Stunning La Jolla Sunset Views
From a Spanish Bungalow
Drink in Superb La Jolla Sunset Views From This Spanish Bungalow
Close to Three Top Southern California Beaches
There's a bougainvillea-framed view of the Pacific from the garden patio of this charming Spanish bungalow.
Click here for a photo tour of The Jewell of La Jolla.
• Tucked into an exclusive neighborhood out of mainstream traffic; a quiet and private cocoon
• Astounding panoramic ocean view; loads of natural light and spectacular La Jolla sunset views
• Lush landscaping -- from tropical flowers to aromatic herbs
• Spacious salon-style living room with fireplace and original 1920s fixtures; large dining table and renovated chef’s kitchen ideal for group cooking
• Four patios plus a small yard with peek-through ocean view
• Pets welcome
• A short drive from all of La Jolla’s best beaches, including La Jolla Shores Beach
La Jolla is filled with laid back beach cottages and high-style condos. But there’s nothing else quite like The Jewell of La Jolla. Tucked into a palm and jasmine covered hillside overlooking the Pacific, the 1920s Spanish bungalow is a piece of La Jolla-long past. Exquisite hand-painted tiles guide you up winding garden steps to rooms that haven’t changed much since Charles Lindbergh and his wife were piloting gliders at nearby
Torrey Pines.
The spacious living and dining rooms have beamed ceilings and rich mahogany wainscoting. The oak floors, wrought iron sconces -- even the door knobs -- are original. Small paned windows crank out to a sweet nest of a yard draped in bougainvillea. The elegantly arched picture window frames an end-to-end view of La Jolla’s coastline from landmark
La Jolla Cove,
where you'll find the best snorkeling in La Jolla to the surfers at Scripps Pier near
La Jolla Shores Beach.
With its quirky blend of Old World (heavy on the gilt) furnishings and minimalist (white-on-white) bedrooms, The Jewell of La Jolla is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re looking for a spacious retreat just this side of mainstream La Jolla restaurants and shopping, with authentic charm and lots of cool private outdoor spaces, along with all the modern conveniences, The Jewell is true to its name.
The Jewell of La Jolla … in a nutshell
Perfect for
Girlfriend getaways, small creative retreats (painters, writers, gourmet chefs, poets and book groups), small families (including the family pet), one or two couples (three if two don’t mind sharing a bathroom)
Unit Configuration
3 bedrooms/2 baths (sleeps up to 6)
Price
Per night
$471 during summer high season (June 13 through September 7)
$285 the rest of the year (September 8 through June 12)
Holiday rates: $342 per night for Thanksgiving/Christmas weeks, Spring Break and Memorial Weekend
Per week
$2,850 during summer high season (June 13- September 7)
$2,000 the rest of the year
Holidays rates: $2,400 per week for Thanksgiving/Christmas weeks, Spring Break and Memorial Weekend
Per month
$10,000 during summer high season (June 13- September 7)
$7,000 the rest of the year
Keep in mind that La Jolla weather is near-perfect 90% of the year, so the off-season is a great value. The same La Jolla sunset views are 50% less than during the summer months, making this one of the better October vacation ideas.
Cleaning fee: $125
Kids? Yes, the small enclosed yard is perfect for smaller children
Pets? Yes, with additional refundable $500 deposit, or a flat fee of $5 per day.
This Spanish bungalow has vintage charm and four outdoor spaces.
