Tick tock, daylight savings is here! You know what that means? California’s spring and summer is just around the corner.
With its sleek, relaxed, yet polished feel, this picturesque region is one of LA’s most gorgeous area to enjoy what Southern California is known best for… beaches!
Yes, if dipping your toes into the glistening sand while being enveloped in perfect weather sounds like your dream weekend, Santa Monica is no doubt the place to go to for the classic California lifestyle experience.
Just a block away from the Pacific Coast, The Fairmont Miramar is probably Miki & Paul’s favorite hotel for a staycation in Los Angeles.
Charming, tucked away, and locked in another era, this waterfront Fairmont takes their vintage brand & naturally envelops the city’s beach culture with a touch of sophisticated luxury.
Thankfully, that luxury also translates into their customer service. In fact, I have to share a notable check-in experience here.
For one of our stays, the hotel’s systems were unfortunately down and couldn’t check us in for at least a couple of hours. Wanting to make sure we weren’t disappointed, the following conversation happened…
“I’m so sorry for this inconvenience. But to make sure your stay starts off comfortably, we like to offer you any drinks at our bar compliments of the hotel”
Noticing the Macallan $$$$ bottles, Paul raised his eyebrows, “um…. any drink?”
The receptionist grinned, “yes, any.”
And with that, Paul tried a Macallan 25 (neat) for the very first time in his life!
Talk about the most generous welcome amenity of all time! Too bad all their rooms aren’t as generous as the complimentary Macallan 25 😉
While elegantly decorated, even their ocean suites tend to be unfortunately on the small side.
Important: Always request rooms in the Ocean Tower (instead of the Palisades). In my opinion, they’re newer and have much better waterfront views.
As you go through the double door, you’ll see a comfortable bedroom with a nice balcony.
The bathroom has an attractive marble wall, splash, and flooring with two fluffy bathrobes.
As you peer through the balcony, you’ll notice the view is $$$$ fantastic. For first time visitors especially, I recommend a room that faces South. That way, your balcony will have coastal views of Santa Monica Pier all the way to Catalina Island.
Want to play? Head conveniently downstairs to The Bungalow. This relaxed sophisticated lounge transports you into a fancy beach cottage, complete with surf music, games (ex. ping pong), and cocktails. It is a super fun atmosphere for hotel guests and locals.
On weekends, I highly suggest making reservations… because this place gets packed!
Just like Fairmont Pacific Rim, another valuable perk is that they provide complimentary BMW bikes for all hotel guests. Uh oh, forgot your fitness gear? No problem! From head to toe, the hotel arranges all the workout apparels and footwear as well.
And with the beach across the street, it is a rewarding experience for guests & their friends to enjoy all of what Santa Monica has to offer.
As you bike, feel free to join the locals too in being active and healthy. Yoga is a popular activity in this town! No worries if you’re new to this community, everyone is super friendly.
Ping Pong at the Bungalow, biking miles down Santa Monica, and #namaste Yoga in Venice…. whew, so healthy! Man, now I’m hungry.
Like all the other Californians, let’s have a Kale Salad @ Fig for dinner to properly end the weekend 😉
Overall, the Fairmont Miramar successfully captures the essence of California life. While the rooms are insanely overpriced and generally small, it’s the high-end comfort, amenities, location, & services that makes this place a memorable stay.
In fact, Miki still occasionally talks about her BMW bike ride down Santa Monica to her friends… whilst Paul still shares his Macallan 25 welcome story to this very day! In the end, it’s the intimate & personal moments that make a normal “trendy” hotel into an unforgettable timeless experience.
So thanks for the memories Miramar. See you next time.
Chai Bear World 