The Hidden Laguna
Once saved for locals, summer vacationers are getting hip to cottage rentals
When Joan Crawford sought beachside sanctuary in her Hollywood heyday, Manzanita Cottages at Laguna Beach always topped her list. It had all the amenities a glam girl could need – privacy, luxury and exclusivity thanks to its hidden location. Since revamped, the cottages are still renting, but you no longer have to be Hollywood royalty to stay.
Skip the luxury five-star hotels to experience the hidden Laguna that many visitors miss: way from the bustling PCH strip and downtown art galleries is a maze of quiet leafy streets – and secret summer rentals that include historic cottage properties.
Specialising in high-end, hard-to-find getaways, onlyinlaguna.com’s Danielle Purcelle is fielding more and more requests from clients seeking a unique holiday experience where price is no object. Forget $500 a night suites, Purcell recently rented a $40,000 a month house on Victoria Beach to an L.A. family.
“We get people from Las Vegas, Palm Springs and Arizona, but more and more people are coming from L.A.,” Purcell says. Like the cast of Frasier, who frequently rent the $8,000 a month waterfront two-bedroom cottage decorated in authentic surf kitsch style (the owner is a high level surf industry exec with a huge collection of memorabilia). Its lower level is rented out by a Hollywood hotshot (no names, please), though Purcell says he rarely occupies the space. Then there’s the four-bedroom cottage available to rent at $50,000 per month. It has its own movie theatre with popcorn – “the best set up I’ve ever send,” Purcell says – and swimming pool. Fashion Island’s recent brochure shoots.
If luxury beach houses aren’t your thing, Laguna is also home to select rental cottages offering some of the services of a boutique hotel while still retaining the quaint charm for which Laguna cottages are known.
Manzanita Cottages was built in 1897 by film producer Harry Greene as a place for his famous friends to enjoy a private getaway. Though recently renovated, none of the charm of the ‘30s has been lost; the cosy rooms with fireplaces and post-and-beam ceilings suit guests just fine. Authentic gardens hide this enclave of three cottages and a studio – no one would know that Laguna Beach High School is just around the corner. One New York couple loved it so much they’re jetting back in September to hold their wedding on the cottage grounds.
In North Laguna, another hidden cottage awaits. Arabella Laguna has seven guest suites, circa 1920, nestled among overgrown gardens. Over-stuffed day beds are the perfect spot for an afternoon nap, and gardens make for an intimate picnic. Given the sounds of silence you’d never guess you were on the PCH (and to think, even many Laguna locals are unaware of its existence). “We get a lot of people from overseas staying here,” says owner Connie Maxsenti. “It’s a way to experience the real Laguna.”