Hotel Oceana, Santa Monica review

By Oyster.com
May 21, 2011

HOTEL OCEANA, SANTA MONICA — Many high-end hotels in the Los Angeles beach town of Santa Monica try to recreate the experience of staying at a quiet, personalized beach house. Shutters on the Beach, Casa Del Mar, and the Fairmont Miramar all outfit their rooms as though they were seaside cottages and work to create the relaxed atmosphere of a coastal escape. All three come close, but none get it as right as the Hotel Oceana does. Except for the occasional private evening celebration, the small, private hotel feels more like a homey bed-and-breakfast than a high-powered hideaway for Hollywood's elite.

One reason for this: With only 63 rooms, the Oceana is the smallest luxury hotel in Santa Monica. The next largest, Casa Del Mar, is almost twice the size. Bustle and bureaucracy are at an absolute minimum here. Although the pool is only slightly smaller than at other hotels, it's tough to find a moment during the day when there are more than 10 people using it. Sure, private parties some evenings can bring in large crowds (the singer Gwen Stefani attended one during my stay), but they're generally calmer affairs than the swanky Miami Beach-style gatherings at the Shangri La or the Huntley. Generally, the pool and the adjacent lounge cater to families and couples who chat idly in the sun.

With fewer guests to please, the staff has time to make each individual feel personally cared for. When you arrive at the Oceana, a porter takes your bags, a doorman holds the door, and both introduce themselves as though welcoming you to a dinner party. Everyone at the Hotel Oceana wants you to use their first names, and everyone is trained to act as a concierge -- which means any staffer should be able to help you with just about any issue. The welcoming atmosphere shows most during breakfast at the poolside lounge. Guests walk right in, say hi to the two servers (no hostess stand, no waiting), and grab a seat -- and service begins immediately. The process is so effortless that I thought for a moment that breakfast was included. (Sadly, it isn't, but the experience is worth the price, which is no higher than at any other Santa Monica hotel restaurant).

The Oceana stands apart for more than its friendly atmosphere. The rooms are airy and spacious, with homey touches like coffee table books and potted plants. The three-story building encircles the outdoor pool, and each room has large windows that look out onto the pool deck below.

For all that intimacy and ease, though, there are a few drawbacks. There's no on-site spa (unlike at the Fairmont Miramar, Casa Del Mar, or Shutters), and the small, below-ground fitness center is merely adequate. Also, while Shutters and Casa Del Mar offer immediate access to Santa Monica State Beach, getting there from the Hotel Oceana requires a 15-minute walk across a street, down a bluff, and across a pedestrian bridge over a highway.

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