Photo by Robert Hansen Photography

Cozy Comfort

It's only fitting that the first guest to stay at Laguna Beach's Manzanita Cottages checked in on Valentine's Day weekend. Celebrating its fifth anniversary in February, this collection of four 500-square-foot cottages and one studio apartment clustered around a flagstone-paved courtyard exudes romance. The 1927-era shingle-roofed bungalows have gas fireplaces and fully-equipped kitchens, and Newport Beach designer Nancy Duesenberg has decorated each with a flair that reflects the compound's heritage as a getaway for 1930s-era film stars. There's even a wishing well.

(one-week-minimum stay during summer).

(949) 661-2533
www.manzanitacottages.com.