The Hotel California

Decided to come here on a whim to celebrate my birthday with the husband. The guys manning the front desk were super cool and had some good tips on where to go around town. We arrived early but they let us check in anyway. We got room # 29 with a little deck out the front with a view of the ocean and the ferris wheel. We grabbed some beers from the bottle shop up the road, moved some of the outdoor furniture around and kicked back watching the sun set over the pier. What an unbelievable place. I would live here if I could. Will recommend to everyone I talk to without a doubt.

I am a long time customer of hotel California.
But this time some thing changed. It wasn’t charming anymore. It crossed over the line into run down.
Broken blinds, weird stain on the upholstered chair, stains on the sheet, whipped bedspread, ripped pillowcase, very broken grout at the threshold. Squeaky wobbly fan, no A/​C, 2 weird old tiles in the bathroom that didn’t match. Yep. Too many stains in tears. Did not feel cozy. Could not trust that anything was clean or in good shape after this because too many things communicated «we don’t really care»
When I went down to the office to show him the photos… and ask for another room he just said «we only have one room left». He let me look at it. Nothing appeared broken, stained or torn in that second room. And it HAD A/​C…, but it was very tiny and very dark… And we were late for dinner… So not compelling enough difference to make a change.
I am very disappointed that there standards have dropped so much that they would actually rent out this room. My love affair with this place is over.

I’m not sure this would be for everyone but we absolutely LOVED it. The room/​unit was spotless. Ours was like a studio apartment and the bed lived up to the hype. We didn’t use the TV or attempt to cook in the kitchenette so while they were nice to have we didn’t take advantage of them.
I loved the proximity to the beach and pier. We were there on a rare rainy day so couldn’t set outside and enjoy the common courtyard areas much. The staff was super friendly and attentive.
If you prefer a chain hotel vibe then this probably isn’t the place for you. If you’re more comfortable in small independents or b&b’s you’ll probably love it.

Cute hotel right on beach. Beautiful. Loved it. Great family place. Great prices. True taste of Santa Monica. Surf board decorations. Nice.

I’ve been coming here seemingly since the place opened in the 90s. My parents stay here for their annual spring vacations. My kids and I would often join them here. We have enjoyed the place immensely. It is a historic property with good bones. Clearly, someone had a lot of fun uniquely decorating the place with distinctive Southern California memorabilia. Some units are essentially small apartments with tiny kitchens. It is great for families.
The location can’t be beat for Santa Monica. You’re right near the beach, the Pier, Main Street and the Promenade. Montana and Abbot Kinney are a short Über ride away. You can stroll down to the wacky Venice Boardwalk. Across the street is the gorgeous Tongva Park. My kids love strolling over to the amusement park at the Santa Monica Pier in the evenings. The sense of place is very strong. You know exactly where you are.
That said, this is a quirky property. Management is eccentric. Parking is limited and expensive. If you’re looking for a corporate hotel and all of the modern amenities, this property is not for you. Loews and many similarly fabulous hotels are nearby. You’ll pay accordingly. But, if you want to chill and soak up some funky SoCal vibe, it is fabulous.
Given the lousy parking situation, we park a block away at the City Hall lots. $ 5 a night is an incredible rate. You also get to take a walk through the beautiful Tongva park. My kids can’t wait to return.

