Santa Cruz's first luxury hotel joins Bernardus Lodge & Spa as the second MICHELIN Key property in Ensemble's growing portfolio
LONG BEACH, Calif., Nov. 4, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- La Bahia Hotel & Spa, a luxury beachfront hotel on California's Central Coast, developed, owned and operated by Ensemble, was awarded One MICHELIN Key in the 2026 selection, becoming the first and only hotel in Santa Cruz to receive the honor. Announced just over a year after its September 2025 opening, the award makes La Bahia the second hotel in Ensemble's expanding collection of properties to receive a MICHELIN Key, joining Bernardus Lodge & Spa in Carmel Valley, which holds Two MICHELIN Keys.
"Earning a MICHELIN Key so soon after opening is a tremendous achievement for the La Bahia team and a testament to Ensemble's growing reputation as a hotel developer, owner and operator," said Kristi Allen, Executive Vice President, Hotels, Ensemble. "From ground-up construction to the daily operations, La Bahia demonstrates Ensemble's ability to bring a vision to life and establish a memorable guest experience far beyond check-out."
MICHELIN's selection highlights La Bahia's Spanish Mediterranean design, historic bell tower, ocean view guestrooms, distinctive spa, coastal dining and connection to the Santa Cruz community. The One MICHELIN Key distinction recognizes the overall guest experience, including service quality.
Ensemble has grown from a design-driven hotel developer into a vertically integrated company that acquires, develops, owns and operates a portfolio of 15 hotels across 12 U.S. cities. Its portfolio includes properties affiliated with Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt, alongside top independent hotels. Ensemble Hospitality oversees more than $200 million in revenue and continues to bring management of its own hotels in-house. Ensemble's development pipeline includes a renovation and repositioning in Sedona, Arizona, an upscale lifestyle hotel in the Philadelphia Navy Yard, and a new hotel in Oyster Point, South San Francisco.
"As Ensemble continues to grow, we're focused on more than the real estate transaction, as we want our hotels to make a positive impact on guests and the communities around them," said Allen. "La Bahia's MICHELIN Key recognition reinforces our belief that thoughtful design, a strong connection to place and attentive service come together to create an exceptional stay, which sets a standard of excellence we intend to carry into each new project."
Ensemble completed La Bahia in 2025, creating a new seaside hotel that preserves the historic bell tower of the original 1926 landmark designed by William C. Hays and celebrates Santa Cruz's coastal identity. Designed by ForrestPerkins, the hotel blends Mediterranean elegance with a setting known for surf culture, the iconic Beach Boardwalk, Monterey Bay marine sanctuary and towering redwoods.
Ensemble's next phase of hotel growth will focus on value-add acquisitions, applying its owner-operator expertise through hotel management, capital improvements and property repositioning. Target markets include new areas of California, Washington, D.C., the broader Mid-Atlantic region and the Southwest.
Internationally renowned for its restaurant selections and Star ratings, the MICHELIN Guide recommends more than 9,000 hotels across over 100 countries, awarding Keys to those offering the most outstanding stays. Anonymous, independent inspectors evaluate hotels across five universal criteria including architecture and interior design, quality and consistency of service, personality and character, value for the price, and contribution to the destination.
For more information visit www.ensemble.net or to book your stay, please visit https://labahiahotel.com/
About La Bahia Hotel & Spa: La Bahia Hotel & Spa, located in Santa Cruz, California, is a celebration of one of California's most idyllic, storied coastal towns. Blending a bygone era of relaxed surf culture and eclectic design with a contemporary, hostess-approach to hospitality, it is the most luxurious hotel in the destination. Positioned where the tip of Monterey Bay meets the sparkling Pacific, La Bahia sits as a focal point of the coveted Main Beach, along with its historic bell tower which has been lovingly restored. The 155-room property offers spacious accommodations, four distinct culinary concepts, a rooftop spa, indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, a catalog of curated experiences and world-class partnerships, redefining the destination and the quintessential coastal getaway. For more information: labahiahotel.com Follow La Bahia Hotel & Spa on Facebook and Instagram @labahiahotelandspa
About Ensemble: Over the past 30 years, Ensemble has successfully invested and developed more than $2 billion in real estate across the United States and has $2 billion in the pipeline, offering state-of-the-art property solutions in the hospitality, multi-family lifestyle mixed-use, life science and commercial sectors. A widely respected leader in its industry, Ensemble strives for extraordinary design and thoughtful execution in its mission to deliver impactful developments that transform and inspire the communities they serve. Headquartered in Long Beach, California, Ensemble has offices in Philadelphia and Phoenix. For more information, visit www.ensemble.net.
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SOURCE La Bahia Hotel & Spa
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