Windansea Ember

One block from Windansea Beach and a fifteen-minute walk from La Jolla Village, this home sits in a handsome Art Deco brick building and gives you two levels of living space. The patio is the standout – gather around the fire pit as the sun drops below the palms, or fire up the barbecue for an alfresco evening under the California sky. The main bedroom opens directly onto its own private terrace, and bikes plus beach gear are stashed in the garage for whenever the ocean calls.

Home truths:
* Two secure garage spaces are included, and there's also free street parking out front if you're bringing a larger vehicle that doesn't fit below.
* The apartment sits on a busy road, so you'll notice traffic noise during the day – particularly in the main bedroom on the lower level. It tends to quieten down in the evenings.
* The apartment spans two floors with no internal lift – you'll be using the stairs to move between the bedroom level and the upper living and kitchen area. Your host has noted the private building elevator is not available for guest use, so do make sure everyone in your group is comfortable on stairs.