1) The fan wobbles so much that I either worry of my two year old daughter overheating during her nap or getting squashed by it falling.
2) The ancient television didn’t even turn on for three days of our trip even though management knew about the tv (they even mentioned it to us at check in) and promised to fix it the next day. It’s difficult to shower with a toddler screaming outside the door because they are used to watching a show while you shower. Not relaxing by any means.
3) The shower doesn’t have a temperature regulator so it will go from Freezing to scalding hot in mere seconds. Like hot enough to give a second degree burn. On your nipples. Good luck trying to shower in the am because everyone else is showering, or flushing a toliet, or brushing their teeth, etc. Your water will never be a consistent temp.
4) Our room smells of ammonia when housekeeping leaves. It smells like a woman from the 80s broke in and permed her hair. No joke. I had to go and buy a candle and matches at Anthropology to get through the trip.
5) The bathroom is so dated and disgusting. The tiles are stained and the paint worn off. I feel like I need to clean myself after taking a shower…
6) In the lobby they have posted the hotel rates for nearby hotels. Okay I get it, you guys are cheap. But does that excuse you from keeping up to date and clean? A cardboard box is cheap too… Get your act together! I’m not a person who spends the entire day at the beach. I have a toddler who needs to nap during the day. And that gives me a lot of time to sit and contemplate in this dilapidated hotel room. We travel a lot for pleasure. At least once a month, on average. I’m not a high class gal. I normally request the room just be a Holiday Inn Express standard. This does not stand up to even that low bar. The only worse hotel I have stayed in was a motor inn dump in Spokane, WA where I didn’t even want to touch the bed.
7) We requested a room change the second day. They told us they were sold out but we could defiantly get a new room the following day. The following day they said they were unable to move us and that the guy we had previously talked to failed to mentioned we needed to request a room change by noon. The lack of follow through, as well as the aforementioned issues, leaves me no choice but to rate this hotel one star. They get one for being low cost within walking distance to a bunch of homeless people. Er I mean really expensive shopping. And sand with broken glass and flying poop machines. I have heard people call them seagulls.
I guess this place is okay if you want a bed to crash on and plan on bathing in the ocean.

The staff was great and the location is right, but that is where it stops. My room didn’t have any AC, wifi doesn’t work unless outside (so I am told) and you can tell how old it is based on the smell. I couldn’t feel comfortable in my room and ended up spending as little time there as possible. In theory is is a great hotel with charm and character, but when on vacation I would rather spend my money on a modern and comfortable hotel.

My story of NOISE. I WANT to love this place. The staff are so awesome and friendly. The location, within five min from Santa Monica pier and all the amazing restaurants, is unbeatable. And the beds are super posh with down comforters and pillows. You just melt into them at the end of the night. I don’t really care that the walls and floors are scratched or the movie posters a bit cheesy.
But the NOISE! Holy moley. It was like a highway was running through our room. So loud. We also had late night loud neighbors both next door and down below us slamming their front doors. BRING EAR PLUGS! Another issue I had was the toilet. The bolts were broken so it rocked back and forth and made a loud noise when being used. The sink drain was broken missing its lid so you’d be brushing your teeth looking at broken plastic which kind of grossed me out. At 4:45am the smoke detector started its very loud ‘low battery’ song. Thank god the front desk is open 24 – 7. My husband took out the old battery but the device was hard wired in and kept ‘talking’. I used the phone to call down and the phone said ‘low battery’ too. The front desk was out of batteries for both so he just came in and took the entire device off the wall. The hotel really should provide circulating fans for both airflow purposes (even with lots of little windows there was no air movement) and background noise. Bring earplugs and the luscious beds will overpower the noise in your fight for sleep.

On a dark desert highway, cool wind in my hair
Warm smell of colitas, rising up through the air
Up ahead in the distance, I saw a shimmering light
My head grew heavy and my sight grew dim
I had to stop for the night
There she stood in the doorway;
I heard the mission bell
And I was thinking to myself,
«This could be Heaven or this could be Hell»
Then she lit up a candle and she showed me the way
There were voices down the corridor,
I thought I heard them say…
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
Plenty of room at the Hotel California
Any time of year (Any time of year)
You can find it here
Her mind is Tiffany-​twisted, she got the Mercedes bends
She got a lot of pretty, pretty boys she calls friends
How they dance in the courtyard, sweet summer sweat.
Some dance to remember, some dance to forget
So I called up the Captain,
«Please bring me my wine»
He said, «We haven’t had that spirit here since nineteen sixty nine»
And still those voices are calling from far away,
Wake you up in the middle of the night
Just to hear them say…
Welcome to the Hotel California
Such a lovely place (Such a lovely place)
Such a lovely face
They livin’ it up at the Hotel California
What a nice surprise (what a nice surprise)
Bring your alibis
Mirrors on the ceiling,
The pink champagne on ice
And she said «We are all just prisoners here, of our own device»
And in the master’s chambers,
They gathered for the feast
They stab it with their steely knives,
But they just can’t kill the beast
Last thing I remember, I was
Running for the door
I had to find the passage back
To the place I was before
«Relax, «said the night man,
«We are programmed to receive.
You can check-​out any time you like,
But you can never leave! »

