Need to know
Rooms
20, including two suites.
Check–Out
11am. Earliest check-in, 3pm. Those waiting around can use the roof deck (a privilege only guests are afforded) or use the facilities.
More details
Some rates include breakfast, and all include surfboard hire.
Also
For pre-trip psyching or post-trip reminiscing, the hotel has curated a playlist to remind you of halcyon Malibu days; find the link on their site. While you're here, be sure to order a picnic; there are two options, a casual beachy affair and a romance-laden feast, but both baskets bulge with goodies, including fresh-to-order bottled cocktails.
At the hotel
Roof-deck restaurant and bar, library and living room, lobby boutique, free-to-borrow custom surfboards by iconic longboard shaper McTavish Surf, wetsuits to rent, surfboard and wetsuit storage, heated outdoor shower and free WiFi throughout. In rooms: TV, minibar stashed full of local treats, bathrobes from Parachute Home, air-conditioning, free bottled water, umbrellas, beach towels and Grown Alchemist bath products.
Our favourite rooms
We have to doff our sun hats to the owners here: beautiful teak-wood flooring and bespoke beds, marble and stone made to age gracefully, hammocks woven by tribes in the Amazon, jute rugs and bougainvillea-draped balconies (for most rooms and suites) – plus some clever room reconfigurations that bestow ocean views and lots of light on all but the ground-floor rooms (which benefit from a terrace kept private by a barrier of native plants) – make each one a winner. So, you’ll feel at home wherever you stay, but maybe most at home in the Surfrider Suite, with its high ceilings; huge terrace; blue, blue views; and extra-mile accoutrements such as the cosy Parachute bathrobes, luxe Bellino linens and lush Grown Alchemist goodies in the bathroom. If you’re craving a Pacific panorama, then go for the room that namechecks it – from the bed in the Pacific Room all you can see is sky, water, surfers and Malibu Pier. And, note that the Ground Floor Back Room (aka the Surfer’s Hideout) isn’t sea-facing, but it’s ideal for those just looking to catch breaks and sip cocktails on the roof deck.
Spa
While there’s no spa, the hotel is committed to guests’ sense of wellness, so they’ve partnered up with a local masseuse to anoint you with oils infused with canyon-picked wildflowers and knead away any knots in the privacy of your room. And good vibrations come courtesy of bespoke sound baths and beach yoga sessions. And they’ve teamed up with a tried-and trusted local yoga instructor for classes.
Packing tips
The hotel’s a generous sort, so there’s no need to pack any surf gear, but maybe bring an extra suitcase for all the artisanal wares you’ll buy in the on-site boutique, such as Cali-scented candles, handmade ceramic to-go cups, hand-loomed beach towels, stress-relief tinctures, custom hammocks or rare-blend teas.
Also
There’s one wheelchair-accessible room on the ground floor by the lobby, there’s an elevator and public spaces are easily navigated. There's braille signage too. Party people, do so by day: rowdy night owls could be fined.
Children
While little ones can stay, this is a more adult space.
Sustainability efforts
All food is locally sourced, seasonal and organic – and occasionally biodynamic – as attested by the laundry list of high-quality, small-batch and indie suppliers the hotel works with. It’s even been deemed an ocean-friendly restaurant by the Surfrider Foundation (unrelated to the hotel, but named after the same beach). Plus, due to more disposable-container use during Covid, they’ve been busy planting trees for each guest staying and single-use plastics have been eliminated.