader Joe's, and we even grilled fresh fish one night).

[TwinFoxes]

The Hotel del Coronado is a historic hotel right on the beach of Coronado Island (San Diego). It is where the movie "Some Like it Hot" was filmed. It's gorgeous in a grand hotel sort of way. In Santa Monica (Los Angeles) there's a small hotel across the street from the beach called the Georges that friends enjoyed. It's small and older, but modernized.

What's your style of hotel?

ETA: oops! I missed the part where you wanted to stay between LA and SD. Sorry!

[mackmama]

The Ritz in Laguna Niguel is very nice, albeit $$$.

[smilequeen]

We could go for San Diego too, but not wanting to go farther north in LA. It's only for 2-3 nights so a hotel is probably our best bet. I'm going to have DH look at the Coronado too...that could be fun. Our photographer here is going to be in Orange County at the same time and offered to do pictures on the beach, so OC is ideal, but we could drive up.

[Dcclerk]

The Montage is an amazing hotel. I don't know if they are very family-friendly, but it is gorgeous. (It very well may be, like the Four Seasons, I just don't know.) My family LOVES the Del, but San Diego (and specifically Coronado) is pretty far away from the OC. The Ritz is also nice, but I don't think of it as particularly family-friendly. We have friends who stay at the St. Regis in Monarch Bay pretty regularly and they always bring their kids, who love it. It is not directly on the beach, but has beach access.

[jbbhb]

The Montage is an amazing hotel. I don't know if they are very family-friendly, but it is gorgeous.

:yeahthat: This is exactly what I was thinking, I feel the same about the St Regis- beautiful, but maybe not the best for kids.

I would check out both the Hyatt and Hilton in Huntington Beach. I know the Hyatt has a lot of stuff for kids and an awesome pool with slides etc. They also have a bridge over to the beach so you don't have to cross PCH.

http://huntingtonbeach.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/activities/onsite/details.jsp?onsiteActId=21432711&offsiteActId=21432711

http://www1.hilton.com/en_US/hi/hotel/HUBWHHF-The-Waterfront-Beach-Resort-a-Hilton-Hotel-California/index.do

[smilequeen]

Oh, thanks :) The Hyatt looks pretty cool too and easy access to the beach :) I might be overestimating the beach though. When I talked to DS1 about going to Legoland again and to the beach he was more interested in Legoland and making sure there was a pool :)

[Dcclerk]

We are probably going to make a trip to Southern California this summer and we'd like to stay sort of between LA and San Diego so that we can take the kids to Legoland and Disneyland. /[/url]

I've been thinking of about this more, and I think in your shoes, I would just stay at a hotel close by both attractions. For example, at Disneyland, if you stay at one of the Disney resorts, you can get in an hour early on several of the days. I was there last week, and it was CROWDED. I suspect that you may still have spring break crowds when you are there, and an extra hour early would help a lot. You could go on the most popular rides before everyone else is there, and then go to the pool in the afternoon if you wanted.

We've been to the Howard Johnson (no early entry but a lot cheaper and really close; great pool area for kids), Disneyland Hotel, and the Paradise Pier. My kids loved them all. Me, I'd rather stay at the Grand Californian (my DS's request for his birthday), and given the other hotels you were looking at, I suspect you would too.

My kids think that the pool at Paradise Pier is the best-- actually the waterslide; which I think is decently fun, and the pool itself is much warmer than the ones at the Disneyland Hotel and Howard Johnson. It's funny, because it is nothing to look at, but if your kids like the waterslides, it is the best. The lobby at the Grand Californian is spectacular, and their grounds are the nicest. The old wing at the Disneyland Hotel is a Motel 6 with mouse ears, so work hard to get the refurbished rooms if you can.

I haven't stayed near Legoland, but I think the Grand Hyatt (which used to be a Four Seasons) isn't too far, and is very nice. Also, there is a water park at Legoland. If it is open, the draw of a good pool is less important at Legoland.

If you are looking at hotels by the beach in the OC, none are close to Disneyland OR Legoland, so you are going to have to drive a decent amount to either attraction. If your kids are more interested in the attraction, rather than the beach, I would go a lot closer to the attraction.

[Tondi G]

Oh, thanks :) The Hyatt looks pretty cool too and easy access to the beach :) I might be overestimating the beach though. When I talked to DS1 about going to Legoland again and to the beach he was more interested in Legoland and making sure there was a pool :)

If the Hyatt in Huntington Beach is anything like the one in Mission Bay in San Diego then you will enjoy it and so will your kiddo. The SD Hyatt has 3 water slides, my boys don't want to stay anywhere else when we go to San Diego and could happily spend an entire day in the pool! My Dh found out he is supposed to working crazy while the boys are on their summer vacation so we probably will not be doing a longer vacation this time around. He promised the boys at least a 4 day trip down to San Diego though. I was looking at the Del and thinking it would be nice to be on the beach and both of my boys said "the beach is ok but we want waterslides". For them a cool pool is more exciting and important than the beach.

Another resort to look at down by Legoland is La Costa Spa and resort... they have a sandy beach pool and waterslide

http://www.lacosta.com/pools-slides.aspx

If you decide to split your time I highly recommend the Disneyland hotel (although they are renovating so check and make sure the neverland pool will be open during your stay) and ask for the new renovated rooms (we've stayed in one and they are lovely!!!). Then move down to a hotel closer to San Diego/Carlsbad!

[jenrub]

I like the Ritz in Laguna Niguel but if you want something that's right on the beach, I suggest the Hyatt at Huntington Beach. Since you mentioned you're going to Legoland and Disneyland and would like to stay close to both or either places, I would suggest Park Hyatt Aviara which is in Carlsbad where Legoland is at. I've never stayed at this place since I've only come across it recently but it seems like it would be somewhere I'd like to stay rather than staying close to Disneyland. Carlsbad also has an outlet that's nice and it's a more relaxing area than Anaheim where Disneyland is since it has a more city feeling. If you do decide on staying close to Disneyland though, like someone suggested here the Grand Californian is a nice hotel.

http://parkaviara.hyatt.com/hyatt/hotels/index.jsp?extCorporateId=