Believe it or not, David Geffen does want you to come to the beach in Malibu. Every single room at his oceanfront hotel has views of the sea, and daily barbecues fill the terrace through September.

Oddly affordable in this enclave of multimillion-dollar mansions, the Malibu Beach Inn is a small place (47 rooms) with big amenities (a new concierge service, hotel-wide WiFi that extends to the beach, 24-hour room service). It almost seems as if Geffen is going overboard to please with a continental breakfast and complimentary afternoon tea. The inn's Spanish architecture harkens back to the time when Malibu was part of a Spanish land grant; peach paint tones and a cocktail from the lobby's new full bar ease the transition from PCH traffic. Leave the car parked: The hotel is walking distance from Malibu Pier and Malibu Lagoon.

To wind down after sunning or surfing (Surfrider Beach is very close), there are plenty of diversions inside the hotel; the DVD library carries more than 100 titles. But a visit here is really all about the beach, so this still-summery month is the best time to check in. If you strike up conversation with Malibu resident Courteney Cox Arquette on the beach, be sure to mention that you're staying at David's.