The moment we walked into the lobby of Paséa Hotel & Spa in Huntington Beach, my 9-year-old niece did her trademark happy dance at the sight of the “Ninth Island” pool glistening just through the glass doors ahead of us. I knew we were going to have a fun couple of days together.
First Impression
Sleek, cool and beachy. This is the SoCal we know and love. The hotel is located in the heart of Huntington Beach, steps from the ocean and the iconic pier. Our room was spacious and luxurious with a lovely balcony overlooking the beach. We loved the scent of our FRESH toiletries and the cozy feel of the Frette linens.
The pool area is vibrant and family-friendly with lots of lounging chairs and helpful staff ready to make your stay feel as pampered as possible. We started our day with lunch at Tanner’s, the hotel’s California coast-inspired restaurant. The menu features beach-side favorites such as blackened salmon tacos, poke bowl and shishito burger, as well as brunch options of Halo-Halo French toast with coconut-macadamia crumble and avocado toast with roasted garlic ricotta.
Unique features
We loved having access to the hotel’s beach butler, who met us in the lobby with his beach cruiser packed with chairs, towels and an umbrella. The pedicab ride across the street to the beach was short, but super fun, especially for my niece who sat back and smiled the whole time. And I have to admit, not having to haul our own beach gear felt luxurious.
Kid- and pet-approved
Rooms can be equipped with cribs, pack n’ plays and other kid amenities upon request. Tanner’s offers a kid’s menu with favorites like mac and cheese, chicken tenders, grilled chicken and sliders. Fur babies are also welcomed here with Tanner’s special menu of puppy parfait, spot’s scramble and Rover’s oats.
Family pets will love the 1,100-square-foot outdoor play area with a lifeguard station doghouse and a local artist-commissioned wall mural.
The hotel offers two family-friendly packages: a “Cool Kids Summer Package” that includes a beach pail and toys, $150 resort credit and access to Paséa’s “Cool Kids Summer” daily events. The “Pet Playcation” package includes dog-friendly accommodations, keepsake dog collar, leash and toy, a complimentary entrée at Tanner’s and waived pet fee.
What’s nearby
Huntington Beach is home to surfers and bonfires. With more than 500 beach fire pits, the nights are pretty spectacular here. Getting cozy around a fire pit with your feet in the sand will no doubt become one of your favorite family memories.
The hotel also gets bonus points for being adjacent to Pacific City, an outdoor shopping and dining venue with spectacular ocean views. This is a great spot to grab a burger from American Dream, an ice cream from Hans’, a salad from Lemonade, pizza from Nardo’ Italian Kitchen, coffee from Philz and create your own cold treat on a stick at Popbar.
The activities near the hotel are endless. You can take surf lessons, go for a bike ride, hike, play volleyball, give stand-up paddleboarding a try, go kayaking and much more. You’re also close to Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm if you want to mix beach relaxation and amusement park fun.
The showstopper
Location and friendly staff.
I’ve been wanting to take my niece on a fun getaway. The Paséa turned out to be the perfect spot for our summer adventure together. The ease of getting to Huntington Beach in an hour from L.A. allowed us to savor our time together. We swam, eat, walked along the beach, splashed in the waves, played cards in our room, talked, laughed and made great memories.
Elena Epstein is Creative Director of L.A. Parent.
