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Sonder The BeaconvsHotel Bel-Air
Both hotels are praised by writers. Overall, Hotel Bel-Air scores significantly better than Hotel Shangri-La Santa Monica. Hotel Bel-Air has a TripExpert Score of 98 with recommendations from 21 sources including Afar Magazine, Jetsetter and goop.
Sonder The Beacon
DK Eyewitness
Time Out
Gayot
BlackBook
Lonely Planet
Travel + Leisure
Afar Magazine
Star Service
Jetsetter
Zagat Show All Reviews
1301 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
From $301/night
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
- Concierge
DK Eyewitness "Its oceanfront Santa Monica location is great and the large rooms have ocean views."
Time Out "Thankfully the streamline moderne exterior has been preserved; inside, the rooms have been upgraded with hardwood floors." Full review
Gayot "Designed and constructed in the Art Deco style of the late 1930s, this Santa Monica landmark sits proudly on Ocean Avenue on a cliff just above the beach."
BlackBook "Classic hotel on the beach, shines for its Art Deco vibe, inside and out. Rooms elegantly updated and luxuriously appointed."
Lonely Planet Top Choice
"Stylish enough to be alluring but not too stuck up or intimidating." Full review
Travel + Leisure "Once a private penthouse, this indoor/outdoor roof lounge retains a sense of glamour from the seaside hotel's heyday in the Golden Age of Hollywood." Full review
Afar Magazine "An art deco icon, built in 1939 for the silver screen stars of Hollywood’s Golden Age, the Hotel Shangri-La is a beachfront beauty made for decadence." Full review
Star Service "Provides business and leisure travelers with a colorful amalgam that blends the booty-centric, after-dark shenanigans of the Viceroy with the more conservative daylight trappings of the Doubletree. " Full review
Jetsetter "Seaside Art Deco hideaway with a rooftop bar and farm-fresh Cali cuisine in Santa Monica." Full review
Zagat "By day, it’s a boisterous, sunshine-drenched hangout, while after dark, it’s a secluded hideout for overnight guests and lucky locals basking in ocean breezes and pricey cocktails." Full review
Hotel Bel-Air
Frommer's
Fodor's
Insight Guides Jetsetter Lonely Planet DK Eyewitness
Rough Guide Time Out Time Out
Michelin Guide Show All Reviews
701 Stone Canyon Rd., Los Angeles, CA 90077
From $695/night
- Pet Friendly
- Bar/Lounge
- Hot Tub
- Free Internet
- Room Service
- Laundry Service
Frommer's "This opulent early-20th-century castle wins a never-ending stream of praise for its faultless service, luxurious accommodations, and magical ambience." Full review
Fodor's "This Spanish Mission-style icon has been a discreet hillside retreat for celebrities and society types since 1946, and recently reopened its pink doors to unveil an updated look." Full review
Insight Guides "Deluxe and seductive, this is a long-standing movie-star hideaway in landscaped grounds in a secluded canyon."
Jetsetter "Recently revamped Mission-style resort in Bel Air’s lush hills, with a Wolfgang Puck restaurant and La Prairie Spa." Full review
Lonely Planet "One of LA’s iconic properties, this Bel Air hideaway favored by royalty... is a classy Spanish Colonial estate where white swans preen in romantic gardens." Full review
DK Eyewitness "Luxury is taken very seriously at this romantic retreat cherished for its tranquility and tropical gardens complete with white swans."
Rough Guide "The nicest hotel in LA bar none – and the only business in Bel Air – in a lushly overgrown canyon."
Time Out "The Hotel Bel-Air Spa by La Prairie may just prove once and for all that nature and nurture can coexist in equal measure." Full review
Time Out "This elite and quietly decadent Mission-style '20s hotel, a dreamy getaway on 12 fairytale acres of lush landscaping, reopened in 2011 after a major two-year overhaul." Full review
Michelin Guide "Long ranked among the world's finest hotels, these 12 acres of lush gardens and waterfalls resemble a private estate."