What it’s like to stay
Imagine getting the key to your great aunt’s Spanish bungalow in La Jolla California, while she’s off traveling the world. That’s exactly what I felt like stepping inside the front door of The Jewell of La Jolla. Like someone had just pulled the sheets off the furniture and I was about to live out my own romantic mystery story. (In this version, I was welcomed by the scent of fresh lavender instead of dust.) The Jewell of La Jolla is not just a house with character, it is a character. It’s elegant, but not in the same way the neighboring McMansions. I loved its architectural bones and gorgeously preserved period details: oak hardwood floors covered with vintage Persian rugs and original iron sconces and door handles, for example. But it’s impossible not to also notice its eccentric features. For example, the chunky Old World furniture and Gothic art in the dining room seem better suited to a castle than a Spanish bungalow. Another unexpected twist: back in the bedrooms, the décor does a startling about-face to white on white. But rather than clinical, it is elegant. Think hand-embroidered duvet covers, thousand-count linens and delicately ribboned sheers. The effect is peaceful. It’s clearly a work-in-progress, and I can pretty much promise you won’t love every detail. But it’s a fascinating step outside the ordinary, and that I love. Small details, many slightly off-kilter, make a fascinating story like your traveling great aunt might tell. The whole time I was at The Jewell of La Jolla, I envisioned a group of close friends -- painters or writers -- sneaking away after a morning walk on the beach to read in a quiet bedroom or write or paint on one of four outside spaces -- then reconvening around the dining room table over a great dinner they cooked together in the very spacious chef’s kitchen. Unlike the awkward flat screen TV (which sticks out like a sore thumb in the living room), the kitchen and bathroom updates are right in tune with the period feel of the house. I divided my time between the sunny garden patio (with a view of the Pacific), reading in a slip-covered bedroom chair and watching the La Jolla sunset from the cushioned love seat on the narrow front porch.
A chef's kitchen and white-on-white bedrooms are period perfect.
Lay of the land
Park your car on the quiet street of an exclusive neighborhood and climb winding stairs with tiled risers to the front door of The Jewell of La Jolla. Your suitcase brushing the bushes on the way will release the scent of fresh rosemary. (If you’re luck the jasmine will be in bloom.) Just below the front porch, there’s a circle of brick -- the first of the four outdoor spaces -- with a tiny table and chair cradled in bird of paradise. Straight ahead, a long palm-shaded brick patio with three cushioned chaise lounges runs alongside the house. A few steps up, the narrow front porch also has cushioned seating. (A great place to catch the La Jolla sunset!) Another brick patio surrounded by a garden and small yard hides around the other side of the house. Inside the French doors, The Jewell of La Jolla has an extra spacious living room wrapped in the original two-thirds height mahogany wainscoting. The beamed ceiling and fireplace, framed with hand-selected Mexican tiles, face an arched picture window with ocean views and the La Jolla sunset? Sublime. The mismatched collection of chairs and couches in slipcovers or faded jewel tones makes this room feel like a Bohemian salon. The large flat panel TV (with wires showing)-- a grudging concession to 21st century -- seems awkward and trivial beside built-in bookcases housing a hand selected library literary ground from Hemingway to Sophie Kinsella and Malcolm Gladstone to Sue Grafton. A tiny step up from the living room, the dining room of The Jewell of La Jolla is dominated by a hulking Spanish-style table under an imposing iron chandelier studded with four fat candles -- more Medieval castle than 1920s bungalow. The upside, there’s plenty of space for groups to linger in conversation well beyond dessert.
Three or four people can comfortably work in the chef’s kitchen at the same time and the bar-height counter opens up the space so everybody can talk. Grabbing a stool at the counter is also a great option for breakfast. Unlike the eclectic quirkiness in the rest of the house, the newly renovated kitchen carefully blends period style with the latest stainless appliances and accessories. Just outside the kitchen door, there’s a covered space to barbecue next to a washer and dryer. The hall leading to the bedrooms has a skylight. The first bedroom (with a queen-sized bed) faces the garden and shares the Restoration Hardware-perfect bathroom at the end of the hall with the larger master bedroom (with a king-sized). It has a tub/shower tiled with hand-cut Mexican tile and pedestal sink. Tucked behind the master is a tiny nook of a bedroom barely big enough for a double bed, armchair and dresser. At first I thought the occupants of this bedroom would have to trek through the master to get the bathroom. But this little room (my favorite in The Jewell of La Jolla) has its own small bathroom with hand-painted tile in the shower, a corner sink and a glimpse of the ocean. If you close the door leading to master, you have a tiny suite with a private entrance to garden patio and yard. (The garden patio can be accessed from the front of the house, so this could be the best spot in the house.) Solos (or couples who love cocooning) will love the white paneled ceiling and wall of French doors facing a sculpted adobe privacy wall with a hedge of jade plants.
