Jamaican Me Hungry – The Jamaica Bay Inn in Marina del Rey
For as close as Los Angeles is to San Diego, it feels like a completely different world. Even though it’s roughly 120 miles from where I live to the heart of LA, I rarely make the trip. Mainly because it can take anywhere from 3 – 8 hours, depending on the time of day you leave and random luck. I can’t tell you how many people I know who have traveled to Los Angeles and assumed it was an easy trip up to grab lunch. Most people from out of town have no idea what LA is REALLY like, or how hard it can be to figure out where to stay, eat or just hide out from all of the commotion.
Marina del Rey: An LA Oasis
Most people I talk to who are planning a trip to LA don’t realize how massive it is. It’s important to take that into consideration when you’re deciding where to stay. Remember that scene from Clueless when Cher’s dad says “everywhere in LA takes 20 minutes”? WRONG. This is a flat out dream scenario. Traffic in LA is horrendous, even at 4 am! Depending on what your goal is: food, parties, clubs, relaxation, beaches, etc., there are tons of areas of LA to stay in. But if you’re like me, you probably prefer something a little more mellow.
Marina del Rey is only about 5 miles away from LAX, but feels like you’re in a secluded little coastal community. The coast is lined with sailboats, beaches, restaurants and bike paths. Making it the perfect place to stay, relax and and enjoy the sunshine. You can spend your days sailing, fishing, parasailing or kayaking if you’re feeling adventurous. Or, hang out on the beach or take a gondola ride to take in the scenery. Marina del Rey is a great home base for tons of nearby restaurants and attractions too. You can also explore explore Santa Monica, Venice Boardwalk, the Venice Canals and Pacific Palisades nearby.
Jamaica Bay Inn
When I was in LA last week for work, I stayed at the Jamaica Bay Inn for the first time. Contrary to what the name might make you think… it’s a waterfront hotel at Mother’s Beach in Marina del Rey (not Jamaica). It was the perfect location: close enough to drive to all of my meetings, but just far enough away that I felt like I was getting away from all of the hustle and bustle of downtown. Our room was perfect: it had the most AMAZING blackout curtains and a beautiful view of the bay. Had we stayed longer (and I wasn’t booked up with work), I would have loved to lounge by their pool and looked out at the ocean while sipping on some fruity cocktails.
Beachside Restaurant
The real piece de resistance of our stay was the hotel’s new Beachside Restaurant. I’m going to be 100% real when I admit that most hotel’s in house restaurants are usually so so. I don’t usually have high expectations for hotel brunch. But Jamaica Bay changed my tune. Their recently redesigned restaurant and bar is absolutely beautiful. Not to mention has amazing views of the bay. But the food is where they really won me over. We sat out on the patio, drank some coffee and sipped on Bloody Mary’s while we waited for our food in the morning. It’s the perfect spot to decompress in the morning before a busy day of work or sightseeing, or after a long day to catch the sunset!
They had a ton of food options on their brunch menu that caught my eye, but we opted for Breakfast Enchiladas, The Three Little Piggies Sandwich & Fried Chicken with French Toast. More details on each item:
BREAKFAST ENCHILADAS: scrambled eggs, roasted peppers, potato, feta cheese, onion, chicken chorizo, red sauce, sour cream, pico de gallo, avocado, jack cheese
THREE LITTLE PIGGIES: black forest ham, prosciutto, applewood smoked bacon, fried egg, american cheese, avocado, confit tomato, arugula, lemon aioli, toasted brioche bun, house potatoes
FRIED CHICKEN & FRANGELICO CUSTARD FRENCH TOAST: crispy fried chicken wings & drumettes, custard french toast, fresh berries, cinnamon honey butter, house vanilla maple syrup
Whether you’re staying at the Jamaica Bay Inn, nearby in the LA area or are a local, I definitely recommend checking them out for brunch or dinner!
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