Editorial score of 8.9 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why stay at the Santa Monica Proper?
Santa Monica Proper is the strongest design hotel in Santa Monica because it is a complete Kelly Wearstler commission rather than a lobby refresh. Wearstler designed the whole building, from the ground-floor lounge to the guest rooms to the rooftop, and the Proper group gave her the creative latitude that more cautious brands rarely allow. The result is genuinely singular: the furniture, the art, the tile work and the textiles are not interchangeable with any other hotel, and the palette of California craft, raw plaster, vintage finds and custom rugs reads as considered rather than assembled. For travellers whose first criterion is the quality of the designed environment, this is the clearest answer in the coastal market.
The location does real work too. The hotel sits at 700 Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Santa Monica, a few minutes on foot from the Third Street Promenade and a short walk from the beach path and Palisades Park, so you get the ocean town without paying the full oceanfront premium of the sand-side resorts. It opened in 2019 and joined the Design Hotels network, which is how many design-literate guests find their rooms. Set expectations for a boutique hotel with warm, competent service rather than a grande-dame operation with a large staff-to-guest ratio, and the Proper delivers on nearly every count. The honest trade-off is that this is a stylish town-centre hotel, not a hotel with its feet in the surf.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a higher-floor room on the ocean side, and step up to a suite if the design is the reason you are here. The 262 rooms and suites occupy the building's residential floors and all carry the Wearstler treatment: California craftwork, locally sourced tile, custom rugs and vintage pieces layered so the room reveals itself over days rather than at first glance. Entry categories are calm and well proportioned, but the outlook varies by orientation, and the rooms that face the town rather than the water trade the Pacific glimpse for quiet. The studio suites add living-room separation, and the penthouse suites are the best in the house, with rooftop terrace access and the ocean view that Santa Monica's slight elevation above the beach provides.
One honest caveat: because this is a design hotel rather than a beach resort, some rooms prize atmosphere and material over square footage, and a handful of the entry rooms are compact by five-star-resort standards. Guests expecting a large oceanfront suite with a balcony over the sand should look to the beach hotels instead. Treat the room as a Wearstler-designed retreat a short walk from the water, book the highest floor and category your budget allows, and there is very little to fault.
Ask for a room on a high floor facing west for the late-afternoon light off the Pacific, and book a rooftop table at Calabra for sunset on your first evening. If you are travelling for wellness, reserve a spa treatment and a morning by the rooftop pool before the day-guest crowd arrives.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
Dining is a genuine reason to book, and it splits neatly between the ground floor and the roof. Palma is the all-day restaurant and lounge steps from the lobby, with artful Wearstler interiors, seasonal California produce, a boutique wine list and handcrafted cocktails; it works as a neighbourhood anchor as much as a hotel room, which is exactly the sign of a restaurant that stands on its own. Up top, Calabra is the rooftop pool-deck restaurant and bar, serving Mediterranean and California cooking alongside panoramic Pacific views, cabanas and sunset cocktails. Between the two you can eat well without leaving the building, from a quiet working lunch downstairs to a long celebratory dinner in the sky.
Does it have a spa and pool?
Yes, and wellness is one of the hotel's strongest cards. The rooftop holds an outdoor pool with ocean and city views, framed by the Calabra deck, and the hotel runs a spa and wellness programme with a fitness centre that is genuinely well equipped rather than a token gym. The wellness offer pairs naturally with the surrounding neighbourhood, which has some of the better outdoor exercise infrastructure in Southern California: the beach path, Palisades Park and the bluff-top running routes are all within easy reach. For a stay that combines a designed indoor environment with real outdoor access, the Proper is the most complete choice in Santa Monica.
Signature amenities
In downtown Santa Monica, steps from the beach
Downtown Santa Monica · a short walk from the beach and Third Street Promenade
What's nearby
- Third Street Promenade
Shops & dining4 min walk - Santa Monica Place
Shopping centre5 min walk - Santa Monica State Beach
Sand & beach path8 min walk - Palisades Park
Ocean bluff9 min walk - Santa Monica Pier
Pacific Park12 min walk
The design, the rooms, the rooftop
Exterior
Guest room
Rooftop pool
CalabraHow does the Santa Monica Proper compare with other Santa Monica and Westside hotels?
Against the field, Santa Monica Proper is the design-and-value benchmark a short walk from the water, and the choice comes down to how close to the sand you need to be. Shutters on the Beach is the oceanfront classic, directly on the beach with the Pacific as its neighbour, and it wins outright for couples who want the surf underfoot. Viceroy Santa Monica sits on Ocean Avenue with the Pacific in the middle distance and a livelier pool scene. 1 Hotel West Hollywood is the inland alternative for guests who want the Strip rather than the shore. The Proper's own trade-off is that it is a town-centre design hotel rather than a beach resort, so the ocean is a walk away, not a step.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Santa Monica Proper | Kelly Wearstler design hotel | Design, rooftop, walkable town | Near the beach, not on it |
| Shutters on the Beach | Oceanfront classic | Beach underfoot, romance | Higher rates, traditional style |
| Viceroy Santa Monica | Ocean Avenue design | Pool scene, ocean views | Across the road from the bluff |
| 1 Hotel West Hollywood | Nature-forward Strip hotel | Rooftop, wellness, nightlife | Inland, not by the sea |
Frequently asked questions
Who designed the Santa Monica Proper Hotel?
Kelly Wearstler designed the whole hotel, from the lobby to the guest rooms to the rooftop, in her most fully realised California hotel commission. The 262 rooms and suites use California craft, custom rugs, locally sourced tile and vintage finds, so the interiors read as designed rather than assembled.
How many rooms does the Santa Monica Proper have?
There are 262 rooms and suites across the building's residential floors. Categories run from Proper and Deluxe rooms up to studio suites and the penthouse suites, which add rooftop terrace access and ocean views from Santa Monica's slight elevation above the beach.
What are the restaurants at the Santa Monica Proper?
Palma is the all-day restaurant and lounge near the lobby, serving seasonal California plates, boutique wines and cocktails. Calabra is the rooftop pool-deck restaurant and bar, with Mediterranean and California cooking, cabanas and panoramic Pacific views at sunset.
Does the Santa Monica Proper have a pool and spa?
Yes. The rooftop holds an outdoor pool with ocean and city views and the Calabra bar, and the hotel runs a spa and wellness programme with a well-equipped fitness centre. The wellness offer pairs with the beach path, Palisades Park and the running trails nearby.
Where is the Santa Monica Proper located?
The hotel is at 700 Wilshire Boulevard in downtown Santa Monica, about a five-minute walk from the Third Street Promenade and roughly eight minutes from Santa Monica State Beach. Palisades Park, Santa Monica Place and the Pier are all within a short walk.
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