Peek-a-boo/frosted showers may not be for everyone
Bottom Line
This chic, 164-room beach hotel opened in 2011 with a prime location across from the Santa Monica Pier and a block away from shopping and entertainment on Third Street Promenade. The building has a sleek, eco-friendly design, and comfortable rooms feature private balconies; city or ocean views; and modern technologies such as free Wi-Fi and self-adjusting thermostats. The lovely courtyard pool area and well-equipped fitness center are also pluses, as is the locally sourced Mexican restaurant.
Laid-back beach hotel doesn't forfeit luxury for sustainablity
With a refined, modern aesthetic and bold, U-shaped design, the Shore Hotel expertly combines luxury and sustainability. The hotel finished construction in 2011, and by using recycled materials and energy-efficient technologies, successfully met the criteria for Gold LEED certification.
Within the U-shape walls is a charming courtyard with a heated pool and whirlpool; some guestrooms look out over the courtyard and toward the ocean from private balconies. The courtyard also offers plenty of poolside seating and an adjacent taco joint.
Excellent location right across from the beach and the Santa Monica Pier
The Shore Hotel has an excellent location for leisure travelers, right across Ocean Avenue from the beach and the Santa Monica Pier. Great shopping and dining is also nearby with the Third Street Promenade and Santa Monica Place Shopping Center just a short walk from the hotel. And though the Shore doesn't offer transportation, several public transit options are also within walking distance.
2-minute walk to the Santa Monica Place Shopping Center
4-minute walk to the Santa Monica Pier Aquarium
7-minute walk to Third Street Promenade
7-minute walk to the beach
7-minute drive to Venice Beach
8-minute walk to the Santa Monica Pier
11-minute drive to the Santa Monica Municipal Airport
Contemporary rooms have balconies and great energy-efficient features
The hotel opened in 2011, so all 164 guestrooms -- 20 of them suites -- are thoroughly contemporary. They are decorated in beachy shades of blue and white, with light wood furniture and orange color accents. In keeping with the hotel's eco-friendly focus, they are furnished with sustainable materials and technologies (such as individual lighting and temperature controls that adjust when guests enter and leave the rooms).
Bathrooms are ultra-modern with a peek-a-boo shower wall that frosts (if you remember to push the button!) for privacy.
Comfy beds have Egyptian cotton linens and pillow-top mattresses
The one on-site restaurant is a locally sourced Mexican taco joint.
The hotel's only on-site restaurant option is Blue Plate Taco, which is independently owned. The restaurant serves Mexican cuisine and has a full bar, and is open daily for lunch and dinner. Blue Plate also has outdoor seating along the street and across from the beach.
The Shore was built in 2011 with LEED certification in mind. The owners constructed the hotel from scratch, which allowed for the use of recycled materials and an eco-friendly design.
The U-shape of the building allows the hotel to maximize natural heating and lighting, as all rooms face westward toward the sun. In addition, about half of the materials used in the hotel's construction were recycled, and another fraction were locally sourced. All facilities and guestrooms in the hotel have a focus on local and organic ingredients, including the fitness center and restaurant.
