Nevalee

We'll be travelling to California this summer and plan to spend 5 or 6 days in the LA area. We have teens (18 and 17) and they prefer to stay near the beach, so it looks like Santa Monica is our best bet. Can anyone recommend a particular favorite (and why). Basically looking for something close to the beach with nice rooms and amenities. I heard the Ambrose is great, but not near beach.

All suggestions appreciated.

Thanks.

Nevalee

shellio

Shutters on the Beach is wonderful and pricey, and literally on the beach. Loews is nearly on the beach and is less expensive. The Casa del Mar is also close to the beach. Closer to downtown SM is the Georgian, which sits above the beach, across from the promenade. The Miramar is near the Georgian.

Heavens

We have stayed at the Radisson Huntley I think it is called. Had a very nice room, and across the large street and down the hill is the beach. Maybe a block or two. Walking distance to the pier and the Promenade. They also have a very cool bar at the top with great views of the coast.

Nevalee

Thanks for the suggestions. We were considering Shutters but read posts that the hotel is a bit worn down (i.e. carpets and furniture worn). I don't mind the price, but would be very disapointed if the rooms are sub par.

emd

Nevalee: I have stayed numerous times at Shutters over the past 10 yrs and yes, it is worn down now in my opinion (carpets, furniture). It needs an overhaul for what they charge. Casa Del Mar, next door and owned by the smae company, is right on the beach, contrary to what shellio says- it is not close tot he beac, it is righ ton the beach and literally next door to shutters. It is the old Pritkin Diet Center bldg, and they did a great job removating it. I have posted pn it a few times and descirbed it- do a search for it. Much bigger rooms (and higher ceilings) than Shutters, and they also have the jacuuzi tubs, but they don't have the balconies. I prefer Casa now. Check my post where i describe the different orientations of the rooms. DIfferent decor- Shutters beachy feeling (although I would deascribe it as shabby beachy feeling after my last 2 stay s there) whereas Casa is Mediteranian/European.

TedTurner

I'm glad to read emd's post about Shutters On The Beach. I have had many arguments with people about that place; some people defend it like it's the Four Seasons and I just don't get it. Location is tops, beach is right there. Rooms? Forget it. Dramatically overpriced and disappointing.

kendallg

If you're not stuck to the idea of Santa Monica, in LA consider the Beach House Hotel in Hermosa Beach. We have stayed there several times the best two summers and fell in love with it. It is directly on the beach. Impeccable rooms, very modern (cd players, microwaves, dishes, etc., aveda amenities in the room) Walk to restaurants in Hermosa Beach and Manhattan Beach. Just 10 or 15 minutes, literally, from LAX. Only downside I see, and we went to SAnta Monica just a couple months ago (stayed at Loews): no restaurants or bars or other things like that on site, and the shopping is nothing like it is on the Third STreet Promenade in Santa Monica. In fact, there's pretty much no shopping except for mostly touristy stuff. Manhattan Beach has more shopping(including boutiques) but still nothing like the mall-type stores in Santa Monica. The beach in Hermosa and Manhattan Beach is wonderful, and you can run/rollerblade/bike for miles (we went from Hermosa to Marina Del Ray, one day, for example.)
Just a thought...

jd

I agree that the Beach House in Hermosa Beach is a wonderful place to stay.We have stayed there for the last 2 yrs. with a 17 y.o. and he loves being able to walk to the pier,shops and restaurants. The beach here is wide, and lots of volleyball tournaments going on.The strand runs right in front of this hotel, and the kids can rent rollerblades and bikes next door.The rooms at the Beach-house are very nice, although they only come with 1 king bed and a pullout sofa in the living area. There is no pool(the only downside), but there is a nice hot tub. Continental breakfast is included. (Beach-house.com)

frankpkeller

I took EMD's advice and stayed at Casa Del Marjust last week and I am glad I did! The rooms were the best and the hotel was awesome. I got a price of 295 a nite through foders expedia? if you are interested i will get u more info
P.S. One Pico rest. in shutters is excellent FPK

LOYL

My daughter and I stayed at the Georgian a few weeks ago. we had a great king suite, reasonable rate on the internet. If your kids are girls and like to shop, this is a great location.
Jan

graydivers

Don't forget about the Fairmont Miramar. We hosted our out of town wedding guests there and it was lovely. 3rd St. Promenade and the beach are both 1 block away. The kids loved it - the pool and restaurants are also nice. Enjoy your trip!

emd

frankpkeller: Glad you liked Casa Del Mar. I didn't think you'd be disappointed. I recall you had a few people in your party and glad you had space. I also second One Pico at Shutters for dinner- love it. I think staying at Casa and dining at Shutters next door is the best of both worlds.

