If there’s a hotel brand that knows how to do modern luxury, it’s Viceroy. I’ve had the opportunity to experience the Viceroy Anguilla and Viceroy New York. Recently, I had the opportunity to escape to the Viceroy Santa Monica. I went with my best friend K for a little R&R before baby Dining Traveler makes her debut. All about the experience:
The Scene: What I enjoyed the most about the Viceroy Santa Monica was its laid back atmosphere. Although it’s a luxury property, the staff is stylish, friendly, poised but not pretentious. The hotel welcomes guests with a glass of champagne (or in my case bottled water) upon arrival, which immediately puts you in vacation mode. The property is located right on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica, just a short walk from the beach, the Santa Monica Pier, and Santa Monica Place, an outdoor shopping area with a great selection of luxury brands and restaurants.
The Rooms: We stayed at the Empire Suite which had a beautiful ocean view. The suites at Viceroy Santa Monica have a separate living room which is perfect for entertaining or simply relaxing. The bed was nice and cozy and the bathroom is also spacious, which is great when you’re sharing the space with friends!
The Cabanas: Yes, this post has a section about the cabanas because it was my favorite amenity of the Viceroy Santa Monica! The pool area is beautifully decorated with bright white cabanas which line the two plunge pools at the hotel patio. It was so relaxing to work our way from breakfast to one of the cabanas and hang out by the pool. I also enjoyed the wifi by the pool area, I was able to get work done with a view! During the evening, we treated ourselves to happy hour where we sipped cocktails by the pool with live music. We wanted to see more of Santa Monica, but we were too comfy in our domain!
The Food: We had the opportunity to have breakfast and dinner at Cast, the restaurant at the Viceroy Santa Monica. For breakfast, executive chef Larry Monaco has added a true California vibe to this menu with a expansive selection of healthy items: quinoa and eggs, house-made granola, and steel cut oats. I went with the Mediterranean breakfast with fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and banana nut bread made in house. Delicious and guilt free. Don’t worry, you can also indulge in omelets and french toast with dulce de leche! The California vibes area also translated into the dinner menu: menu is simple with many American classics, but made with great attention to detail. Our faves were the deviled eggs, baby beet salad, and Larry’s tagliatelle with bolognese (recipe adapted from his grandma). We also noticed that the restaurant seemed to be a hot spot for locals as we noticed there were plenty of non-hotel guests indulging at both breakfast and dinner.
The Verdict: The Viceroy Santa Monica makes for a luxurious escape when you find yourself in Southern California. The property and the staff will spoil you with their attentiveness and beautiful amenities. As a matter of fact, my friend K is already making plans for her return trip to the hotel. This property brings together luxury, design, and great service, synonymous with the Viceroy brand.
Viceroy Santa Monica, 1819 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, California. Hotel Website
Disclaimer: I was hosted by Viceroy Santa Monica but as always, opinions are my own.
I have always driven past this hotel and wondered what it looks like on the inside, so thanks for your excellent photos! I’m also impressed that they greet with champagne. It makes total sense from their end, too, since the champagne will put some soft light on your initial impressions! My travel accommodation strategy is based on hotel points and free nights, and even with status, the larger chain hotels usually offer such sexy items as…bottled water or a piece of candy.
Glad you enjoyed the post! Yes, smaller properties go for the more personal touches but then the big brands have those loyalty programs that are so hard to resist!!!
I love Santa Monica, and this hotel sound like a fabulous place to stay during our next visit. Like you, we will likely be tempted to spend a lot of time in the cabana area.
The cabanas are addictive!!!
I was in Santa Monica last week and was glancing around at the hotels in the area. Thanks for sharing insight into this property~ looks gorgeous!
It was my first time in Santa Monica… loved the relaxed vibe!
Santa Monica looks beautiful, and so does Viceroy! I like how clean everything looks and the modern style as well. The food looks delicious. I’d definitely consider staying here.
Yes, the modern decor was one of my favorite parts of the hotel!
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