Picolo recommends · Hotel in Santa Monica, California
Hotel Casa del Mar
A brick and terracotta beach club from the 1920s, where the lobby windows frame the Pacific as the sun goes down.
Late afternoon is the hour for Casa del Mar. The light falls through tall windows into the lobby, the bar fills up, and the sun slips into the Pacific just beyond the sand.
The building began life as a beach club in the 1920s, in red brick and terracotta, and it still carries that sense of occasion. Shutters is its near neighbour, and the Santa Monica promenade runs past the door.
Picolo’s verdict
Why we chose Hotel Casa del Mar
This is our romantic choice in Los Angeles. It has more age and polish than the beach hotels around it, and a sunset drink in the lobby bar is the kind of evening couples remember long after the flight home.
The pool is on the small side, and the beach in front is public, so it gets crowded on weekends. Come for the building, the bar and the ocean light rather than for long days at a quiet resort.
What you get
- Lobby bar facing the sunset
- Santa Monica beach in front
- Restored 1920s beach club
- Small pool
- The beach path to Venice
A day at Hotel Casa del Mar
- Morning
- Coffee by the windows while the beach is still empty.
- Midday
- A ride along the shore towards Venice.
- Afternoon
- A dip in the pool, then a book in the shade.
- Evening
- Cocktails in the lobby as the Pacific turns orange.
Location
Santa Monica, Los Angeles, USA
Open in MapsQuestions about Hotel Casa del Mar
Is Hotel Casa del Mar a good choice for couples?
Yes. It is our romantic pick in Los Angeles, thanks to the historic building, the ocean-facing lobby and the bar at sunset.
How old is the Hotel Casa del Mar building?
It was built in the 1920s as a beach club, and the brick and terracotta architecture from that era is still the heart of the hotel.
Does Hotel Casa del Mar have a pool?
It does, but it is small. Most guests come for the beach, which is public and busy at weekends.
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Updated 6 Nov 2026All articles
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