South Bay's unassuming, idyllic retreat: The Portofino Hotel & Marina
Fall asleep to the peaceful sound of waves, seagulls and sea lions here. What more could you ask for?
I was doing some research last year for a book project that never materialized and happened upon the Portofino Hotel & Marina in LA, more specifically Redondo Beach.
What I discovered: The South Bay hotel was founded as the Portofino Inn in 1962 by Mary Davis, one of America’s first female race car drivers. When it opened, visitors flocked to the property for a days-long party to celebrate. Shortly after, the hotel became not only a haunt for other race car drivers, but also was the finish line for the Cannonball Run, a car race that started in New York and ended in LA in the early ‘70s.
This is all incredibly cool, and I felt late to the party learning about the Portofino a decade after first moving to LA. To be fair, I never paid much attention to Redondo Beach. I took my mom and godmother to the pier once when they visited. But normally, I would spend time in Santa Monica or Venice or Marina del Rey, Manhattan Beach or Palos Verdes—completely skipping over Hermosa, Redondo and Torrance. The city is so big, after all.
And I really didn’t expect much from The Portofino, but boy, was I wrong. I spent a night at the hotel in April and it’s one of those places that just sucks you in. It’s quiet, unassuming and decorated in dark blues and creams and whites, a soft nautical theme perfect for a coastal grandma or anyone who loves to be by the sea. The minute I walked into my oceanfront suite, I thrust open the balcony doors and was greeted by Pacific Ocean views and barking sea lions in King Harbor Marina. At sunset, I witnessed sailboats and rowers/kayakers drifting by and once dusk had fallen, I filled the tub with hot water and soaked until my fingers turned to raisins.
I never once thought to close the sliding glass doors here and so I drifted off to the sounds of waves, seagulls and those singing sea lions, but not before hanging my room service card outside the door with my breakfast choices for the following day (options include coffee, juices, and a delicious creamy coconut chia yogurt concoction with gluten-free granola and berries).
This is the kind of staycation you want to keep to yourself or share with *only* your favorite people—the ones you travel well with. Half an hour from LAX and Santa Monica, and just 10 minutes from Rancho Palos Verdes, there’s plenty to do nearby, but when you have just a day or two to really enjoy it, I advise you order room service and take advantage of your private tub and balcony, the public pool, jacuzzi and commons areas, and allow your mind to truly wander without TV, social media or distractions. A bottle of wine and a good book would be great companions for this getaway, but neither are necessary. ~