This is a three star hotel under the traditional grading system. But three stars would not convey how pleased I am with our experience.
I give five stars because the staff was friendly, polite and courteous, the room was immaculate, the location is easy walking to Santa Monica pier, shopping, dining etc.
I have spent nights in countless hotels with no differentiation. If you can choose between hotel X and Hotel California, you would be happier with the latter. I will definitely plan to stay here again when vacationing in Los Angeles!

Visited The Hotel California this past week. We were to stay two nights however left after one. The pictures on the website are a bit misleading. We were promised two queen sized beds but our room had two double beds. There is no air conditioning so it gets to be quite stuffy. All of this could have been overlooked but we were unfortunate enough to have some crazy neighbors. Fighting until all hours of the night. It was kind of a rowdy atmosphere.
All of this aside, it is a cute hotel. Near the beach, clean, and affordable. The staff were very understanding and accommodating.

We needed something in the LA area for thanksgiving night. This was the only reasonably priced hotel by the beach. The room was awesome! We had a view of the Santa Monica pier and could walk right down to the beach! The front desk was very nice and even upgraded our room! We will definitely be back!

This has become our Easter weekend spot. I get to visit family and enjoy the beach and set my kids loose with their own agendas. It’s close to the pier, 3^rd St Promenade, and Venice. That’s not the only draw, I have family to visit for the holiday in Beverly Hills. I’ve thought about staying other places. I mean there’s plenty of places to stay. But let’s add to the list of why this place is great. The beds. OMG! Yeah — night sound strange, but even the pillows are great! One thing I do to assure a good night’s sleep is bring my white noise machine to cancel the street noise. Other than that, I’m OUT like a light.
ItsCLEAN! I was just out in the courtyard area enjoying my coffee and the gentleman is sweeping tg

I’m not really sure what happened this hotel. They told me i didn’t have to pay for parking but once i showed up there was a fee. I was disappointed with the service as well. The grounds were nice and kept up. I would pick a different place if I were to go to Santa Monica again. Stayed here June 21 – 23.

Our family just returned from a four night stay at the Hotel California and had a great experience. I was cautious after reading some of the reviews but we found them wrong. No Air conditioning — absolutely not a problem.
The staff was amazing, especially Katie and Aaron. They worked hard to make our stay enjoyable. Clean rooms, easy to operate safe in the room, comfortable beds and a very pleasant outdoor setting area w/​wifi.
They had two pizza parties in the afternoons and plenty of breakfast. Beach towels were provided. Parking was a small problem but we talked to the front desk and they helped us out at the Lowes.
Fantastic experience and would definitely do it again

SCAM, SCAM, SCAM. At first we liked this place, then, we got home to find that our credit card had been charged twice and this is not the first time (according to Unilocal,it’s a common occurrence here). Here’s what they said, «we had you down for two rooms…» Good one. I guess they’re hoping that people don’t pay attention to their credit card bills, but we did. It was such a hassle to get the problem fixed and not even a resemblance of an apology. «Welcome to the Hotel California… there’s plenty of fraud at the Hotel California…»

ROBBED BY THE STAFF? VISITORS BEWARE. I do not take the time to write reviews very often. I think back to our experience at the Hotel California in Oct 2013 and I wish someone would have warned me. I maybe could have saved my family and myself 3 months worth of heartbreak and thousands of dollars in losses.

