280 Capistrano Road, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019; 650-726-5400 or 888-623-2661;
Rates: start at $199 for double or king rooms with partial views of the fishing boats in Pillar Point harbor; larger suites ($359) with one king or two double beds offer deep tubs and separate showers along with a full view of the harbor and the Pacific Ocean; the largest villas ($559) have two bedrooms and baths, full kitchens and dining rooms. All 95 rooms have balconies.
Stay here if you: are traveling down California 1 and are looking for a high-end hotel, or if you’re getting married (Oceano was voted best wedding venue in the Bay Area on ).
It’s close to: the tidal pools of Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, Pigeon Point and Montara lighthouses, and the famed surfing spot Mavericks.
The rooms are: plush, with elegant finishes and fine linens. The sand-and- sea-foam color scheme is soothing and beachy. Balconies afford a fresh-air view of the busy harbor, and the sliding doors do a good job of shutting out all but the forlorn sounds of the foghorn.
They put all of the money into: a 5,000-square-foot spa that offers massage, facials, seaweed wraps and salt scrubs; and committing to eco-friendly practices, such as chemical-free room cleaning, low VOC paints, native landscaping, and passive solar heat.
The bottom line: Built in 2008, this hotel still feels brand-new. Situated between Princeton-by-the-Sea to the north and Half Moon Bay to the south, it’s within walking distance of dining, outdoor activities and shopping. Cross over to the commercial fishing harbor and have breakfast at the Ketch Joanne, where locals have been fueling up since 1975. Bike or hike along the coastal trails; sail, kayak, surf or fish in the Pacific; or stroll the shoreline at low tide looking for starfish, hermit crabs and anemones on Moss Beach, about 2 miles from the hotel.
Kristen Browning-Blas
