This special content is made possible through the Santa Monica Economic Recovery Task Force and its outreach partners: City of Santa Monica, Downtown Santa Monica, Inc., Main Street Business Improvement District, Montana Avenue Merchants Association, Pico Improvement District, Santa Monica Chamber of Commerce, Santa Monica Pier Corporation, Santa Monica Place, Santa Monica Travel & Tourism, and 18th Street Arts Center. www.santamonicashines.com
Check more articles from our partner content project here.
In Santa Monica, it can be easy to overlook the everyday luxuries of our quaint city by the sea. The palm tree lined streets, cool, blue oceans and clear, sunny-skies look like they were pulled from a postcard. Too quickly we overlook these delights, but when they are perceived as a part of our everyday they can lose their luster. When the world feels like it has become repetitive and your everyday routine feels especially dull or stressful, it may be time to take a vacation, or better yet—a near-cation. This year, many local hotels understand that our residents are in need of a mini-vacay more than ever, which is why it is the perfect time to take advantage of the annual Extra Bedroom Program, happening earlier this year and running now through February 15. You and your family can ease into an exceptional Santa Monica hotel room for a discounted rate, as a thank you to residents for supporting our community through these difficult times.
Reflecting on the summer of 2020, there was uncertainty around every corner. What is usually the busiest season in Santa Monica was rightfully slow, as the nation navigated the new normal. Continuing into the cooler months, we are moving forward and making progress towards recovering from the economic loss that the city faces, but many industries are still struggling to bounce back, including the tourism and hospitality industries. As we choose to support our favorite local businesses, don’t forget to include Santa Monica’s list of dreamy hotels that have been impacted by declines in international visitation. As of press time, 21 Santa Monica hotels will be participating in the annual Extra Bedroom Program to encourage residents to take a much needed stay-cation for a discounted rate. This opportunity is perfect for residents who find it difficult to concentrate while working from home, or are participating in distance learning and in need of a learning-conducive environment that is also COVID-19 safe.While you’re there, make sure to take a look at the fun and COVID-19 friendly activities that everyone is sure to love on their visit.
Enjoy an outdoor cinematic experience poolside at The Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalow and Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, or a rejuvenating beach-fitness class offered at Hotel Casa Del Mar, Shutters On The Beach, or even a salon experience at and JW Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot’s Spa Le Merigot or a restorative massage on a private terrace at Santa Monica Proper Hotel with their Ricari Studios spa pop-up (hotel guests only). Since we are re-imagining ways to enjoy our favorite activities, why not re-imagine the way we see our hometown?
Now is your perfect chance to explore and experience your hometown with a different mindset. It’s the perfect way to view our community with a fresh pair of eyes and see what exactly makes our city so special.
Imagine starting your day by waking up after a long night’s rest. Roll over and pick up the phone to order a gourmet breakfast with room service and enjoy it in bed. Once you have mustered the strength to take off the covers, head down to the Pier for a fitness class and have the ocean air revitalize your senses, then take a stroll through the boardwalk and end the afternoon shopping in Downtown Santa Monica and the Third Street Promenade. Head back to your hotel room and freshen up for dinner, because there are hundreds of delicious outdoor dining options in the area, including 1 Pico, or Coast at Shutters on the Beach, Terrazza at Hotel Casa Del Mar, the Longitude Bar + Restaurant at the Le Méridien Delfina, Calabra at Santa Monica Proper Hotel, or The Veranda Restaurant at The Georgian Hotel, among many more After a relaxing few days “away,” you will come back to your routine re-energized and ready to take on your work week.
The Viceroy Hotel Group understands that Santa Monica residents are in need of a getaway, which is why the Viceroy Hotel and the Le Méridien Delfina are excited to participate in the annual program. Area Director for Sales and Marketing for the Viceroy hotel group, Kevin Anawati, says that the Le Méridien Delfina and Viceroy Hotel were “anticipating a record year” prior to COVID-19, but with recent events, they’re numbers have greatly staggered. This decline has forced many layoffs for staff at Le Méridien Delfina and Viceroy Hotel, but Anawati mentions that other local hotels have been able to regain their staff and that he is hopeful that both locations will follow suit soon. Since then, The Viceroy Hotel Group has worked diligently to create a safe environment for their guests and staff, and were one of the first hotels to receive the Santa Monica Shines COVID-19 Assurance Seal— a free program that serves as a platform for business owners to publicly recognize and highlight their compliance to clean and safe practices. Anawati says that “It was important to showcase the precautions that we have undertaken in keeping our guests and employees safe and comfortable. And there was no easier way than to participate in the Santa Monica Shines program.”
