INN AT MOONLIGHT BEACH, SAN DIEGO

REVIEW: The inn at moonlight beach, san diego

This little Inn is one I stayed at while visiting my former hometown of San Diego. It is perhaps one of the cities best kept secrets, located in the beautiful sea-side town of Encinitas, about 30 minutes north of downtown San Diego. I wrote about it for Well + Good not long after my stay, and am revisiting it again here.

Moonlight Beach, Encinitas, CA

LOCATION: Encinitas is a bit like Venice Beach in Los Angeles - a gentrified hippie town full of boutique yoga and pilates studios, crystal shops and vegan cafes. The Inn at Moonlight Beach is located just up the hill from the beach it is named for, a beautiful stretch of sand popular among surfers. Its position on the hill allows beautiful views of the pacific ocean while providing a feeling of being “out of the fray” of activity in town.

ACCOMMODATIONS: The Inn at Moonlight Beach was the first to achieve WELL Building certification from the U.S. Green Building Council - and achieved it at the highest, platinum level. This means that when building the Inn, consideration was given not only to how the building might impact the environment, but how it can positively benefit the health of its occupants. To achieve this the Inn incorporates purified water and air, an on-site regenerative herb garden, a meditation space and more. There are only 10 guest rooms, a communal kitchen and library gathering space, making you feel like you’re part of a conscious community during your stay. Guest rooms are outfitted with everything you might need for a healthy stay, including a selenite crystal orb to clear negative energy and a eucalyptus spray bottle to create a more refreshing shower experience. In the kitchen, a DIY herbal tea station lets you mix and match loose tea varieties to create your own signature, super healthy brew.

ACTIVITIES: Your time at the Inn will likely be spent in a blissed out state as you float from one wellness experience to another - meditating, getting a massage, harvesting herbs from the on-site garden, creating your own healing brew in their wellness lab or relaxing during a sound-bath. You can also choose to curl up with some tea and a good book by the fire in the community space. There’s also plenty to do in and around Encinitas, like beach volleyball and surfing or shopping the local Farmers Market.

STAFF: Shangwen is the owner, architect and conceptual mastermind behind The Inn at Moonlight. Her experience creating community living spaces in Europe inspired her to create The Inn at Moonlight as a hotel that recreates the feeling of community engendered by her previous work. She and her staff are a serene and friendly presence at the hotel, always helpful without disrupting your peaceful passage through the Inn.

PRICE: Suites range from about $300-$400/night, depending on the size and time of travel. Each room has an attached outdoor deck - the perfect place to wind down in the evening - and also comes with a tea pot, selenite orb, aromatherapy diffuser, fresh flowers, herbs and salts for bathing and one of the most comfortable beds I’ve ever slept on.