By Elizabeth Kang
As California begins opening up again and we start adjusting to “new normals,” many families are longing to make up for lost weekend getaways and are rescheduling family vacays. The good news is hotels are taking Covid-19 just as seriously as its guests, with enforced safety regulations and new health standards. Pismo Beach’s newest hotel, Vespera on Ocean — Autograph Collection, is a shining example of these new standards, and manages to keep its guests safe while still providing a carefree, luxurious vacation experience.
This stunning new hotel boasts an enviable beachfront location on the newly revamped Pismo Beach Pier, with stylish and modern decor, a sparkling heated pool, a delicious modern Californian restaurant, and cozy beach-view fire pits (one of my favorite features.) Read on to discover more about Pismo’s newest luxury hotel.
Location, Location, Location
Just a three-hour drive south from the Bay Area, Pismo Beach is a convenient weekend getaway offering pleasant year-round weather and a much-needed change of scenery. Situated mere footsteps from the beach, Vespera on Ocean offers that quintessential beachside vacay we’ve all been craving this past summer. The hotel allows guest-only access to and from the beach via a key-card accessible gate, so privacy and convenience reign. The location allows for walking access to downtown restaurants and shopping, so guests can valet their car and not worry about finding parking or navigating unfamiliar streets during their stay.
Safety First
When it comes to its guests’ safety, Vespera on Ocean gets it right. Masks are required anywhere indoors, from the inviting and stylish lobby, to its efficient elevators and nautical-themed halls. Once inside your thoroughly cleaned room, maid service is by request-only, so no one is coming or going unless a guest desires it. The pool is open by reservation in one-hour increments, and sectioned out so guests can practice social distancing with ease.
Outdoor dining and “knock and drop” room service is served from the hotel’s onsite restaurant, Somerset Grill, where servers wear masks and follow strict safety protocols. The hotel offers plenty of outdoor seating on its stylish deck, with panoramic views of the ocean and multiple fire pits, so even at full capacity, social distancing is easily attainable.
Dining, Relaxing, and Playing
With direct boardwalk access and miles of sand and surf at their doorstep, guests won’t have to look far for entertainment and leisure. A few hours in the sparkling pool and a few playing in the surf make for a memorable day of family fun. In the evening, wind down with a bottle of wine (and hot chocolate for the kids) by one of the cozy fire pits, and declare the day a success.
If you want to explore the area further, there are plenty of highly rated restaurants within a 5-minute walk, dozens of fun shops to browse, and the newly built Pismo Pier offers a fun playground for kids complete with giant slides that land them right in the soft sand. Beyond that, there’s kayaking the “Dinosaur Caves,” surf lessons at Sandbar Surf School, hiking the Pismo Preserve trail (1.5 miles,) beachside horseback riding through Central Coast Trailrides, and exciting Hummer Rides on Pismo’s famous sand dunes, among many other family friendly excursions.
Pet-Friendly, and Accessible Too!
Vespera on Ocean is an extremely pet-friendly hotel, where dogs up to 45-lbs are welcomed to stay in pet-friendly rooms, complete with pet amenities. Dogs are also allowed to play (onleash) on the adjacent beach, so your pampered pooch won’t miss out on any of the family fun. This welcoming hotel is also accessible-friendly, as well, with plenty of amenities for disabled guests, such as ADA mobility and hearing accessible rooms with roll-in showers.
With warm fall months and fewer crowds now that kids are back in school, now is the perfect time to book that beach vacation you may have missed out on over the summer. Vespera on Ocean is an awesome choice to create sunny, sandy memories in a sleek, luxurious setting.