Our return to L.A. from the East Coast has been a long transition. After two months in temporary corporate housing, with three kids and lots and lots of house hunting, I felt like I needed a vacay… alone. (Sorry kids, I love you, but hot damn 800sq ft is not enough S P A C E ๐ณ.) ย So when I was invited by Visit Laguna to take a few days for myself at the Ranch Laguna Beach, I couldn’t have said “YES!” fast enough! A quick peek at The Ranch’s website, and I was smitten. A sustainably-minded, luxury resort with history, eco roots, and all the charm that only Laguna could offer… sign me up!
Related: The Pathway to Zen: A weekend of Wellness in Laguna Beach
** This stay was inย collaboration with Visit Laguna, but as always, all opinions are my own.**
The Ranch Laguna Beach
Just an hour south of LAX, the Ranch at Laguna Beach is this understated yet hella impressive, seaside resort that has received all sorts of accolades. The Ranch has been designated as one of the Unique Lodges of the World by National Geographic and was recently named a Top Resort Hotel in California by Travel + Leisure World’s Best (2019). But, despite being recognized for its greatness, it still manages to feel cozy amongst the canyons of Laguna Beach. The beach is a mere 350 yards away, but this place had more of a mountain vibe than a beach one, and I absolutely loved it.
Laguna Beach covers 7 miles of coastline and features 30 beaches and coves, so it is truly a beach lovers dream. The Ranch is positioned perfectly to explore the beach, take a hike, or simply zen out on the 87-acre property. The deer watching is top-notch. ๐
Check-In
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I took the scenic drive down the 405 to Laguna Beach, but if you’re not an L.A. local, its still less than 90 minutes from three different airports. John Wayne is closest but has a more limited flight schedule. A weekend here, among the Aliso and Wood Canyons, is about relaxation and feeling in tune with nature. And you realize just how vital both luxury and sustainability are at The Ranch almost immediately. The valet couldn’t have been more courteous, the front desk staff attentive, and even the room keys made me smile. The Ranch has swapped out plastic guest room keys with wooden and bamboo keys. This means fewer plastic room keys making their way into a landfill. I love it!
There are 97 rooms, all with luxury amenities, amazing views, and a private balcony or patio. I stayed in one of the Creekside Studio Suites, and I have to tell you, I was ready to move in. My suite had a king-sized bed, the plushest linens, and a beautiful sitting area with a pull-out couch — should you decide to visit with kids, this room would totally work. It also has a coffee bar with both Keurig & Nespressoย machines; pick your poison, but either way, you’ll want to enjoy it on the patio for the most beautiful sunrise.
Eat & Drink
Once you’re settled in, you can take your pick between two on resort restaurants and the Lost Pier, a barefoot beach cafe that can be charged to your room. On property, enjoy light bites atย Ben’s Pantryย or seriously indulge at Harvest;ย either way, you will be eating the best of what the season has to offer. I had dinner with the girls at Harvest, and it was ah-mazing. It turns outย Harvestย is one of the buzziest restaurants in the OC and is a favorite among locals.
Harvest
This restaurant marries local, seasonal, farm-to-table vibes with pure high street cuisine. I’m talking beautiful egg toast with Umi (sea urchin), the best wedge salad, fantastic entrees, and indulgent desserts. I had the Jidori chicken, which was tender and perfectly paired with a black garlic soubise and broccolini, but I also sampled a few other dishes and frankly, each one was just divine. I love that the ingredients (and seafood) are sustainably sourced. If you really want to see where it all came from, Farmer Leo is happy to take you on a tour of the ยฝ acre organic garden that is dedicated to seasonal specials at the restaurant and bar.
But it doesn’t just end with the food. The Ranch bar is pretty epic. I’m talking like the, “if I were local, this is where I’d be every Friday with friends,” kind of epic. The wine menu is robust and has tons of organic, biodynamic wines at the most reasonable restaurant prices I’ve found (exclusive partnerships mean the customer saves). The seasonal cocktails, of which I sampled quite a few, were also surprising, delicious, and also inspired by the local growing season. In the last few years, I’ve become a lightweight, but love it when the bar staff seems inspired to create, and you can definitely see that with the team at Harvest Bar.