Sunday afternoon after a one week stay at the hotel in town for business and pleasure my daughter, my wife and I went to the beach. Upon our return 2 hours later the room was cleaned, the beds were made and the door was locked just like we left it. But one thing was different; WE WERE ROBBED BY THE STAFF OF THE HOTEL! Someone had carefully searched through every little zipper and pouch of our luggage pulling all the most valuable goodies during the 2 hour window that the maids were in our room. We were missing a vintage wedding ring and iPad and many other personal items in the range of $ 6,000. The Santa Monica Police Department arrived, the forensics unit came and the whole nine yards. The Detective working on the case said he has uncovered many more bad things about this hotel and is pursuing them for crimes. I believe this could be happening all the time.
The main reason I write this today is because of the response of Graham Smith and the hotel Management in San Francisco. They had a chance to handle this with respect to us and our experience. They actually made us feel bad and strung us along only to dump us 90 days later. We were told the hotel insurance company would handle it, well guess what? the insurance company denied our claim for no explainable reason. Now the Manager Graham Smith has refused to reimburse us for our loss in any way. It has been a horrible experience for us and the Hotel Management has made it worse. I have reserved my judgment of their actions until now. Now it is time for the public to understand what a bad business this truly is.
Please consider this a warning and immediately look for another hotel. We had 4 rooms that weekend with other partner businesses for a trade show and all of them had issues including cleanliness among other things I will not get into in this review. This is about safety and I do not believe you or your belongings are safe at this hotel.

MOTEL CALIFORNIA !
Put simply the location is not worth the $$$.
— NO AC
— Astronomical parking charges if you’re lucky to get a spot
— Poor desk service
— Phantom management
— Ocean Ave, You might as well be staying on The 405
My advice is to read a few positive reviews and a few negatives. Look at the trends through them all. Then decide if you think saving a few hundred is worth not feeling like you’re actually on vacation.
To Live and Die in LA — 1LUV
Peace — I’m out

Ugh. My parents had a horrible experience here. I wish I’d had the money to put them up at Loews, but Hotel California was just too cheap. And you get what you pay for. The rooms were cramped and smelled like mildew. They said they heard a homeless dude with his shopping cart loudly rifling through the recycle bins in the alley. The receptionist was also rude.
The only benefits are the price and the location.
I felt really, really terrible for putting my parents through that. :(

My recent business trip to LA took me to Santa Monica. Our staff normally books travel, but with the flu swarming our office, I did it all by myself.
Just like a big boy, I set up own air travel (SWA-​never again), rental car (Enterprise-​definitely again), and The Hotel California (most definitely again).
I tried to book on-​line, but it appeared the hotel was sold out. I called up on the toll-​free number and the lovely Mary Bell booked my room on the last minute deal of $ 129!
Once I pulled up and parked in the last space on the property, I did have to take a breath. It’s like The Bates meets The Palm. And, I fully expected to find Annette Funicello and Frankie Avalon filming Beach Blanket Bingo.
But, inside it even more special. And it starts with the room key (see photo).
Clean room, fresh linen (not scratchy towels), comfy bed, even a microwave, it was nice. The best touches were the surfboard beds, real guitar art on the wall, and OMG, Ecossential toiletries that rival The Venetian Hotel. Soap, lotion, and shampoo, are environmentally responsible amenities with, no animal testing and are 100% biodegradable. OK, I did take the extras home.
It’s not a resort, but you do have the Santa Moncia Beach ½ a block away. Right across the street is the Chez Jay, which I heard rumor that it’s the local dive for the «Hollywood Crowd.» Another day and another Unilocal.
Lost one star at first for a nightly parking fee of $ 25, but I put it back five stars on since even South Beach’s, The Palm, charges $ 29.
When I checked out, Mary Bell, the charming manager said frequent customers get a discount. I’ll be back next month.