Santa Monica Proper Hotel
Chic design meets home-style comfort at Santa Monica Proper, a stylish boutique hotel meticulously brought to life by L.A.-based designer Kelly Wearstler. With the eye of a discerning hostess, the creative inspected and tested all 271 rooms herself for their functionality and comfort, ensuring every Instagram-worthy space is equally as cozy.
Much like the colors of the beach just a few blocks away, the luxury hotel is awash in bright whites, wood accents and sand-colored fabrics. And although it feels supremely modern — like you’ve just walked into a Gagosian exhibit — many of the furnishings are vintage.
Although tucked just far enough away from tourist-laden Third Street Promenade or Santa Monica Pier, the property’s Onda restaurant draws crowds nightly, the rooftop lounge is a post-work hot spot and Surya Spa (opening in spring 2020) already has a built-in cult following due to its celebrity clientele at its original location in nearby Brentwood.
- Like Southern California itself, Santa Monica Proper’s restaurant Onda is a flavorful blend of Mexican cuisine with L.A. flair. The menu is a beautiful orchestra of Latin American-inspired dishes accentuated with California’s in-season produce, like the not-to-be-missed smoked pork belly tacos or grilled octopus.
- Located on the seventh floor with magical sunset views, Calabra — the hotel’s rooftop bar (and one of the only rooftop pools on the Westside) — is where to mingle with the in-the-know crowd after work and on weekends.
- Collected by designer Wearstler over nearly two decades, vintage chairs of all shapes and sizes are placed thoughtfully throughout the luxury hotel. It could just as well be a fashionable museum in honor of the most world’s most utilitarian piece of furniture.
- If you’re looking for a vintage vibe, book one of 13 Deluxe Suites in the landmark building. The curved, floor-to-ceiling windows are enough to take your breath away, let alone all the cool retro details like subway-tiled bathrooms and 1940s-era wallpaper.
- The intimate 3,000-square-foot Surya Spa is a destination unto itself. A collaboration with renowned ayurvedic doctor, chef and herbalist Martha Soffer, the facility offers customizable treatments, from month-long transformative programs to standard one-hour massages.
- Bathtubs are limited at Santa Monica Proper. If that’s a must-have amenity for you, make sure to request one when booking.
- A handful of unique local adventures can be reserved through the luxury hotel, including a beach bike tour, a guided shopping spree through the Santa Monica Farmers Market and surf lessons.
- Luckily, you don’t have to wait for Surya Spa’s grand opening to reap the benefits. You can indulge in a treatment in your room or at the Brentwood location (with complimentary transportation) until the hotel location opens onsite in in spring 2020.
- Among the collection of stunning vintage chairs in the main lobby, there’s a chair resembling a derrière. Can you find it?
- Although not a Marriott hotel, all Proper hotels have a partnership with the hotel corporation that allows you to accrue Bonvoy points with a stay or use them to book a room.
- Decorated with a mix of natural materials in neutral tones, from hemp wall coverings to imported bed linens, all 271 rooms are wonderfully calming.
- Our favorite amenities include cashmere throws, artisanal mini-bars, Parachute Home robes, Aesop bathroom products and Bluetooth speakers.
- Lighting is especially thoughtful in the rooms with different types of illumination throughout, plus automated blackout curtains to ensure a good night’s sleep.
- For the best city views, book one of the ocean-facing rooms on the fifth or sixth floor of the Santa Monica hotel.
- Nothing is cookie cutter here. Rest assured, every detail of the midcentury-inspired furnishings, from blankets to wallpaper, is bespoke.
- The boutique hotel's restaurant Onda is a celebrity chef collaboration between Mexico City’s Gabriela Cámara of Contramar and L.A.’s Jessica Koslow of Sqirl. Expect seasonally changing plates highlighting Pacific seafood, SoCal farmer’s market produce and Mexican ingredients.
- From a breakfast smoothie to late-night snacks, Palma—the casual lobby bar — carries a laidback vibe for all your cravings.
- With regular weekend DJs, killer views and a stellar small-batch spirits menu, Calabra impresses, whether for a first date or power lunch.
Babysitting services
Bar
Beach
Fitness classes
Gym
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Outdoor pool
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