Dunes unveils new lodgings

Paul Clinton

Vacationers began moving into a cluster of “luxurious” overnight

cabins off the edge of the Newport Dunes Waterfront Resort’s lagoon

on Thursday.

The cabins have been in the works since the resort’s January

announcement that they would replace a dozen spaces for recreational

vehicles at the resort’s recreational vehicle park.

“It’s an excellent feature because we have had a lot of guests

that don’t have RVs and are looking for an accommodation,” General

Manager Andrew Theodorou said. “Local demand is there. The demand

from neighboring states is there.”

The 12 cabins opened Thursday. Theodorou said they would be

half-filled during their first open weekend. The cabins had been

scheduled to open March 8, but faced several construction delays.

By Thursday, workers were putting the finishing touches on the

cabins, which can be moved to other areas of the resort, if needed.

Theodorou and other Dunes leaders promote the cabins as a low-cost

luxury alternative to a Newport Beach hotel room.

The vacation lodgings cost between $70 and $200 per night. Half of

the cabins are one-room lodgings .The others are smaller studio

cabins. Summer rates will be higher, topping out at $250.

Set up at the lip of the lagoon, the cabins are equipped with

wood-paneled floors, lofts, air conditioning and a host of other

amenities. They have televisions -- some with DVD players or VCRs --

cable television, a refrigerator, microwave and full kitchen.

Demand for the cabins should be steady, travel experts said, since

more families are now taking local vacations rather than traveling

abroad.

“We’re seeing a move away from more exotic locations,” said Marie

Montgomery, spokeswoman for the Auto Club of Southern California.

“More families want to drive to locations that are close by.”

The 400-square-foot cabins are similar to the private cottages in

European coastal villages. They have spacious bedrooms, screened

porches and a woodsy, but not rustic, flavor.

Stewart Lodges built and provided the cabins to the Dunes. Ken

Currier, the West Coast director of the company, said they are

becoming a hot trend at RV resorts across the nation.

“We manufacture the highest quality cabins available, which are

ideal for first-rate resorts such as Newport Dunes,” Currier said.

Local tourism industry leaders have embraced them as a luxury

alternative to camping.

Marta Hayden, the executive director at the Newport Beach

Conference & Visitors Bureau, said she has toured them and is

enthusiastic about their arrival. She said she likes the “creature

comforts” the cabins offer.

“I think they’re pretty luxurious,” Hayden said. “That’s my kind

of camping.”

* PAUL CLINTON covers the environment, business and politics. He

may be reached at (949) 764-4330 or by e-mail at

paul.clinton@latimes.com.