Tabernash2

Don't know the Erwin but it looks nice on-line.

I just priced this one, the Hotel Belamar, a Pacifica property at Manhattan Beach:

https://gc.synxis.com/rez.aspx?Hotel...__utmk=7394162

ahhorst

Thanks, it looks good, and more reasonable than most-

Magpies

Thanks for suggestions.
We can have a splurge and will look at the web sites suggested.
yodababe where are you leaning to ?
Donna

Tabernash2

If you feel like a splurge, the Ritz Carlton Laguna Niguel is perfection. Great beach and views.

emd3

If you want to stay in SM and splurge, check out Shutters as mentioned above ( great oceanfront balcony rooms). It has a very California beach chic vibe , good spa, great Cafe and the restaurant One Pico is also very good. Both are on the oceanfront level with the boardwalk so lots of good people watching if you score a window table. Good pool area, large and it gets sun.

Next door to Shutters is Casa Del Mar. It is more European style, larger darker lobby, more ornate, but also very nice rooms with high ceilings, more traditional dark wood furniture but very nicely decorated rooms, whirlpool baths, large bathrooms, good spa, pretty good restaurant, but no nice oceanfront balcony rooms.

Le Merigot (a Marriott property but it is hard to tell that) is on the other side of Shutters, a bit down the block towards the pier. Also has wonderful oceanfront rooms, although they are technically not right on ocean like Shutters, but the way the rooms are situated, they feel and look oceanfront. It is a more American style hotel, but is very nice and the service is stellar. VSmall lobby bar, small but nice pool that does not get a lot of sun though, VERY GOOD spa, good fitness room and also yoga and other offerings for guests. nice restaurant that has outdoor seating by the pool and indoor also, food is ok.

I have stayed at all 3 hotels many times. IMO, they are the best hotels in Santa Monica and Marina del Ray. Of the 3, most people would choose Shutters, and it is spectacular. My favorite is Le Merigot, as I stayed there no many times that they know me, and I get upgraded to the oceanfront rooms, and I LOVE the massages in their spa, they are some of the best I have had anywhere, all the therapists are GREAT.

other hotels that are

emd3

Oops. I meant to say that the Viceroy is a trendy hotel, you might want to look at it, but it is across the busy St. from the beach. I avoid the Lowes and the Fairmont Miramar, and the Ritz Marina del Ray is ok, but not a great Ritz, and it is on the Marina, not the beach, although they have a fantastic pool area.

yodababe

emd3 wins for replies. Their suggestion was within 20 dollars of my budget, the hotel tops the Trip Advisor charts, and it is just a couple of blocks away from 2 of my cousins. So I booked the last available room at Seashore Inn. It will afford me a nice quiet room to crash in after a night out with my cousins, who grew up in Malibu but are still teenagers at heart--even in their 50's.

For all the other replies, it sure was nice to hear about the trendy boutique hotels that I had no intention of even looking at because 1) they were out of my budget, and 2) not really looking for the boutique hotel experience on this trip--your suggestions weren't terribly helpful. Next time I want to spend several hundred more dollars per night than I actually say I want to, I will be sure to look into them.

And Magpies I will be sure to let you know what this very affordable hotel is like. Cheers and best wishes for a good holiday in January!

Tabernash2

"For all the other replies, it sure was nice to hear about the trendy boutique hotels that I had no intention of even looking at because 1) they were out of my budget, and 2) not really looking for the boutique hotel experience on this trip--your suggestions weren't terribly helpful"

You have got to be kidding. How rude of you. I'll remember not to respond to you again.

Magpies

Thanks tabernash and emd for your suggestions. I will definitely check them out.
It sounds hard to choose!
Yodaabe, I hope you have a great stay at the Seashore Inn.
I will check it out too.
Look forward to hearing about it
Donna

Tabernash2

yodababe, I remind you of your OP, "I would like to book a room for around 150 a night, any good choices out there? If that amount of money puts me in the Roach Hotel, how much should I plan on dropping?" And nowhere did you say you turn up your nose at a boutique hotel.

