The 3 Best Luxury Hotels in Laguna Beach
A Craftsman resort on the bluff, canyon cottages beside a golf course or a balcony right above the surf: our travel advisors personally match you with the luxury hotel in Laguna Beach that suits your trip. Every suitespot booking comes with free breakfast for 2, a room upgrade subject to availability, hotel credit and VIP service – benefits worth over €500.
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The best-known hotels in Laguna Beach
Bluff, canyon or beach? Here are the best hotels in Laguna Beach side by side: where they are, how they score with suitespot and what a night costs. Our advice: golfers and nature lovers stay at The Ranch at Laguna Beach in Aliso Canyon, while families and food lovers head to Montage Laguna Beach above Treasure Island Beach.
| Hotel | Location | suitespot score | Price from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach | Orange County | ★ 4.6/5 | 650 € |
| Montage Laguna Beach | Treasure Island | ★ 4.9/5 | 1225 € |
| The Ranch at Laguna Beach | Aliso Canyon | ★ 4.6/5 | 534 € |
Your guide to the best luxury hotels in Laguna Beach
Montage Laguna Beach · Treasure IslandFood lovers and families are in good hands at Montage Laguna Beach, high above Treasure Island Beach, with a kids’ club, three pools and two Michelin Keys. Golfers and nature lovers head inland to The Ranch at Laguna Beach in Aliso Canyon, home to a nine-hole course and a farm of its own. And if you’d like to fall asleep to the surf, book the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach near the village center, where dogs are welcome too.At no extra cost: booking through suitespot costs the same as booking direct with the hotel – the benefits come on top, free of charge.
Fresh looks and new openings: what the luxury hotels in Laguna Beach have in store for you now
Not a single space of the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach looks as it did before summer 2025. You check in at a new lobby, sleep in newly furnished rooms, book treatments in the new Aquaterra Spa and dine at Splashes beneath a glass sculpture by Chihuly; the pool and the Bella Vista Terrace have had a makeover as well.
Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach · Orange CountyUp at Montage Laguna Beach, the oceanfront restaurant has gone by the name Studio Mediterranean since 2025, pairing fish and seafood with wines from California, France and Greece. Around the Mosaic Pool, you now lounge on Italian ceramic tiles and in new cabanas, and since 2026 the patisserie Bouchée on the front drive has been selling pastries, chocolates and house-made gelato.
The Ranch at Laguna Beach is a young resort on old ground: guests have been checking in here since December 2016, in rooms styled like beach cottages by Tuvalu Home Designs.
These luxury hotels in Laguna Beach have a pool – above the surf, in the canyon and on the bluff
Every one of the three lets you swim under open skies, yet the pools could hardly differ more.
The Ranch at Laguna Beach · Aliso CanyonThree pools on the bluff: Montage Laguna Beach keeps its Mosaic Pool open to resort guests around the clock, complete with a whirlpool and cabanas; next door, children splash in a pool of their own with a play area. Grown-ups swim laps in the Spa Montage pool, with daybeds and nothing but the Pacific ahead.
Saltwater in the valley: The Ranch at Laguna Beach heats its saline pool twelve months a year. Beside it you’ll find a hot tub and the Palapa Pool Bar, which mixes drinks in season for hotel guests only; the pool is open from 6 am to 10 pm.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
Steps from the waves: The heated pool and hot tub of the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach sit so close to the water that you can watch the surfers between laps. From midday on, the Pool Bar brings cocktails and small plates.
Our tip for low tide
When the tide is out, follow the path from Montage Laguna Beach down to Treasure Island Beach: in the rock pools along the shore, sea creatures go about their day right in front of you.
Spa & wellness between bluff and canyon: how to unwind at a 5-star hotel in Laguna Beach
A spa like a resort of its own: Spa Montage at Montage Laguna Beach spreads across rooms indoors and under the open sky. There are eucalyptus and marble steam rooms, redwood saunas, a cold plunge and whirlpools in the sea breeze, plus fireside relaxation lounges, a salon and a movement studio; couples get a suite to themselves.
Boho in the canyon: House of Hudson Spa at The Ranch at Laguna Beach covers more than 3,000 square feet inside and out. Its massages, facials and holistic therapies take their cues from earth and sea, in the easygoing style Laguna is known for.
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
Treatments for two: Eight treatment rooms make up the Aquaterra Spa of the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, along with a room for couples that looks out to sea. Beyond massages and organic skin care, there’s yoga; anyone 16 or older may book, even without a room in the hotel.
Dining: how the luxury hotels in Laguna Beach cook – Mediterranean, farm-fresh and by the fire
Mediterranean and wood fire: At Montage Laguna Beach, Studio Mediterranean serves fish and seafood at dinner from Wednesday through Sunday, on an open-air terrace above the ocean; the dress code is smart casual. The Loft on the fourth floor stays open all day: a rotisserie about six feet long turns over the wood fire, and the produce comes from The Ecology Center, a regenerative farm.
