Boutique hotel set to open on La Jolla coastline

[gallery columns=”2”]A once rundown beachfront property that has attracted attention during its recent makeover is opening on Monday as the Balinese-themed Pantai Inn.

Formerly known as the Shell Beach Apartments-Motel, the collection of bungalows and townhouses at 1003 Coast Blvd. South has been transformed into a high-end, boutique hotel.

The first 10 of 40 to 46 total units are scheduled to open after Thanksgiving weekend, said Bernardo Zavala, sales and operations manager for Carmel Valley-based R.A. Rauch & Associates. The full property is expected to be completed by early 2013.

“La Jolla deserves this unique jewel and we are very excited to be entrusted to manage such a stunning, perfectly located gem of a hotel,” Bob Rauch, president of RAR, said in a press release. “We’re aiming to provide ‘wow’ customer service at the super luxury level and that is a challenge that gets all of us motivated to open this property.”

Larry Jackman, whose family purchased the property in April 2010, said in the release, that the concept was born over margaritas in a conversation with David Lee Soanes, an architect know for high-end resorts including Four Seasons Hotels in Indonesia.

Five months into the project, however, he passed away. After a short delay the Jackmans brought in Greg Castle of Castle Architect, known for his beach bungalow designs in Hawaii and California, to finish the project,” the release states.

The property, located near the Children’s Pool and Scripps Park, is made up of a collection of cottages, bungalows and townhouses built between 1900-1930. The rooms feature “custom-made, wood-carved furnishings, stone carvings and hand-selected décor from Bali,” the release noted.

There will be complimentary continental breakfasts, Wi-Fi and valet parking.

Rates for the range from $399 for a one-bedroom suite to $599 for the three-bedroom villa. There also will be two-bedroom suites.

Rates at Pantai for a one-bedroom suite start at $399, while a three-bedroom suite starts at $599. Once the hotel’s restoration of all 40 suites is completed, rates will start at $599.

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