The Vibe
The vibe at The Pierside Santa Monica is stylish, colorful, beachy and fun. It all begins when you pull into the hotel and see an enormous mural of a woman painted on the side of the building. The mural reflects the history and themes of Santa Monica, such as diversity, the ocean and the city’s hippie spirit. Upon entering the hotel, the theme continues with surfboards and skateboards throughout the lobby. The interior of the hotel is decorated in light woods, whites and neutral tones with colorful accented pieces of furniture. This is a space for young couples, friend groups and any and every surf and skateboard lover.
How I Felt
Happy. The immense amount of natural light that enters the large windows in the hotel offers the perfect daily dose of vitamin D and happiness! The large lobby, located on street level, is the ideal place to lounge and people-watch.
The Digs
The rooms are clearly inspired by the ocean, and most of the rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows offering beautiful views of Santa Monica and the Pacific Ocean. The rooms are open and very spacious, allowing for ample movement. All rooms come with reusable water bottles, and each floor has a water station. And, much to my pooch’s delight, a bandana, food, water bowls and a stuffed whale toy were waiting for him!
The Agenda
The Pierside is truly in the heart of downtown Santa Monica, within walking distance of everything in the city. Within a five-minute walk is the iconic Santa Monica Pier with its memorable ferris wheel, games, rides and restaurants. For the more active, Ocean Front Walk is a walking and biking route from the pier that hugs the sandy beach and will take you all the way to Venice. Third Street Promenade is within a three-minute walk of the hotel and is a pedestrian-only street that has shops and restaurants and is anchored by an outdoor mall called Santa Monica Place. Further past the promenade is a street called Montana Avenue that has a variety of local boutiques, cafes, bakeries and restaurants. The hotel itself has an outdoor pool, a fitness center, board games and complimentary two-hour rentals for items such as surfboards, skateboards, GoPro cameras, beach chairs and umbrellas, bocce ball, picnic kits and so much more.
The Eats
The Surfing Fox, located at The Pierside, offers both indoor and outdoor dining making it a great option for breakfast, lunch or sunset happy hour. Nearby, Kazunori is a delicious handroll spot, although they don’t take reservations. Blue Plate Taco is a fun Mexican restaurant along Ocean Avenue where you will see locals lingering over pitchers of sangria. Élephante is a trendy rooftop restaurant where you’ll most likely spot a well-known social media influencer. For pizza lovers, Milo & Olive serves delicious pizza, and Fia is an upscale Italian spot that’s perfect for dinner. For those with a sweet tooth, Sweet Lady Jane bakes the best cakes and goodies, and their outdoor seating a great place for people watching, and Sidecar has the absolute best donuts with a rotating monthly flavor.
Why I Would Go Back
I’d return for the location. The hotel’s location is unbeatable. You could spend time at this hotel sans a car and still be able to see so much of Santa Monica and even Venice.
Latifah Al-Hazzà
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