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Topanga Ranch Motel
- Price Range:
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$$$
2 reviews for Topanga Ranch Motel
I live in Los Angeles and I have stayed here. My apartment was being fumigated, so adventurously, I grabbed my longboard because Topanga State Beach, Malibu's little sister, was breaking 2-4 and I thought staying there might be cheap and fun. To quote http://Surfline.com, the beach has a "mangy, hippie, drifter atmosphere."
The place is really just that "place" you see when you park in front of it for free to surf Topanga.
The Motel was very old and needs renovating, but is charming and very close to a few good restaurants -- literally next door to the Reel Inn. The motel gets three stars because of it's location, but not much else. The cottages are small and cheap.
I had cottage 21. The structure looks like 1920 - 1940 when it was built -- the inside was the same save for what looked like sheets and bedcovers from an upgrade circa 1980. It was cozy.
I want to really recommend it, but just beware that I've not been there in a while, and I'm not even sure it's still open. The land it sits on, as well as the Reel Inn and surrounding hills was acquired by the state a few years back. These places might get leveled, along with the Malibu Feed Bin.
The place felt a little sketchy at night but I slept okay. The bed and the shower were in need of upgrades -- the shower was in a closet-type space and felt like 1940. If you like that, and you're adventurous, you could get a cheap little cottage all to yourself.
The Topanga Ranch Market used to be right out front but was demo'd more than a few years ago. No more beers and sandwiches to sneak on the beach...
I hope this place stays open, and I hope that it's restored, not destroyed. There must be a way to do what they did at Crystal Cove in Newport: renovate, restore, re-open.
An Update: I stopped by the Reel Inn next door the other day and took a peek at the TRM. Closed until furthur notice. Empty and deserted, hopefully to be resurrected in it's former glory.
I stayed here for some time when I moved to LA, I was looking for an apartment with my roommate and we didn't have much time before starting our jobs. I got the recommendation from some guys at Hemp Traders on Santa Monica. Its old, and its small. The landlord could have cared less about anything other than the rent being there on time but that was cool for us. We payed alot to be here but we stayed in cottage #1 or #2 it was up front you could see the ocean from your room. Tons of colorful characters to entertain you. I would get off work and go hangout at the beach, you just had to cross the PCH to get there no biggie. The last poster mentioned The Beer store that was next door, sad to hear its gone. Many a night going to get sandwich or chicken from there and a beer then back home to get. They need to renovate but sounds like the state may take this back, great location close to Santa Monica and to Malibu.
