Hotel Erwin Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Beaches - Santa Monica and Venice, Los Angeles, California

The lobby

Built in 1975, the Erwin (which was named after its first owner) is now a member of Joie de Vivre, a 35-hotel chain that operates hotels up and down the California coast and completed a six-month, $3.1 million refurbishment of this property's guest rooms, penthouse suite, business and fitness centers, rooftop lounge, and lobby) in July 2009. Rooms are pleasantly large and generally comfortable (though bathrooms don't look rehabbed); staff members are courteous, but don't seem highly trained. And the Erwin lacks key amenities (pool, spa, restaurant that serves lunch, 24-hour room service). Plus, it's short on small-property coziness, and can attract shady-looking characters.

Entering the Erwin, you're likely to bump up against as many tattoos, piercings, skateboards, surfboards, and electric guitars as you are guests. L.A. tattoo artist Norm created the new mural in the refurbished semicircular driveway, and framed photos of '60s and '70s folk, rock, and R&B legends (Joni Mitchell, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder) line the hallways. When I arrived on a Sunday afternoon, the postage-stamp-size lobby was packed with belligerent guests complaining about their rooms, views, and the lack of TBS during the MLB playoffs. One irate customer insisted that she and her boyfriend had already paid cash for their stay, even though she couldn't produce a receipt and the hotel had no record of any payment. When my turn finally came, a burly guy swooped in and served a visibly shaken front desk clerk with a subpoena to appear in court. These tense mini-dramas didn't do much to unearth anyone's inner hippie.

Sketchy vibe notwithstanding, the Erwin doesn't have an astounding amount to offer (audible street sounds, no pool, no spa, tiny fitness center). Those looking to spend their time catching waves may not mind everything that's lacking, especially given the reasonable room rates; those who prefer a quieter scene and more amenities -- and are willing to pay about $100 a night extra for them -- should consider driving five miles north to the Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel or Le Merigot, both of which have a pool, spa, 24-hour room service, and are situated more directly on the beach.

Hotel maintenance staff

Affable parking valets do triple duty as doormen and porters; waitstaff is cheery; and front desk clerks are patient but overwhelmed (especially when they're being handed a court order; see above). The tone is Californian casual: Swamped staffers wear nametags handwritten in bright markers, and there's a bowl of Dum Dum lollipops at the front desk. Just don't expect much in the way of personal attention.

• Room service, but only during breakfast and dinner hours
• Cocktails and snacks at High rooftop lounge with waitress service
• Hotel can arrange in-room massages, facials, manicures, and pedicures through Spa Connections
• Laundry and dry cleaning services
• Valet parking for $25 a day, plus tax

View on a Larger Map

The Erwin sits on Pacific Avenue, the main north-south drag in Venice, about two blocks inland from the well-known beach itself (surfer-dude central); a wide boardwalk chock-full of street performers and snack shops; and a path for bicyclists and rollerbladers.

• Slightly more than two blocks from the beach
• Less than a 15-minute walk to hip Abbot Kinney shops, restaurants, galleries, and cafes
• 25-minute drive to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills in traffic
• 30-minute drive to Hollywood Boulevard/Grauman's Chinese Theatre in traffic
• 90-minute drive to Universal Studios in traffic
• 20-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Minor to moderate street noise
• Safety can be a concern along Pacific Avenue at night, especially for women walking alone.

The Deluxe Partial Ocean View Room

A thorough renovation in July 2009 has left the large (400- to 425-square-foot) and airy standard rooms (some with ocean views) well-appointed with comfortable, brand-new mattresses and bedding, flat-panel TVs, and a lot of fun details, including a curved, stainless steel shower rod, a black, tiered table lamp with "The Erwin Est. 1975" printed on it, and lightweight, green, leopard-print robes from Boca Terry. That said, some will be put off by the self-consciously unusual decor, which in my room combined swirly-print bedspreads with large polka-dot-print sheer curtains and a closet door mural of two naked Asian girls waist-deep in water surrounded by flowers, courtesy of Blik, a local graphics company. And this revelry-inducing hotel is already starting to show signs of decline: The brown carpeting in my room, for example, had some unidentifable dark stains.

