Santa Monica hotel- recommendations required
 

Does anyone have any recommendations for a hotel which would be good for our family - 2 adults, a 3 yearold and a 1 year old. We are staying for 5 nights in March en route for New Zealand. We know the area quite well aqnd have friends around there.

Shutters on the Beach is Santa Monica's best, but it's overpriced for what you get IMO, but a well run place. Suites are really perfect for families. Right on the beach (as you'd expect). <BR>The Loews' is on the beach as well and a notch below Shutters. Those are the 2 best.

Thanks Nancy, I was wondering what Shutters was like - Have you heard or anyone heard of the Oceana which is a boutique hotel?

I've stayed several times at the Oceana...(last time was about 2 yrs ago) It's a great place, roomy, and decorated very "California". <BR> <BR>It's gotten a little pricey since it has been discovered and has become so popular.

Thank for the reply Dick. I must say I mailed Shutters and they are "really" expensive. I think as you say the Oceana is pretty pricey too but then anywhere decent in Santa Monica seems to be. Know of anything more reasonable?

If you would like to save some money, using Priceline can save you TONS of money - I know; I just reserved a 2 nite stay in Santa Monica( also en-route to an Australian trip) for the price of - you won't believe this -$45/nt!!!! And this is no dump - we are staying at the Sheraton Four Points Santa Monica - where the lowest price per night is normally $179/nt!!!! <BR>I actually was able to get the same hotel for my parents at $40/nt, also from Priceline. <BR> <BR>How did I do this? I found this AMAZING on-line Bulletin Board for Priceline bidding strategies. In this board, people post exactly HOW, and HOW much they bid for hotels and airfare -and what their widding prices and places are. If you are willing to spend some time reading and researching the information on this bulletin board, you can use Priceline and get around the 2 major negatives about using Priceline - 1)You don't know what hotels you will get; 2)You don't know what a 'fair' price to bid is... <BR>Here is a link to the bulletin board - <BR> <BR>http://pub4.ezboard.com/bpricelinean...iabidding.html <BR> <BR> <BR>If you want more info, please fell free to email me.

Thanks Anthony, I'll try that.

Shutters is one of the most expensive hotels in the area, most people can't afford to stay there. Santa MOnica is not great for budget hotels, most are very expensive, so if you want to stay near there, you will be very limited. I think the most reasonably priced "suites" hotel in that are is the Doubletree, although it's not cheap--but I think it is cheaper than these other places. (BTW the Four Points brand is Sheraton's bargain basement label so I wouldn't choose it unless you are satisfied with Days Inn-level places. All hotels in Santa Monica are too expensive now and that rack rate doesn't mean it's a really nice hotel. It's not a dump, but not like a real Sheraton. $49 a night is cheap for it, though).

I had heard of Priceline (I'm from London UK by the way). I looked at their site but the problem is that we have 2 little kids (1 and 3 years old) and they need to stay in the same room as us and the site says that the rooms guarantee to cater for 2 adults only and anything extra needs to be negotiated with the hotel. The trouble is that you need to wait until after the booking to negotiate and, if they then tell you they dannot cater for the kids you're stuck because you've paid by this time. Do you know what people do with Priceline hotels with kids? I mailed them to ask but no response!!