Amenities
• Large flat screen TV in living room; smaller flat screen TVs in each bedroom
• DVD/CD players in the living room and all bedrooms
• Recently renovated chef’s kitchen combining period style with modern convenience: high-end stainless steel appliances, imported white granite counter tops with hand-painted Mexican tiles.
• Wireless Internet
• Washer/dryer
• Fully equipped chef’s kitchen with top-rated stainless appliances including a dishwasher
• Stainless gourmet barbecue grill
Extravagant details and nice surprises
The very best things
• The Jewell of La Jolla is tucked into an exclusive neighborhood in the the center of town, yet out of the mainstream traffic; aside from some neighborhood noise, the house is quiet and private cocoon.
• Astounding panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean; loads of natural light and stunning La Jolla sunset view
• Lush landscaping ranges from tropical flowers to aromatic herbs
• Lots of living space inside; extra-spacious salon-style living room with fireplace; large dining with oversize table; counter with bar stools; large chef’s kitchen ideal for group cooking plus gourmet barbecue grill
• Four distinct outside spaces: a circular brick nook surrounded by bird of paradise; a palm-covered brick patio with cushioned chaise lounges; a narrow front porch with a panoramic view -- perfect for watching the La Jolla sunset -- and an enclosed brick garden patio with a small yard and peek-through ocean view
• Lots of flexible options for small creative retreats, families and other groups who want to mix socializing with private time
• Pets are welcome
• Very close (a short drive) to La Jolla’s best beaches, including La Jolla Shores Beach, and some of the best surfing in California at Windansea
What’s not perfect
• While La Jolla Cove and La Jolla restaurants and shopping in the European-style village are close by, there is no safe walking route
• The Jewell of La Jolla has an eclectic, bohemian-style feel not suited to everyone's taste; for high-style alternatives in La Jolla, check out La Jolla Beach Rentals
• Street parking only (on a narrow but quiet street that gets very little traffic)
• Unexpected quarter steps from living up to dining and hallway can trip you more than once
In an emergency
Michelle Aarons manages The Jewell of La Jolla as part of her boutique portfolio of
La Jolla Vacation Rentals
is available by phone 24/7.
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Why not add a weekend at another California Beach House?
After a week enjoying the La Jolla sunset from the the hills, why not see what it looks like from the beach in Oceanside or Pismo Beach?
Click here
to see what's available.
The Jewell of La Jolla: Manager’s Favorites
"The Jewell’s unique location places the guests between both the Village of La Jolla with all its wonderful eateries and Avenida de la Playa down at La Jolla Shores Beach which boasts some of the best La Jolla restaurants," says Michelle Aarons, manager of La Jolla Vacation Rentals and a long-time resident of La Jolla. Here are some of her recommendations.
Jeff’s Burgers
2152 Avenida De La Playa at the Shores Jeff’s Burgers is like a burger joint before fast food came along. You’d be hard pressed to find a better burger, whether you like meat or the vegetarian variety. His sandwiches, fries and all burgers are made fresh to order and they’re delicious.
Alfonso’s
You cannot visit La Jolla without eating Mexican at least once! Alfonso’s is a La Jolla restaurant well known for its amazing margaritas and wonderful food. Eat on the patio for the La Jolla sunset!
Shopping
Spend a day just browsing the many art galleries or stop in at your favorite la Jolla boutique on Girard Avenue and Prospect Street in La Jolla Village.
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From a Spanish Bungalow
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