From garden to plate: At The Ranch at Laguna Beach, Executive Chef Kyle St. John cooks at Harvest with whatever is growing on the resort’s own Harvest Farm, and the patio overlooks the canyon and the golf course. After dark, guests gather around seven fire pits on The Porch, with live music daily, while down on Aliso Beach the Lost Pier Cafe serves breakfast and lunch on the sand.
To the sound of the waves: Splashes, the restaurant of the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, cooks Californian dishes with local ingredients; Executive Chef Ron Fougeray offers a tasting menu, and the wine list has won awards. Thursday to Sunday, fire pits glow on the Bella Vista Terrace while musicians play.
Our tip for the evening
The Lobby Lounge of Montage Laguna Beach has live piano music every day and a view that sweeps far over the Pacific. In season, it’s also the place for afternoon tea.
Laguna Beach’s luxury hotels with history: an artists’ colony, a golf course and Michelin Keys
Travelers have been coming to the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach on Laguna’s shoreline since 1948. Painters and Hollywood names were among its early regulars, and in 2021 it joined Historic Hotels of America.
Montage Laguna Beach opened in 2003 on a bluff of about 30 acres above the sea, as the flagship of the then brand-new Montage Hotels & Resorts. It’s built in the Craftsman style, and its hallways show a collection of early California art that recalls Laguna Beach’s days as an artists’ colony.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
Golfers were already teeing off in Aliso Canyon back when the grounds belonged to the Aliso Creek Inn. Then a group of local investors around Laguna Beach resident Mark Christy bought the land and rebuilt it, and in December 2016 it reopened as The Ranch at Laguna Beach.
Awards: Montage Laguna Beach has earned two Michelin Keys, and the Forbes Travel Guide rates it with five stars. The Ranch at Laguna Beach carries the Forbes Travel Guide’s “Recommended” label.
Where to stay in Laguna Beach: by the village, on the bluff or in the canyon – the right spot for your 5-star hotel
Laguna Beach is a narrow town: squeezed between hills and sea, it follows South Coast Highway, where all three hotels have their address. Among the luxury hotels in Laguna Beach, what really sets them apart is how quickly you can stroll to the galleries and cafés downtown.
Near the village center: Some 500 feet of shoreline lie right in front of the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, and galleries and restaurants are only a few minutes away. Stay here if you like to walk to dinner.
- Breakfast for two, every day
- Room upgrade subject to availability
- Hotel credit, e.g. US$100
- Early check-in and late check-out
- VIP service and personal advice
- Points and status in the hotel programme
At no extra cost: you pay the same rate as booking direct with the hotel – the suitespot benefits come on top, free of charge.
South of the village, on the bluff: Montage Laguna Beach sits above Treasure Island Beach, a good ten-minute drive from downtown. A path winds down to the beach and its tide pools.
In Aliso Canyon: The Ranch at Laguna Beach lies inland in a valley, on 87 acres between fairways and hills; Aliso Beach is only about 350 yards away.
Insider tip from our travel advisors
Whichever 5-star hotel in Laguna Beach you choose, John Wayne Airport (SNA) is about 16 miles away: 30 to 45 minutes by car depending on traffic, while LAX takes roughly an hour. The concierge can book a private transfer, and our travel advisors will gladly time it to your flight.
What staying at a 5-star hotel in Laguna Beach costs – and which benefits are included
Rates begin at 533 € at The Ranch at Laguna Beach, climb to 649 € for the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach and reach 1224 € at Montage Laguna Beach. For today’s rates and open rooms, take a look at the hotel list below.
| Luxury hotel | From | suitespot benefits from | suitespot score |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ranch at Laguna Beach | 533 € | 1st night | ★ 4.6/5 |
| Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach | 649 € | 1st night | ★ 4.6/5 |
| Montage Laguna Beach | 1224 € | 1st night | ★ 4.9/5 |
Included at all three hotels: an upgrade on arrival and early check-in or late check-out, each subject to availability, plus a welcome gift. There’s no minimum stay.
Breakfast: At The Ranch at Laguna Beach, two people get a continental breakfast at Harvest every day. The Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach gives you a daily breakfast credit of $43 and Montage Laguna Beach one of $30, in each case for up to two guests.
Credit and resort fee: Montage Laguna Beach and the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach each add $100 in hotel credit. At The Ranch at Laguna Beach, it’s $75 for food, drinks and the golf course, and the resort fee is waived; book the Two Bedroom Cottage Suite or The Treehouse there for two nights or longer and another $100 for food and drinks is added, though not in combination with promotions.