Nevalee

Thanks to all for the great information. FYI- My teens are a boy and girl.
I had checked The Beach House in Hermosa, but they were booked. Will continue to check with them, as it sounds like a great option (albeit giving up the shopping and convenience of Santa Monica).
We'll be doing various sight seeing so Santa Monica seemed like a great central location.
I saw a great rate at the Marriott (Le Merigot???) Does anyone know anything about this hotel (i.e. location, updated rooms, etc.)

Thanks again to all...

rjw_lgb_ca

Le Mérigot is a JW Marriott property and quite new-- the hotel was built four or five years ago at the most (I drive by every day). The location is pretty good, and it's a few doors from Capo, one of the best-kept secret Italian restaurants in the area. The class act in Santa Monica is the (Fairmont) Miramar, and has been since I've been working here. However, Casa del Mar is quite wonderful as well.

The Georgian is a nice reasonably-priced alternative to the luxury hotels in SM. It's a Deco-era building, but immaculately maintained.

The Ambrose is wonderfully convenient if you have business at St. John's Hospital or want to buy a car at one of the many showrooms on Santa Monica Blvd. Otherwise, you're in the middle of nowhere in a touristic sense.

The Beach House in Hermosa is really cool-- if you get it, you'll be quite happy.

emd

I have also stayed at Le Merigot (I do alot of business in L.A. and always stay in Santa Monica, as I have friends there). It is not right on the beach, but it is very close. When I was there last time, there was a bldg. being constructed or renovated right behind part of the hotel (this bldg was right on the beach), so depending on where you are staying in the hotel, you might have a view of the water or you might not. It was an o.k. hotel; the normal rooms are not very big though. They try to portray themselves as swanky, more swanky than they really are, IMO. They do have a decent spa (and I took some complimentary yoga classes while I was there), but the outdoor pool is in the spa area and it is very small. Some of the rooms are nicer than others and have fairly large balconies w/patio furniture, which is a plus (balconies in Santa Monica, w/the great sun and weather, are really nice to have). I think that is why alot of people still go to Shutters, even though their balconies are small. If you can get a good rate, Le Merigot is ok, but make sure the room is big enough. I have also stayed at the Fairmont Miramar (when it was a Sheraton) and it was nice, bigger rooms-- and the pool is much bigger there. I once stayed in a private bungalow at the Miramar; if you can afford it, those are nice and offer more room.

Nevalee

Thanks to all for the great advice. After reading through the posts and various reviews, we've decided on the Fairmont Miramar (unless we are surprised by a late cancellation on The Beach House in Hermosa).

rjw lgb ca, we'll be making reservations for dinner at Capo, as I always trust the locals for the best restaurants.

Again, many thanks to all,and see you in Sunny California!!!

rjw_lgb_ca

Good to hear about the Miramar. It's a great place.

Capo is wonderful, but take note: It's one of the pricier restaurants in the area. Just thought I'd warn you. There are some great choices in the moderately-priced range not far away, so let us know if you need suggestions.

Gratn

Just a quick warning. I stayed at the Fairmont Miramar in December on the basis of recommendations from this board, but was disappointed by the hotel. The locations is fine (one block to the Third St Promenade and looking out to the beach), but the hotel rooms were small and didn't grab me. We thought the pool was dull (although being December we only looked - LOL) and the restaurants poor - the breakfast was overpriced and dinner was unexciting. I don't really know what went wrong as the public areas are quite grand, but our entire stay I kept thinking "is this it". I hope you have a better time than we did.

rjw_lgb_ca

Gratn: I must jump to the defense of the Miramar. It is, after all, a historic hotel (some parts of the hotel date from the 1920s) with a large business-related clientèle, in a busy part of Santa Monica. It's not a resort; head to the Ritz-Carlton Laguna Niguel or the Montage in Laguna Beach for that. Of course the rooms are smaller than newer properties-- people in prior generations didn't have the same need to "spread out and occupy maximum space" that we do. The service level at the hotel is excellent, and the grounds are truly lovely. And their conference facilities are quite good as well, FYI.

However, I'm with you on the hotel's dining options. But really-- the inflated breakfast prices are typical of big-city hotels. Broadway Deli is a three-block walk, so take in some fresh air and enjoy the grub there. And as for dinner, Michael's-- one of the best restaurants in the COUNTRY-- is about a block away, as well as great bunches of superb eateries, expensive and not. I can count on one hand the times I've taken dinner at a NYC hotel I was staying at. Unless a "name" chef is running the kitchen, I give most hotel restaurants a pass and explore the area. Easily done in SM.

GLMDesigns

So is the Miramar not a good hotel for families with kids? I was looking for something resorty and it seems this is the nicest hotel in the area. I was also considering the Loewes. I do not want to stay someplace else other than Santa Monica.