Checked in for 3 days (2 nights) just in the last week. At this time of year and staying thursday-sat, the place seemed relatively empty.

No problems finding ample space on the pool deck for some relaxing, often alone in fact. Great service by every member of staff we came across. Rooms were fantastic. We walked in and got a "non ocean view king" for $325 a night + tax - even though the room had a relatively unobstructed ocean view anyway!

Looking back, i'd of been upset to of paid the extra for an ocean view room, bearing in mind I had similar view in a cheaper room. Could of got lucky - but you can always change rooms...

Back to the rooms - Big beds, lots of space, 32" LCD tv in the bedroom and another smaller flat panel in the bathroom. More phones than your average house and a good enough Internet connection to do some work.

It's perhaps overpriced - our 2 night stay ended up costing over $900 - I've stayed in better hotels at cheaper prices, but not as a walk-in customer. Main critism is the price of extra's (and everything is an extra) and the fire damaged cafe was still under repair, meaning breakfast options were not great.

Don't let that put you off spending a night or two though, beach front, ocean view (and if you think the ocean's "too far off" you need your eyes tested) and a great feeling about the place. Better than its sister, the Del Mar, room wise. Better than Lowes (also related!) quality wise. Second to none in Santa Monica in all likelihood.

I've never experienced a more confused check-in at a hotel. The curbside baggage man did not recognize me in the melee in the lobby. The check-in staff couldn't check me in at 6:00 PM even though check-in was guaranteed for 4:00 PM. I used the American Express Platinum service for the reservation but found myself in a disconnected building in a basement room. The hotel staff did not communicate the benefits of the American Express Platinum program. The staff offered us a drink while we waited but it was never produced.

After entering our room I discovered that a loud outdoor function was conducted within a few feet of our window. I could make eye contact with the serving staff if my shutters were open. Shortly after, someone banged on my door offering a bag of bath crstals, even though our "do not disturb"sign was displayed.

Things got worse the next day when the hotel kitchen caught fire. We had to evacuate the hotel for about 3 hours. Upon returning the elevator was blocked from entering and we had to hike up and down to our 3rd floor room.

The following day we dicovered that due to the fire, room service was not functioning and neither were the hotel restaurants.

Upon check-out I was "delighted" that we were offered a $50 credit for our inconvenience due to the fire.

Overpriced hotel with no sense of conscience. I would never recommend this hotel to anyone.

Shutters on the beach is not alll it is cracked up to be. The rooms are great but I wouldn't spend the extra $$$ on the ocean view room. The ocean is still pretty far off and you can't even see much of it from the pool deck. The pool is small and it is difficult to find a chair to relax. The service is just mediocre I wouldn't write home over it. The food and drinks are pricey and just okay. I would say the best thing going for it is the proximity to the boardwalk. If you like to jog or ride a bicycle this is a plus and very convenient. There are many great hotels in Santa Monica that are far less expensive and just as lux.

Nice comfortable rooms if you are planning to spend a lot of time in your room. Oversized tubs, great amenities at a fee. Luxurious linens and a great bed, but who wants to pay double for luxury European bath products staring at you in your bath. The rubber duckie is a nice touch but believe me you are paying a lot of money for that duck. I would recommend this hotel for business travellers or even those who want to bring the family along. I would not recommend this hotel for those who just want to get away for a little while.

I had made a reservation for a "deluxe ocean front" room and I honestly expected to have a full unobstructed ocean view considering I was paying $695/night. Imagine my disappointment when, after waiting until 6PM for this room (check-in time is supposedly at 4PM, but our room was not ready), we were placed in a room that had a view of the alleyway, the roof top of the building in front of us. We have a very nice view of the pipes and air-conditioning units on top of the roof, as well as the smoke coming out from the restaurant, and if you stood on your tippy-toes, you could see the ocean... and of course, when we complained about the room, we were told that no other rooms were available, and if we wanted to go to a different hotel, we would still have to pay for the night.
After much discussion with the general manager, we eventually got a room the next night right on the beach which was wonderful, and definitely what I expected the first time around.

On the plus side, the rooms are quite nice and all newly renovated. The restaurant One Pico is also quite good.

I do believe that this hotel just relies too much on the beach as its major selling point, which then translates into indifferent service. When I check into an upscale hotel, I expect an upscale service (think four seasons), and this was sorely lacking here.

So just be careful when you make a reservation for an "ocean view". Not all the rooms are equal.