Despite the challenges that the two hotels are facing, Le Méridien Delfina and the Viceroy Hotel are excited to give Santa Monica residents a taste of luxury. The Viceroy and Le Méridien Hotels are offering premium rooms for as little as $179 at the Le Méridien Delfina and $259 at the Viceroy Hotel. If you are safely travelling with family or will welcome family members for the holidays and are looking for fun and COVID-19 safe activities, both locations are offering an amazing package with the help from their partners: Perry’s Beach Cafe. Residents now get the chance to experience the beach in a fun and hassle free way with the Surf and Stay package, where guests receive two chairs, an umbrella, a cooler, beach toys, as well as a surfboard and boogie board to play with at your preset location. Want to know the best part? You also get your own beach butler to serve you the finest food Perry’s Cafe offers, like their delicious gourmet burgers, farmers market sandwiches and much more. This premium package is available when booking your room, at the affordable price of just $280 with your hotel stay.
The SureStay Hotel by Best Western, located on Pico Blvd. is another fantastic option to look into for a relaxing night away, while keeping an eye towards safety. Over the past few months, General Manager Moe Paknahal has implemented serious protocols across the board to ensure that all guests and employees remain safe, saying that “the safety of our employees and our guests are important to us.” To maintain employee safety, Paknahal says that all employees must wear masks at all times, are conscious of social distancing guidelines and there is limited contact between employees and guests, while still providing great customer service.
For guests of the SureStay Hotel, enjoy their delightfully comfortable rooms that you can be sure are kept exceptionally clean. Paknahal explains that while housekeeping services are limited to operating only every three-days, they utilize electrostatic sprayers to sanitize rooms before occupancy, which applies a positive charge to liquid disinfectants, which attracts it to negatively charged surfaces allowing surfaces to become efficiently coated with disinfectant. Once the disinfectant settles, housekeeping then properly cleans the rest of the room and applies a seal to the door, as they leave, to certify that the room was properly sanitized and that no one else had entered since it was last cleaned. Paknahal asserts that “we usually go above standard” in their efforts to maintain cleanliness and safety and that absolutely shows through their actions.
As for their amazing amenities, residents booking the Extra Bedroom program at SureStay Hotel by Best Western can enjoy rates for as low as $109 per night for a single room and $250 per night for a two-bed room. With rates this low, don’t forget your four-legged friends, because the SureStay Hotel by Best Western offers a limited amount of pet rooms for around $150 per night, because they understand that our pets are family too. Other amenities guests can enjoy is their complimentary “Grab n’ Go” breakfast bags with coffee given out every morning and free parking. Paknahal hopes that the community comes out “to support local businesses” like his own and is excited to once again participate in the Extra Bedroom Program.
Like all of us, if you are concerned about the safety of your stay, visit santamonica.com/shines/ where you can find a complete list of businesses participating in the Shines Assurance Program. James Graham, General Manager at the Sea Blue Hotel says, “the Santa Monica Shines program is a key initiative for our hotel and the city, in our road to recovery from the pandemic.” The ocean-front hotel offers a beach house experience, with its location kissing the Santa Monica coastline. With a focus on the safety of his guests and employees, Graham believes that “It’s important for our guests and the community to see [that] by [receiving] the Santa Monica Shines Assurance Seal, that we are doing everything possible to provide a safe, clean and enjoyable experience.” Experience the soothing powers that the pacific ocean has on the mind, body and soul, as it will be mere steps away for rates as low as $159 per night, with certain restrictions applied.
With these amazing offers, you can’t pass up on the chance to stay-cation in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Over 40 hotels grace the 3.5 miles of Santa Monica coastline, and many of them have gotten creative with fun and COVID-19 friendly activities that everyone is sure to love on their visit. Whether you’re looking for a calming weekend away from the kids, or looking to bring the whole family along, there are so many options to choose from with plenty of space for everyone. Show your local love by giving the gift of a hotel room overlooking the Pacific Ocean this holiday season, which is sure to please even the most finicky of relatives. Don’t forget that by participating in this year’s program, you will also be supporting a local business and that is something worth celebrating! For a full list of participating local hotels and their rates, you can visit santamonica.com/extra-bedroom.
