Summer in California is beautiful! Driving up the coast on Hwy 1, can take you from gorgeous blue sky and deep blue waters to typical coastal fog and cool temperatures in a matter of miles. There’s nothing like taking in a new city and it’s surroundings but having a lovely hotel room overlooking the ocean to come home to! 40 miles north of Santa Cruz you’ll find Half Moon Bay, a close knit community known for the hottest surfing in California and some wonderful local wineries. If you’re in the area, you must stay at the cozy little boutique inn, the Beach House Hotel.
With 54 rooms, this hotel sits atop a bluff above Pillar Point Harbor’s jetty, with the grand Pacific Ocean just beyond. Whether you are planning a romantic getaway or a family trip, the Beach House Hotel is so worth every penny. With 75% of the rooms offering ocean views and complimentary parking, you really can’t go wrong staying for a night or two.
Upon arrival, you are greeted by the warmest of employees. A huge thanks to Leigh Hurley for checking us in and granting a little girl’s dream…my 4 year old a gift bag chock full of stickers, jump rope, beach toys, and more. They treat even their youngest guests with class!
Rooms Our ocean view room was gorgeous. Upon walking through the door, you see the harbor and it immediately makes you exhale with relaxation. There is a king bed just past the bathroom with a desk area and separate television. I love how it’s separated from the main area of the room, but there are no walls, keeping an open feeling. The bed was supreme with the goose down comforter.
Take a few steps down and you are in the living area with stovetop, fridge, microwave sink, cabinets with dishes, glassware and utensils. All the makings to eat in if you are so inclined. To the right is the couches, chairs, fireplace, and another television. The couch pulls out to a queen bed for our two smaller children, making it perfect for our family of five. My oldest claims to just need a blanket and a pillow and the floor is her favorite spot-extra blankets and pillows were found in the closet! Each room includes a patio or balcony with two outdoor chairs and small table, perfect to enjoy a glass of wine in the evening, or your morning coffee!
It may sound strange, but I love a wonderful hotel bathroom. When the kids are asleep, I enjoy a long shower and I was overjoyed when I saw the shower head by Kohler! It’s like rain indoors! You better believe I used those fabulous Aveda bath amenities in the stand-alone shower. Also included in the bathroom was a separate bathtub and dual sinks in granite countertops!
Being in social media, I need to be connected, and the hotel offers complimentary high speed wireless internet access, which is always a pleasure!
Pool/Jacuzzi
The pool and jacuzzi at the Beach House Hotel both overlook the ocean and the area surrounding is manicured to perfection. Despite our foggy day, you can enjoy your lunch out on the patio and follow up with a dip. The pool was heated and felt good on the cool 54 degree day. It’s not a diving pool 4.5ft at it’s deepest, but perfect for my 3 young kids (11, 9, and 4) to splash around in. If you want to warm up even further, the jacuzzi is large and feels better than a bath! After a day at the beach on the day of check-out we wanted to come back for a quick warm up, but the jacuzzi was shut down for draining and cleaning. We did notice sand in it the day before, so it’s great to know that they take great care to keep it looking clean.
Continental Breakfast: I love looking forward to breakfast in the morning and that first cup of coffee. We walked down to the lobby and enjoyed a wonderful display of bagels, coffee cakes, fruit, muffins, juices, and coffee. Even better, trays to take your meal back up to your room to enjoy on the balcony!!
Things to Do/Places to Eat:
If you are new to the area, inside your hotel guide on the desk you’ll find 20 Things to Do In Half Moon Bay. After breakfast, my husband took the kids on a quick round-trip to San Francisco! In 25 minutes, it’s amazing how you can be in the city if you want to explore something like the Golden Gate Bridge! Also upon check-in we were given a list of mostly family-friendly restaurants in the area for our meals. Luckily one was right next door, Sam’s Chowder House, literally through the parking lot and about 50 yards later we found a spot that had a great kid’s menu, wonderful happy hour deals at the bar, and delicious chowder and sourdough french bread!!
More: A few things that we didn’t partake in were the Meeting Rooms for conferences and such, Spa Services and the wine/cheese reception on Friday and Saturday evenings. I love hotels that offer both those things, and it’s more incentive for us to come back another time, and perhaps for a romantic weekend.
Check out the summer rates here, http://www.beach-house.com/half_moon_bay_rates.html Our trip up the coast was so worth the time spent in Half Moon Bay. We could only improve the trip by staying longer or seeing the sun, both things out of our immediate control. The staff was amazing, making sure we had what we needed at all times. If you want to be treated in style and stay at a high class hotel but feel at home, visit Beach House Hotel, chances are you’ll plan your second trip while still on your first!
Our visit was compensated in exchange for an honest, thorough review. The opinions our tried-and-true experience and were not influenced by any source. Many thanks to the staff at Beach House Hotel and Marje Bennetts.
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