Viceroy Santa MonicavsFairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
Both properties are recommended by professional reviewers writing for major publications. On balance, Viceroy Santa Monica ranks slightly better than Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows. Viceroy Santa Monica ranks #12 in Los Angeles with praise from 16 reviewers such as Concierge, BlackBook and Travel + Leisure.
Viceroy Santa Monica Show All Reviews
1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
From $221/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
- Restaurant
Fodor's
"Glamorous socializing takes place in the pool and cabana area amid all-white armchairs and divans." Full review
Insight Guides
"An urban retreat on the beach with a sauna and whirlpool."
Oyster
4.0
"It's best known for its sexy bar and pool scenes, but the Viceroy boasts substance as well." Full review
DK Eyewitness
"The couple behind the stylish Maison 140 and Avalon has created a fantasy environment that transports guests back in time to Colonial England."
Concierge
"This 162-room hotel was so hot when it opened in 2002 that it immediately became the Viceroy Group's flagship hotel."
i
Try to get one of the rooms on the upper floors, with views of the ocean a couple of blocks away.
Frommer's
"Still on L.A.'s coveted "in" list, is this überchic Santa Monica boutique hotel." Full review
i
Splurge for an oceanview room; the only other view is of the hotel parking lot.
Travel + Leisure
"Though the exterior—a white boxy slab—doesn’t invite a second glance, the interiors here marry retro-chic with pure whimsy." Full review
Time Out
"A decade on from its 2002 opening, the Viceroy remains the hippest hotel on the west side. More crucially, though, it's also its most stylish and impressive operation." Full review
Star Service
"Young, well-heeled business and leisure travelers and those who deplore a fuss do best here. " Full review
Gayot
"China plates and an oversized cameo adorn the walls of the lobby, filled with white-leather lounges and wooden floors."
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows Show All Reviews
101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
From $321/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Fodor's
"Low-rise and extremely luxurious, residential-style bungalows built between 1920 and 1946 are outfitted like minimansions, complete with butler service." Full review
Oyster
4.0
"Luxurious (though small) rooms, an excellent spa, and a devoted staff make this five-acre, 302-room property one of the best hotels in Santa Monica." Full review
DK Eyewitness
"On the site of the private home of Santa Monica’s founder, Senator John Jones, the Miramar has welcomed guests since the roaring 1920s."
i
For the ultimate in luxury, book a poolside garden bungalow.
Rough Guide
"Swanky hotel that’s a fixture near the north end of the Promenade, with designer-furnished suites and tropical-flavoured bungalows."
Travel + Leisure
"Since the 1920s, privacy-seeking Hollywood starlets—among them Greta Garbo and Marilyn Monroe—have found refuge at this bluff-perched resort overlooking Santa Monica beach." Full review
Time Out
"The Miramar has been pampering the glamorous and the powerful in California for nearly a century: past guests have included everyone from Greta Garbo to Bill Clinton." Full review
Star Service
"It boasts the city's finest meeting space amid lovely gardens, and panoramic ocean views are visible from top-floor venues and accommodations." Full review
i
Because of their proximity to the rear entrance, and thus their lack of privacy, Bungalows 152, 153 and 156 should be avoided at all costs.
Gayot
"It is a place of legend, beginning with the awesome Moreton Bay fig tree that is the centerpiece of the beautiful courtyard at the entrance."
BlackBook
"Pool, spa and glorious seclusion in rooms from two towers or private bungalows—some with ocean-hanging balconies."
Zagat
4.5
"A "special hotel for a special occasion", this "romantic" Santa Monica "grande dame" pairs "world-class" service with "upscale rooms" and "exquisite bungalows"."