Palihouse Santa Monica

"How did it strike you on arrival?Upon entering the wrought-iron gates of Palihouse Santa Monica, you'll feel a strong urge to extend your stay. The gates frame a 1920s Moorish-style manor house turned 38-room hotel, and lead you to the lobby through a tree-lined courtyard with a fountain. What’s the crowd like?Guests are typically a mix of creative industry professionals traveling for business and stylish families on vacation. The good stuff: Tell us about the rooms.Most of the 38 rooms are Grand Studio Residences, which come with fully-equipped kitchens. (The Classic rooms can feel a bit cramped, starting at 300 square feet.) The rooms tick all trad-meets-Cali-design boxes, with wood-beamed ceilings, bespoke Abnormals Anonymous wallpaper, tufted footstools in bright jewel tones, plaid throw blankets, and deer antlers over the bed. Ask for a front-facing room that looks out over the gorgeously manicured garden. How about the little things, like mini bar, or shower goodies. Any of that worth a mention?Mini bars are stocked with goodies like Public Goods Organic Popcorn, Sahale Mango Tango Almond Mix, La Colombe Oat Milk Latte, as well as Maude “The Quickie” Kit, and Saint Pali Parfum (available at the front desk) for couples looking to spice things up. Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.Bathrooms have rain showers and Palisociety custom bath amenities in a sandalwood scent. Maybe the most important topic of all: Wi-Fi. What’s the word?Wi-Fi is included—as are APPLE TV and on-demand movies. What should we look out for on the food front?For breakfast, try the burrito, made with scrambled eggs, hash browns, avocado, bacon, spinach, shiitake mushroom, and bell pepper. Craving carbs? Order a side of warm butter biscuits, courtesy of The Hart and The Hunter restaurant at sister hotel Palihotel Melrose. Every afternoon, the hotel sets out a candy bar, fresh-baked cookies, and lemonade—reason enough to head back to the hotel for a mid-day break from sightseeing. In-room dinner service is provided by nearby Restaurant 1212. Anything stand out about other services and features?You can request to have your kitchen stocked before arrival, and a yoga instructor is on call for weekend classes. Linus bikes are available for exploring (you can pedal to Venice Beach in just 20 minutes). The hotel is dog friendly (there’s a $150 fee per stay), and provides pups with plush houndstooth beds, plush toys, complimentary Plato treats as well as poop bags. Bottom line: Why are we picking the Palihouse Santa Monica?Location, location, location—just blocks from the beach." - Brooke Porter Katz