Casa Del Mar

Casa del Mar shares something more than ownership with its sister hotel, the neighboring Shutters on the Beach — as surprising as it may sound, they’re the only two hotels in the Los Angeles area that open directly onto the beach. But while Shutters is clean-lined and contemporary, Casa del Mar is a period piece, an authentic 1920s Italianate palace that’s played host to Hollywood royalty for as long as there’s been such a thing.

They also share a designer in common: Michael S. Smith, who redesigned the Obama White House, has brought the Casa del Mar gently into the 21st century, adding some contemporary refinement to the century-old building’s newly renovated interiors. The rooms and suites feel low-key and residential, but they’re not short on comfort — despite its old-world good looks, this is a thoroughly modern luxury hotel.

Casa del Mar’s location places it close to the Santa Monica pier and the nearby shops and restaurants, but it offers plenty of reasons to stay in as well, from Catch, the high-end seafood restaurant, to the Terrazza Lounge, with its impressive ocean views. The lobby features semi-private indoor cabanas for intimate parties, and like its sister, Casa del Mar has its own spa, with a wide array of treatments. Whether you prefer Shutters or its sister is, in the end, simply a matter of taste.