Casa Coolangatta: A Little Slice of the Gold Coast, Tucked Into South Mission Beach

There is a beach back home called Coolangatta. If you have ever stood on that sand at the southern tip of the Gold Coast, you know the feeling. Warm light, salt in the air, the boardwalk humming, everything you need within a short barefoot walk. When my business partner Joe and I finished this little bungalow in South Mission Beach, that was the feeling we kept chasing. So we named it Casa Coolangatta, because that is exactly what it is. A pocket of Aussie beach calm, dropped into one of San Diego's best stretches of coastline.

Here is the full tour.

Steps from the sand, and I mean steps

I have stayed in plenty of places that claim to be "close to the beach" and then quietly forget to mention the ten minute walk and the busy road in between. Casa Coolangatta is not that. The boardwalk, the beach, and the bay are all a genuine stroll away, the kind where you do not even bother putting shoes on.

Within a one minute walk you have got two cafes, two bars, a mini market for the morning essentials, and a liquor store for the evening ones. Belmont Park, the old school amusement park with the wooden roller coaster, is about five minutes on foot. SeaWorld is a nine minute drive. And because the unit sits just off a main road, you can be in La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Sunset Cliffs, or Ocean Beach without much effort at all. It is the kind of base camp that makes a whole trip feel easy.

Your own parking spot 

If you know Mission Beach, you know parking is the local sport nobody wants to play. Casa Coolangatta comes with its own dedicated parking spot and secure private access, so you skip the circling and the meter feeding entirely. We have had guests pull a midsize sedan straight in without a second thought. Think of it as the difference between landing at a tiny regional airport and fighting through a major terminal. Same destination, completely different start to the holiday.

We also leave out beach cruiser bikes, so once the car is parked, you may not need it again until checkout.

Cuban Tropicana style, designed down to the details

This is the part I care about most. Casa Coolangatta is meant to feel like a boutique hotel rather than a rental. The look is Cuban Tropicana, all warm tones, vibrant texture, and that effortless lived in glamour you get in a good seaside hotel.

A few of the pieces I am proud of:

• A custom built dark oak vanity with marble countertops, finished with West Elm light fixtures and mirrors. The bathroom genuinely stops people when they walk in.
• A spa like shower that does most of the heavy lifting at the end of a long beach day.
• A GhostBed Luxe memory foam mattress paired with cooling gel pillows from the Beckham Hotel Collection. We obsess over the sleep, because a beautiful room you cannot sleep in is just a nice photo.

Everything you need, nothing you do not

The kitchenette is fully stocked and ready to go. Mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker, plates, knives, glassware, and yes, a wine and bottle opener, because we have all been caught out before. There is even a mixology set for when you would rather make the cocktail than walk to the bar.

For the quieter nights in, there is a 55 inch smart TV loaded with Netflix, Hulu, Disney Plus, and Peacock, plus high speed internet that actually works. And for the beach itself, we include towels, chairs, and an umbrella, so you can travel light and still be sorted the moment you arrive.

Come stay a while

Casa Coolangatta is part of The Carmine Collection, the small portfolio of boutique beach stays Joe and I have been building around San Diego. Each one is designed to feel like a proper getaway rather than just a place to crash, and this one might be my favorite love letter to home yet.

If you want to see more behind the scenes, follow along at @the_carmine_collection. And when you are ready to trade the everyday for warm light and salt air, your spot in South Mission Beach is waiting.

See you on the sand.