Santa Monica Beach Hotels

Look at that view! Many Santa Monica beach hotels are situated right along Ocean Avenue, filled with palm trees and overlooking Palisades Park at the top of the cliffs leading down to Pacific Coast Highway and the Santa Monica beaches! Almost nothing is as quintessentially Los Angeles (er... Santa Monica) than this view and the beautiful beaches beyond. What you can't see is that a short walk to the left down Ocean Ave is the entrance to Santa Monica Pier.

So if you are a beach bum and prefer the natural beauty to the vanity of Hollywood, these Santa Monica Hotels are for you. The nice thing is that right on this strip there are a variety of types of places to stay too. Not all Santa Monica beach hotels are shi-shi, expensive beach resorts (although there are plenty of those too). Some of our favorites are the little beach motels, many with the original 50's style sign and design. There are even inexpensive Travelodge and Holiday Inn's right there on the strip in the same great location.

One of the nice things about staying right on the beach in Santa Monica is that there is SO much to do within a very short distance. Right behind you is the 3rd Street Promenade, full of restaurants, shops and tons of street performers (we've even seen a monkey that you can shake hands with there!). There are tons of great restaurants all around the area. There is the Pier, Venice beach and boardwalk are not far down the beach, Santa Monica Place mall around the corner, and more!

    

Some Santa Monica Beach Hotels

The Ocean View Hotel is just as the name implies. Right across the street from the palm-lined palisades above the sea cliffs. This is a very pretty and well kept hotel that is not as expensive as some of its more resort-like neighbors. It used to be a Best Western, to give you an idea. This is a good option for a great location and comfortable Santa Monica beach hotel, without the added cost.

1447 Ocean Ave.
(800) 452-4888

The Pacific Plaza is actually not a hotel, although it is sandwiched between hotels on Ocean Avenue. It is actually a hotel complex located right there in the heart of the action on Santa Monica beach. We haven't lived there personally but in terms of location it is about as good as you can get! We've heard the apartments are clean but thats about it. Not a fancy apartment complex, but a liveable one, in a rockin' location. So if your stay in LA is gonna be a bit longer... maybe you are trying to make it in the entertainment business?... this might be a good option.

1431 Ocean Ave.
(310) 393-3549

The Georgian Hotel is a grand old Art Deco Hotel build in 1933! It is beautiful, in a perfect location, and is not cheap. No, its not the most expensive hotel in the area, but it is luxurious. This is one of the oldest Santa Monica beach hotels in the area and it has recently been renovated. So if you like a bit of LA history and like to be comfortable. This beautiful hotel may be worth the splurge.

1415 Ocean Ave.
(310) 395-9945

Like the Pacific Plaza, the nearby 1221 Ocean Avenue is not really a hotel, more of a resort apartment building, if that makes sense. They offer apartments and furnished suites but also offer hotel-like amenities like concierge services, room service, laundry service, valet parking and spa services. This is the beach-front apartment for those with money and plan to stay a while. Whereas the Pacific Plaza doesn't offer much except for a great location, this has it all, if you can afford it! There is even a pool on the roof!

1221 Ocean Ave.
(888) 463-0148

One of the fanciest of the Santa Monica beach hotels, on a beautiful big property at the corner of Ocean Ave. and Wilshire, the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and Bungalows is one of the great Santa Monica beach hotels. The rooms are not cheap (ranging from about $300 to $800 a night and even more for the beautiful bungalows) but the amenities and decoration is first class. A beautiful tropical pool rounds out the package. Just a first rate hotel from top to bottom, as you might expect from Fairmont.

101 Wilshire Blvd.
(310) 576-7777

The Oceana is a new, boutique hotel right on the Ocean Ave strip. Although it is a hotel, it has more of an apartment feel with functional and comfortable rooms that are equally appealing to the casual traveler and business traveler looking to get work done and stay connected. Its like a home away from home... and a nice home at that! And like most of the hotels listed here, its location can't be beat!

849 Ocean Ave.
(310) 393-0486

The Pacific Sands Motel gets honorable mention for being one of the original 50's styled beach motels on the Ocean Ave. strip. It has to get extra points for its funky styling. It is inexpensive but the amenities here are practically non-existant. Its cute from the outside and cheap, but thats about it. Don't expect nice rooms, room service or anything like that. Its just a place to stay in a great location for cheap.

1515 Ocean Ave.
(310) 395-6133

The Hotel California is just down Ocean Ave where there is no park on the west side of the street so it is actually backed up right to Santa Monica beach. Its old, California surf music styling is fun and well kept, making it a great themed hotel for the beach and surf lover. Despite the famous name, great location and cool decor, it is quite affordably priced for the area. Its also very close to lots of cool stuff, only a few hundred feet from the beach and the Santa Monica Pier, 10 minutes to the 3rd street promenade by food, not far from Venice beach, its a great location to get immersed in the beach community.

1670 Ocean Ave.
(866) 571-0000

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is a big complex right next door to the older Hotel California. It is modern, clean and classy. And like the Hotel California, it backs up right to the beach so its location is awesome. This is a major hotel so if you like all the amenities, spa, gym, etc, that you get with that, then you might prefer this to the simpler hotels or motels in the area.

1700 Ocean Ave.
(310) 458-6700

A true luxury hotel and spa, Le Merigot is a high-end Marriott hotel right on the beach on the Ocean Ave strip. If you want to be pampered and live it up right on the beautiful Santa Monica beach, this is the place for you. It doesn't have quite the old LA feel of the nearby Hotel California or Georgian, but if you are lucky enough to stay here, you'll feel like you are in a top resort. Its restaurants and bars are great too.

1740 Ocean Ave.
(310) 395-9700

The Seaview Motor Hotel is a fun old 50's styled beach motel right on the exciting Ocean Ave strip. This is one of our favorite Santa Monica beach hotels because of its great location, inexpensive rates, and simple but comfortable rooms. If you want to visit on the cheap but still be in a great location and a fun hotel, this is for you. We love it for its old LA surf vibe. No frills, but what it offers is hard to beat.

1760 Ocean Ave.
(310) 393-6711

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