Here is a copy of the response I sent Surf and Sand via their email survey:

"We had a very nice time in Laguna and although your hotel is beautiful, overall we did not have a pleasant stay due an unfortunate experience with both temperature and odor in our room.

When we arrived on Friday afternoon, our room was extremely hot. (I did not realize there was no AC), so we did our best to cool the room down by using the extra fan provided, and keeping the sliding glass door open. Although, for safely reasons keeping the sliding door open is not something that I am very comfortable with, especially over night. However, we really had no choice, because our room was so hot. Then at about 1:00 am we started to smell a horrible skunk stench, which we think was coming into our room via the sliding door.

So unfortunately, since the stench was pretty awful, we had to close the sliding door and deal with the heat. And after about an hour, when the smell did not dissipate, I went down stairs to the reservations desk to inform them and to ask if they were aware of it. Bottom line, I did not get much assistance that night.

However, when I mentioned our experience the next morning, Joanne the manager was lovely and apologetic. She even offered a credit of $100 off the room, and although it was a very nice gesture, in hindsight, more should have been done.

I stay in hotels frequently for both business and pleasure, and I have never had an experience like this. I fully realize that the hotel cannot control odors from outside, but the problem was further exasperated since we had no air conditioning.

In any case, we barely slept and at one point contemplated leaving the hotel at about 3 am….

And although the hotel is quite beautiful, and most of the staff was very gracious (Marv the bellman and Julie the manger were especially lovely) overall it was a very unpleasant stay due to both the hot temperature and terrible odor in our room

Unfortunately, I will not recommend Surf and Sand to any of my friends or family."

FYI: I did not receive a response from my survey (that I am aware of).

My partner and I stayed at this facility on the recommendation of a friend, but I was not impressed. I have been to resorts in other locations and other countries, and this one had a few things missing, although it was a nice place. I expected perhaps landscaped gardens, a golf course, tennis courts, or something of that nature; there were none of these. There was a swimming pool, but it was rather small and rectangular. Basically, this hotel is sandwiched between the highway and the ocean with other properties on either side. At high tide there is about 20 feet of sand between the hotel wall and the water. The nicely decorated room had a great view of the ocean, with louvered doors for nice breezes, but the room had very dim light bulbs (a common problem these days), and the wi-fi stopped working from time to time. They do have two computers available in the gift shop, but they worked sporadically, too. It will cost you $30 plus a tip for the mandatory valet parking, but the attendants are very friendly and quick. Perhaps I am spoiled by other resorts I have stayed in, in Pennsylvania, Costa Rica, Vietnam, Cambodia, Canada, and Wales, or maybe Californians have different expectations to easterners.

This boutique hotel has one of the best locations in Laguna Beach. If you can get a room in the Tower Building, ocean front, you'll be set with an ocean front view right on the water. Some hotels boast ocean fronts or ocean views when all you see is a speck of blue-the Surf and Sand fulfills it's promise if you get a room in the Tower Building.
The rooms are lovely although every time we go there they seem to be in need of a bit of an update.
The hotel has a pretty good restaurant but you'd be better off going into town and eating at 230 Forest Avenue.
I love this place. It isn't perfect but has a lot of charm, has a fantastic ocean view, and it's not an overpriced giant chain hotel where the price of the extravagant entry way to the hotel is built into the price of your room.

Your rooms are literally, right on the water. Updated and modern boutique hotel, I was pleasantly surprised by this hotel. The lobby is small and modern. The staff was very helpful and very nice. Rooms were very large with full ocean views. I was also pleasantly surprised to see Philosophy branded shampoo's and soaps in the bathroom, which was a first for me. I would definitely recommend to stay here..but if not would go back for lunch or dinner in the "on beach" restaurants.