Shutters on the Beach
COST: $$$$
This sprawling beach-house-style inn looks like it was airlifted from Nantucket and dropped on the Santa Monica shore. Inside, the common areas (like the fireside lounge with chairs and sofas upholstered in seashell colors) and the 198 rooms (all whitewashed wood and blue-and-white patterned upholstery, with wicker-furnished balconies) reinforce the laid-back, summer-house vibe. But there’s real luxury here too: The on-site ONE spa offers decadent massages, facials, and body scrubs using Ole Henriksen products, and at the nautically-themed One Pico restaurant, chef Michael Reardon serves elegant seafood dishes like Petrale sole grilled whole with salt and bay leaves.
Tip: Ask the concierge for a tour of the hotel's "beach gallery," featuring pieces from artists like David Hockney, Roy Lichtenstein, and Claes Oldenburg.
Room to Book: The Presidential Suites have two balconies apiece—and with this location, they’re actually worth the hefty $3,500 price tag per night.
As Featured In...
From Food & Wine, Jan 2006
“The concierge at Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, California, will print boarding passes for guests....” MORE>>
From Travel + Leisure, Jun 2005
“Celebrity decorator Michael Smith has taken on Santa Monica's star-studded Shutters on the Beach....” MORE>>
From Food & Wine, Oct 2003
“The best hotel minibars are also mini cellars. At the elegantly laid-back Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, CA, the minibars stock about 10 good half-bottles such as 1997 Franus Zinfandel and 2000 Laetitia Pinot Noir....” MORE>>
From the T+L 500
Nantucket-style shingled hotel with a casual vibe, near the historic Santa Monica Pier.
- Stats:
- 198 rooms; 2 restaurants; 2 bars.
- Competitive Edge:
- Laid-back New England feel—plus an ideal location on Santa Monica Beach.
- Rooms to Book:
- Those with ocean views; the higher up, the quieter.
- Don't Miss:
- A facial designed by aesthetician-to-the-stars Ole Henriksen, at the spa.
lastArticle = 1/2006 and lastAward = 01/2008
