Now, if your going down the pacific coast highway, I thoroughly recommend a very low key place near the Hearst castle.
Pelican inn in Cambria, if you want to break up the route between Carmel/Monterrey and LA.
Small and cozy, fab beach, otherworldly sunset, good breakfast and on you go into the Santa Inez valley, solvang, ranch country, before reaching LA right from Santa Barbara and the 101 straight to the Bel Air.