• Surprisingly comfortable beds: Sealy Posturepedic Dynasty 220 with two-inch Plush Pillowtop mattress; Lotus Luxury Collection 300-thread-count sheets; lightweight down duvet; new down cotton pillows
• Views are either direct ocean or city and side street; small, narrow balconies off Partial Ocean View Rooms don't have space for furniture.
• 32-inch LG flat-panel TV with free HBO, but several Direct TV channels had no signal; pay-per-view movies are available.
• No iPod docking stations except in Premier Ocean View King Rooms (iHome brand); rest of rooms only have Media Hub TV hookup to play your CDs and DVDs, and small Philips AM/FM clock radio.
• Many rooms have large walk-in closets; all have safes big enough for laptops.
• Interesting, light-green, hanging door that slides on brushed stainless steel wheels and separates sink cabinet (with bright yellow basin and sleek, new Hansgrohe fixture) from forgettable tub-shower and slightly worn Kohler toilet.
• Four-cup coffeemakers, minibars, and honor bar snack trays in each room
• Yuzu bergamot bath products by Lather; Lotus Luxury Collection from Pan Im-Ex Pacific towels are fairly good quality.

The gym

Venice Beach, slightly more than two blocks away, is the Erwin's best bonus, but the hotel doesn't rent beach paraphernalia.

• Countertop business center in dingy corridor off lobby with two Mac desktops, two stools, and a printer; $4.95 for 20 minutes, but front desk will often give guests first 20 minutes free.
• Very small, gloomy fitness center next to computers
• Laundry and dry cleaning services
• No pets allowed

Although the sea sometimes smells acrid as a result of the enormous pollution Los Angeles generates, the rolling waves at Venice Beach are a magnet for surfers.

• Sand extends gradually into the water -- ideal for swimming or boogie-boarding (though runoff can be a concern).
• Lifeguard stations at regular intervals along the beach during summer and early fall
• Venice bike path runs along the beach, drawing cyclists and rollerbladers.
• Street performers including mimes, jugglers, musicians, fortune-tellers, and a man who walks on glass entertain tourists in sideshow fashion along Oceanfront Walk.
• Multiple vendors along Oceanfront Walk rent beach gear. (Hotel Erwin doesn't.)
• Beachside snack shops serve fast food.
• Public-use volleyball nets and showers
• Crowds and litter can amass, particularly in summer.

Restaurant's menu includes kid-friendly options

The Erwin isn't particularly family oriented, but hang-ten teenagers and sand-castle-building youngsters may like staying steps from Venice Beach. But the absence of a pool and presence of skaters, surfers, and indie musicians -- in short, a pretty hard-partying clientele, plus the restaurant and bar named Hash and High, respectively -- might turn parents off.

• No pool
• 10 adjoining rooms
• Restaurant and room service have kid-friendly options including PB&J, chicken strips, mac and cheese, plain pasta, and s'mores.
• Free cribs and space to use them, even in rooms with two queen beds
• Hotel periodically offers Family Suite Adventure package where kids stay free and get a custom keycard, special amenity, and milk-and-cookie turndown (starts at $235 a night).

The Erwin basically feels fresh, but the lobby sofa has visible stains, as does some room carpeting. In the Partial Ocean View Queen Room, the new sink cupboard sparkles, while the tub/shower/toilet area is clean, but doesn't look newly updated. Several hallways feel like sterile college dorms; and the indoor section of Hash restaurant had a fly infestation during breakfast.

Hash restaurant

Hash, the Erwin's one option, isn't open for lunch. Across Pacific Avenue, Seed macrobiotic restaurant cooks up tasty, moderately priced sandwiches and salads during the day. For more dining choices, cruise Ocean Front Walk for boardwalk fare or head over to Abbot Kinney for healthier alternatives.

• Lobby-level Hash restaurant serves cooked-to-order breakfasts ($12.50 Venice Benedict, $10.95 green eggs and ham, $7.95 buckwheat pancakes) and dinners ($16 Wagyu beef burgers, $23 pork chops, market-price striped sea bass), but not lunch, in a small indoor-outdoor seating area.
• On the 7th floor, High outdoor rooftop lounge serves drinks and appetizers nightly and offers cushioned banquettes, heat lamps, and blankets.