$$$$, Santa Monica
Fodor's Review:
In the 1920s it was a posh beach club catering to the city's elite; now the Casa del Mar is one of SoCal's most luxurious and pricey beachfront hotels, with three extravagant two-story penthouses, a raised deck and pool, and an elegant ballroom facing the sand. Guest rooms, designed to evoke the old days with furnishings like overstuffed chaise lounges and vintage-style armoires are filled with contemporary amenities like flat-screen TVs, CD players, and supremely comfortable beds with sumptuous linens. Bathrooms are gorgeous, with sunken whirlpool tubs and glass-enclosed showers. Catch is the hotel's elegant restaurant, specializing in what else? Seafood.
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