Loyalty program: The luxury hotels in Laguna Beach belong to I Prefer, the rewards program of Preferred Hotels & Resorts. With Montage Laguna Beach and the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, points are credited and your status perks apply; for The Ranch at Laguna Beach, our travel advisors check the points credit before you book.
The best time to come: A 5-star hotel in Laguna Beach makes sense in any season. In summer, the Festival of Arts recreates famous paintings as living pictures at the Pageant of the Masters, and the beaches stay lively into the evening. Fall brings warm water and long views out to Catalina; during the winter months, gray whales migrate offshore, and low tide exposes the tide pools. Reserve early for summer weekends.
Ideal length: Three nights give you a day on the beach, a day for galleries and the canyon trails, and a day for the spa, golf or the pool.
The hotels in Laguna Beach at a glance
What sets the hotels in Laguna Beach apart – from their opening year to the spa:
| Hotel | Opened | Renovated | Pool | Spa | Forbes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach | 1948 | 2025 | ✓ | ✓ | |
| Montage Laguna Beach | 2003 | 2025 | ✓ | ✓ | 5 stars |
| The Ranch at Laguna Beach | 2016 | 2016 | ✓ | ✓ | Recommended |
Earn points & use your status in Laguna Beach
In Laguna Beach, collecting points means I Prefer, the loyalty program of Preferred Hotels. Because suitespot books the hotel’s direct rate, points and status nights go to your account, and your status perks come on top of the suitespot benefits.
| Program | Hotels | Examples in Laguna Beach |
|---|---|---|
| I Prefer | 3 hotels | Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, Montage Laguna Beach, The Ranch at Laguna Beach |
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Frequently asked questions about luxury hotels in Laguna Beach
What does a luxury hotel in Laguna Beach cost per night?
The Ranch at Laguna Beach starts at 533 €, the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach at 649 € and Montage Laguna Beach at 1224 €. None of the three asks for a minimum stay, and the suitespot benefits apply from the first night.
Which of the best hotels in Laguna Beach suits me?
Food lovers and families are happiest at Montage Laguna Beach, with two Michelin Keys, a kids’ club and three pools. Golfers and anyone who loves the outdoors stay at The Ranch at Laguna Beach. If you want sand and waves under your balcony, choose the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach. Our travel advisors are glad to talk it through with you personally.
Does Laguna Beach have a 5-star hotel with Michelin Keys?
Yes: the Forbes Travel Guide gives Montage Laguna Beach five stars, and the resort also holds two Michelin Keys. The Keys honor a hotel as a whole, while Michelin stars go to restaurants. The Ranch at Laguna Beach appears in the Forbes Travel Guide as “Recommended.”
Which luxury hotels in Laguna Beach have a pool?
All three. Montage Laguna Beach has the Mosaic Pool, a children’s pool and an adults-only pool by the spa. The Ranch at Laguna Beach warms its saltwater pool all year, and down by the ocean the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach offers a heated pool of its own.
Which luxury hotel in Laguna Beach has a spa with an ocean view?
At Spa Montage in Montage Laguna Beach, the whirlpools sit in the sea air, and the adults-only pool faces the Pacific. The Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach’s Aquaterra Spa has a couples’ room overlooking the water.
Which luxury hotel in Laguna Beach works best for families?
Montage Laguna Beach: there’s a kids’ club, a children’s pool with a play area by the Mosaic Pool and six villas, each with three bedrooms and views of the ocean.
Can I bring my dog to Laguna Beach?
Yes, the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach welcomes pets. The Ranch at Laguna Beach doesn’t accept them, and for Montage Laguna Beach our travel advisors will clarify the conditions before you book.
Which Laguna Beach hotel has the beach at its doorstep?
That’s the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, with a guests-only beach right below the balconies. From Montage Laguna Beach, a path leads down to Treasure Island Beach, and The Ranch at Laguna Beach runs the Lost Pier Cafe on Aliso Beach.
Is there a luxury hotel in Laguna Beach with a golf course?
Yes, The Ranch at Laguna Beach has its own nine-hole course in Aliso Canyon. You can also put the $75 hotel credit toward a round of golf there.
Do I earn I Prefer points in Laguna Beach?
Yes. With Montage Laguna Beach and the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach, points and status perks are yours, because suitespot books each hotel’s direct rate. For The Ranch at Laguna Beach, our travel advisors confirm the credit before you book.
Which luxury hotels in Laguna Beach were renovated most recently?
The Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach was completely redone by June 2025, with new rooms, a new lobby and the Aquaterra Spa. Montage Laguna Beach opened Studio Mediterranean in 2025 and added the patisserie Bouchée in 2026.
How far is Laguna Beach from the airport?
From John Wayne Airport (SNA), it’s about 16 miles, or 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic; from LAX, around an hour. Both the Surf & Sand Resort Laguna Beach and Montage Laguna Beach can arrange the transfer through their concierge.
