Hip Hotels for Last Minute SoCal Getaways

I had a feeling that summer would fly by.  Just looking at the calendar this morning, I realized that we have finally broken the seal on August and unofficially entered our last days of the season. But fear not! There are still a handful of weekends to take advantage of. If you're in SoCal, why not just get in your car {now!} for a quick road trip and steal away to one of these four hip hotels.

My latest travel obsession: finding a cool little hotel that is going to cater to my belly as well. Alcazar is just that kind of place. You're probably already familiar with desert restaurant staple Cheeky's and if you haven't heard of sister restaurant/lounge Birba, you're probably about to. Tara Lazar took it to the next level though when she renovated another beloved desert staple- The Peppertree Inn and converted it into a sleek, modern hotel playground, complete with fireplaces, Italian Linens and complimentary Townie Bicycles. 

The kicker: this place stays close to its restauranteur's roots and serves up freshly baked pastries and Intelligentsia Coffee each morning. Only steps from Cheeky's and with Birba right on the hotel grounds, this one's set to be the place to stay in Palm Springs (though selfishly I'm hoping it stays boutique enough to keep the crowds at bay).

LA is not without it's swank hotels. It's one of the things I love most about living here. I can easily get in my car and hit up a hotel bar and feel like I'm on a little vacation.  The recently debuted Mr. C hotel, brought to us by the famed Cipriani restaurant family, is one that is trending high on my hotel radar, if only for the restaurant and bar alone. But as delectable as they are, its also easy to see that those are merely appetizers. The room design and pool cabanas have me itching to book a room and live out the full course experience-  hopefully before pool days come to their inevitable conclusion.

Shelter Social Club has got it goin on. The family run hotel-restaurant group, with its three elevated Ventura County motels, along with restaurant, Sama Sama Test Kitchen, have all your bases covered for great food and hospitality. Mosey on up to State Street in Santa Barbara and stay at The Agave Inn, a bright and colorful renovation offering up a convenient base for beach days and sidewalk surfing. You may not get all of the amenities of a large scale hotel resort, but the rooms are a happy mix of comfort and necessity at a good value. The most highly rated amenity though is the warm and friendly service you'll encounter at the front of the house, something that even four stars and a valet won't necessarily buy you.

The Hamlet Inn, located in downtown Solvang, is yet another reinvention by Shelter Social Club. This boutique motel right in the heart of all that is quaint and lovely about this beloved little town, offers a surprising spin on contemporary danish design. While Solvang is well known for it's sleepy strolls (and pastries!), I love the cool little amenities that help make a stay here a little more active, like the Townie bicycles and bocce court. 

* All images from hotel websites: Alcazar, Mr. C, The Agave Inn, The Hamlet Inn