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Nobu Ryokan Malibu
Malibu, California, United States · Nobu · Grand Luxury
Nobu Ryokan Malibu opened in 2017 on the site of Casa Malibu, a 1950s beach motel, directly on Carbon Beach at 22752 Pacific Coast Highway, the crescent west of the pier known as Billionaires Beach for its oceanfront estates. Nobu Hotels calls it the first in its Ryokan collection, and chef Nobu Matsuhisa runs the adjoining Nobu Malibu restaurant, so dinner is a few steps from your room.
- 16 rooms
- Opened 2017
- Neighborhood: Carbon Beach
- Rooms from 300 sq ft (28 m²)
- Interiors: TAL Studio
About Nobu Ryokan Malibu
- The hotel opened in April 2017, with guest access confirmed by late 2017, though some sources give 2018, as the first Nobu Ryokan.
- The parcel was previously home to Casa Malibu, a 1950s beach motel that sat on the sand between what is now Malibu Pier and the Little Beach House club.
- Carbon Beach, west of Malibu Pier, is nicknamed Billionaires Beach for its oceanfront estates.
- Entry-level rooms start at 300 sq ft (28 m²).
History
Carbon Beach — the narrow strip of Pacific Coast Highway shoreline in Malibu that brokers and gossip columnists long ago nicknamed "Billionaires' Beach" — has been among the most coveted real estate in California since at least the 1920s, when the area was first developed after Malibu's original land grant territory began to be subdivided. The specific parcel occupied by Nobu Ryokan was previously home to Casa Malibu, a 1950s-era beach motel that had served guests on the sand for decades. The motel was a relic of an earlier, less rarefied Malibu, sitting directly on the beach between what is now the Malibu Pier and the Little Beach House club.
In 2012, chef Nobuyuki Matsuhisa, actor Robert De Niro, and producer Meir Teper — the partnership behind the Nobu restaurant and hotel brand — acquired the Casa Malibu site and began a six-year development project that involved a complete demolition and rebuild. Montalba Architects and Studio PCH designed the new structure, with interiors by TAL Studio. The result, which opened in April 2017 (sources variously cite 2017 and 2018, with guest access confirmed by late 2017), was named a Nobu Ryokan — a deliberate invocation of the traditional Japanese inn concept, emphasizing seclusion, ritual, and the relationship between guest and place over branded amenity accumulation.
The property sits on approximately 9,200 square feet of beachfront land and contains sixteen suites and rooms arranged across two stories, with naturally stained teak and ipe wood, limestone walls, wooden soaking tubs, and a Japanese-Californian vernacular that uses native coastal plants and direct Pacific views as its primary design elements. The hotel is adult-only, with quiet-hour rules in the evenings and a mandatory two-night minimum stay. Guests have access to Nobu Malibu restaurant, the onsen-inspired bathing facilities, and the hotel's private path to Carbon Beach. The Nobu Ryokan is described by Nobu Hotels as the world's first property in its Ryokan collection — a separate tier from the larger Nobu Hotel brand — and functions as a test of the concept of high-anonymity, Japanese-influenced hospitality applied to an oceanfront California setting.
The setting
Nobu Ryokan Malibu sits directly on Carbon Beach at 22752 Pacific Coast Highway, the 1.5-mile crescent west of the Malibu Pier known as Billionaires Beach for its concentration of oceanfront estates owned by technology and entertainment magnates. The Malibu Pier is an eight-minute walk east; the Adamson House Museum within Malibu Lagoon State Beach is fifteen minutes on foot; and the Lagoon, one of California's most significant coastal wetland sanctuaries, sixteen minutes away. The Getty Villa lies twenty-one minutes up the highway. The hotel's twelve rooms open directly onto the Pacific, framing Malibu's singular coastal seclusion in a Japanese-inflected register of restrained luxury.
Restaurants and bars
- Nobu Malibu — Restaurant · Chef Nobu Matsuhisa
Experiences
- Taste of Nobu — Dining experience exclusive to Nobu Ryokan Malibu.
- The Art of Bathing — A curated experience inspired by the authentic Japanese bathing ritual, onsen.
- Sake at Sunset — Experience the tradition of sake during Malibu's golden hour.
- Surf with Nobu — Malibu is home to many of the best spots in town for surfing.
- Cruise the Coast — Coastal adventure with Beverly Hills Car Rental.
- Ryokan Wellness — A relaxing spa-cation with a 90-minute treatment and elevated wellness amenities.
Amenities
- 16 rooms and suites
- Preferred reservations at Nobu Malibu
- Nobu in-room dining and customized menus
- SPIRIT Spa Services treatments
- Access to the members-only Malibu Racquet Club
- Malibu Fit Concierge experiences
- Guided hikes, private yoga, Pilates, and surfing excursions
- The Art of Bathing onsen-inspired experience
- Pool
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended (2026)
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- Nobu Hotel Miami Beach — Miami Beach, United States · Core Luxury
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