You win for being obnoxious. Maybe a MOTEL is where you belong anyway.

emd3

Well, I certainly was not trying to "win." I think you should just be glad you found a. Room at Seashore Inn. I think it will fit your bill.

As for the other pricier recommendations, so what. This thread will be a good resource for others looking for hotels in SM, as it was for Magpies. No skin off your back, you got a room at your price.

Slamming people who answered your inquiry is like looking a gift horse in the mouth. Or more like hitting that gift horse's mouth. The more civilized thing to do is thank everyone for attempting to help, and being grateful you got a rm in your price range out of the inquiry. And remember that threads are not just about you, even though you asked the initial question. Hundreds more people are reading this thread and will search on fodors forums for SM hotel info, and it just might help someone else who can spend more money.

Enjoy your trip.

yodababe

I think that people need to stop being so touchy. My post simply states that one person hit it out of the ballpark in their suggestion and that the others, while interesting, weren't terribly helpful. Which is true. They weren't. I am not saying that the people who wrote them were obtuse or stupid or awful and I Hates them! I Hates them forever!--but in the end, they didn't offer much in the way of hotel info that corresponded to what I was willing to spend on this trip. And while I said that I was willing to spend more if I had to, the conversation spun off, as it often does in this forum, into a discussion of a bunch of information that, while interesting, wasn't terribly helpful.

Apologies if I seemed to take a 'tone' that was offensive. One problem in any forum is when people attribute a 'tone' to a post that is not intended as such. So let it be clearly stated, from the poster, that the 'tone' of my last post was not intended to offend the good people of Fodor's Travel Forums (United States), and that I regret that some of you chose to take it that way.

emd3

Your words were condescending and sarcastic in your 2nd paragraph. Reread it. Forget about the tone, the words themselves were sarcastic. "It sure was nice to hear about the trendy hotels I had no intention of looking at...Next time I want to spend several hundred dollars more per night than I actually say I want to, I will look at them." If you didn't mean to be sarcastic, I am not sure why those words were used. Maybe stop to think about your words before ou use them, if you really thought you were being thankful with those words.

Better just to thank people and go on your trip and enjoy your nice room at the price you wanted.

many of the replies were for Magpie, who joined in the thread and did want a higher end room. I hope Magpie gets a nice room too.

yodababe

emd, I see your point. I was speaking tounge-in-cheek but it certainly could read as sarcastic. And I lost the thread in the middle, didn't see that the thread jumped to helping Magpies. As I said, apologies all around.

Tabernash2

Excellent points, emd3.

Magpies

Glad that is all sorted.
Thanks emd3 I will let you know what we end up deciding upon.
Once again, thanks to all who gave me great suggestions too.
Have a great trip yodababe.

emd3

Yodababe and Magpie, give us reports on your hotels and time in SM please. I am always looking for updated info and I do love that place.

Tabernash2

I know lots of good places to eat in and near Santa Monica. But I'm afraid to contribute anything further.

Magpies

Hi again,
I will definitely let you know how our trip in this part of the US goes. We have always stayed in LA and done day trips / driven to Venice / Santa Monica / Malibu etc.
It will be nice to stay for few days. Tabernash Would love to hear of great places to eat. We enjoy Italian, a good steak, Chinese etc. Not fussed on curry or spices and unfortunately, we do not care for seafood. Enjoy having a few drinks enjoying a view, if there is one. My husband is a very plain eater which makes it easy to cook!
Thanks again
Donna

emd3

For Italian I can highly recommend Valentinos in Santa Monica. Reservations a must

if you like Asian Fusion, there is Wolfgang Puck's Chinois on Main St. In SantaMonica. Must reserve well ahead for here. No other really good Chinese that I know of.

For steak, go to BOA Steakhouse on Santa Monica Blvd, hands down the best, with spectacular ocean view. reserve window table.