Dana Point Beachside Hotel Closes Its Doors

DANA POINT, CA — A beachside south Orange County hotel is shutting its doors for good.

El Caminante Hotel & Bungalows will be closed starting Jan. 9, staff wrote online.

"We are deeply grateful to every guest who stayed with us, celebrated with us, and made El Caminante such a special place," staff behind the "Old California" hotel posted on its website. "Your support, memories, and moments shared here have meant more to us than words can express."

The beachside location was originally built in the 1940s and known as the Swallows Inn, late the Capistrano Seaside Inn.

However, the motel fell into disrepair in the late '90s and was red-tagged eight years before its revival.

The property was purchased by Artist Guild Hotels in 2021 and undertook an extensive renovation, keeping the original structure while updating the property's interior, according to The San Clemente Times.