Acclaimed Casa Laguna Inn changes hands
After 14 years, Francois Leclair has sold the Casa Laguna Inn & Spa.
Villa Carlotta LLC is the new owner of the facility at 2510 S. Coast Hwy., Leclair’s managing partner, Kathryn Mace, said in a phone interview Tuesday. Escrow on the property closed Dec. 2.
Leclair, originally from Montreal, is returning to Canada to be part of the family business of Mercedes dealerships, Mace said.
“He was ready to move on to the next chapter of his life,” Mace said. “It was time to sell.”
Mace did not disclose the purchase price but said 12 prospective buyers stepped forward.
“I consider Casa Laguna one of my greatest achievements, and I will miss the very special people from our team who, with their dedication to service, made this such a special place,” Leclair said in a news release. “But I am confident the new owner will bring Casa Laguna to the next level while respecting its legacy.”
PRG Investment and Management Inc., a Los Angeles-based real estate firm, will manage the property, which originally opened as a motel in 1945.
A call to PRG on Tuesday seeking comment on plans for the property was not immediately returned.
Casa Laguna operated as a motel until 1978, when it was converted into a bed and breakfast, the release said. Two structures built in 1920 as an addition to the historic Villa Rockledge estate became part of the motel complex.
Local businessmen Leclair and Paul Blank purchased the property in 2000 and restored it to its original character. Leclair later bought out Blank.
Modern materials were replaced with wood and masonry matching the period construction. Bricks from the 1920s were used to pave patios and pathways.
The buildings were soon returned to their Mission-style appearance, and on June 15, 2000, Laguna Beach recognized Casa Laguna Inn as a registered historic structure.
The bed and breakfast has won acclaim in recent years.
Trip Advisor, an online travel site, awarded its Certificate of Excellence to Casa Laguna the last four years, while the Automobile Club of Southern California named the inn one of its top 10 favorite historic hotels, according to the release.