Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel – Hotel Review

Its position is super-close to Santa Monica’s beachfront giving Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel the edge on other luxurious properties in the area. After all, the seaside and the pier’s light-studded Ferris wheel can both be admired from the outdoor lap pool. Inside, guests are beckoned to bliss out, with calming coastal-feel interiors, balconies (some with fire pits) and a spot so close to the beach, you can stroll down before morning coffee. Read on for the full review.

Where is Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel? 

Right on (or, technically, a block away from) the beachfront of Santa Monica. We’re talking close – it’ll take you about a minute to reach the sand. From here, it can take anywhere between 25 and 50 minutes to reach LAX, depending on traffic. 

What’s near Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel?

It’s in the name: Loews’ location is all about Santa Monica Beach and, of course, Santa Monica Pier – both of which can be seen from the west-facing rooms and common areas of the hotel. 

Room types 

You don’t have to leave the sea breeze at the beach: all rooms at Loews include balconies with different views. Some look out to the pool courtyard, others have direct glimpses to the ocean (the giveaway will be in the room names). Shielded from the sun by crisp white plantation shutters, the rooms have an elevated beachy feel, with sand-coloured walls and blue-rippled carpets and include coffee makers, free wi-fi, on-demand movies and a bathtub in the marble bathroom (on request – they’re not a standard in every room). The Sunset Presidential Suite is unsurprisingly luxurious with its ocean-facing fire pit, but Fire Pit rooms and Poolside Cabana rooms include the perk, too, minus the sea view. 

Restaurants and bars 

Both on-site eateries are casual dining spots. The more substantial of the two is Blue Streak, a bistro-style restaurant that sprawls over the oceanside patio. Serving as the hub for hungry diners from breakfast through to dinner, the menu differs according to the mealtime. In the mornings it’s eggs, pancakes, waffles and the like, at dinner, it’s meatier offerings, from crunchy Korean-fried chicken wings to smooth Vietnamese-style clams with lemongrass and chilli. 

Travel for work

With a connecting deck that overlooks the ocean, it’s little wonder Loews is as well-known for weddings as conferences and corporate events. A couple of light-flushed spaces are standouts – Venice Garden Terrace and the 8th Floor Balcony – for relaxed meet-ups but there are smaller options for the more consequential congregations. 

If you have to dip into work in-between sightseeing trips, all spaces have makeshift areas for laptop set-ups, with comfy chairs and circular tables. 

Spa, gym and pool 

Although a hotel this close to the ocean could be forgiven for skipping an on-site pool, Loews has a small but beaut offering that looks directly out on the sand. There’s also a fitness centre (open from 4am, if that’s your thing) and guests also receive access to unlimited on-demand digitally-led yoga, Pilates and mindfulness classes. If you have a more hands-off idea of relaxation, hit Ocean Spa, which offers the full remit of facials, massages and soaks (there’s a herbal sauna, steam room and jacuzzi, too).

Sustainability

Loews joined the Santa Monica Green Business Certification (SMGBC) program back in 2011, and has been carefully tracking the minimisation of waste, conservation of resources and reduction of carbon emissions as part of its membership. It was also one of the area’s first hotels to participate in the neighbourhood’s waste recycling program and now operates an ORCA food waste digester – which converts food waste into environmentally safe water – on the premises. 

Accessibility   

From guest rooms to common areas, the hotel has accessible facilities throughout. Rooms have baths equipped with safety grab bars, layouts appropriate for wheelchair users and a pool with a lift.

What you need to know

If you’ve got a hankering for something that isn’t listed on Blue Streak’s menu, consider selecting something through the Flavor by Loews Santa Monica Hotel. The hotel has partnered with local culinary favourites such as Mejorado Tortillas and Nola Rose Chocolates to deliver their spoils to guests.