What to do
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Golf. Hike. Hit the Beach. Hang by the Pool. Get a spa treatment. If you’re feeling it, you can probably do it at The Ranch. I’m not a Golf girl, but I saw plenty of people out hitting balls and getting lessons. Frankly, I loved the view. I got to do a Plein Airย art lesson above the course, and it was beautiful and meditative.
Despite being out and about in Laguna most of my time, I spent quite a bit of time in the Sycamore spa. First, my girl Lisaย (This Organic Girl) and I had a 30min massage, but that was just enough to leave me wanting more, so I went back the next day for a 60min deep tissue massage, and it was heaven. The spa is a beautiful reflection of the Coastal California vibe. The outdoor portion of the bungalow features an outdoor shower, sauna, and lounge area complete with water features. Indoors you’ll find showers complete with luxury amenities and eucalyptus mist to take your shower to the next left. I left feeling pampered.
More Sustainability Practices
I mean, this place does it all. But what really makes The Ranch at Laguna Beach stand out, is the many sustainability practices they incorporate. From the use of paper straws to their water system, The Ranch is committed to being the best stewards of the beautiful landscape they’ve inherited. And it’s not just me they’ve impressed. I mentioned they are a Nat Geo Unique Lodge of the World, this is an invitation-only membership offered to locations with a demonstrated commitment to sustainability, authenticity of the local experiences, and excellence of service and hospitality. And trust me, it’s totally deserved.
Here are a few more super cool practices that just wowed me:
- Ocean Friendly –ย Harvest restaurant was certified by Surfrider Foundation as Laguna Beachโs first โOcean Friendly Restaurantโ. The program offers restaurants an easy way to show their commitment to making sustainable choices for the ocean. This includes styrofoam and plastic elimination, and a robust recycling plan, among other criteria.
- Bottles to Bunkers – Every glass bottle on the property is crushed into sand and sifted to be repurposed to fill bunkers on the golf course, for pavement repairs, and filtration in the pool.
The Ranch at Laguna Beach is the first hospitality entity in North America to operate the GLSand glass-bottle crusher. This compact machine creates a sand-like product from glass bottles, reducing volume by 90%.
- Water Reclamation Projectย – Completed in 2015, this was a multi-year project to install a new system utilizing reclaimed water for irrigation of the resort grounds and the golf course. According to the South Coast Water District, this project will save over 21.2 million gallons of water annually.
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Clean The Worldย – Housekeeping at Ranch LB partners with Clean the World, to collect and recycle soap and hygiene products that are typically discarded every day by the hospitality industry. The Ranch’s excess toiletries and soaps are donated to this organization for distribution to impoverished people around the world. ๐
Relax and stay awhile
Ready to make a weekend (or a week) of it? I promise you won’t regret it. When I visited The Ranch with Visit Lagunaย in early Fall, I went all-in for a weekend of wellness in Laguna Beach, experiencing the most amazingly curated immersive wellness experience, the Pathway to Zen. If you want to get your Zen on too, be sure to check back for my full review.
But wait, there’s more! because sharing is caring.
Want to book a stay at The Ranch with the best available room rate, a waived resort fee, a day pass to the Sycamore Spa, and get an awesome Laguna Beach swag bag filled with locally made wellness products? Cool, I got you, girl/boy! Book your stay through this link OR use code WELLNESS. Also, with this code, if you book a spa treatment at the Sycamore, you get a complimentary 30-minute extension. Yup, if you book a 60min deep tissue massage they will happily upgrade it to 90mins of heaven!
Have you stayed at this or another Eco-Conscious Luxury Hotel? Leave your thoughts & recommendations below, ya girl is now on the hunt for my next little vacation!
Xo, Kimberly Fe'Lix
