Lots of good things to say about the Oceana:
Stylish decor, good bed, lots of nice touches - eg desk area, books, knick knacks etc
Rooms quite large
Good location - right opposite the beach, six blocks or so to downtown/Promenade
The suites are probably fantastic
Nice & helpful staff

However:
The resort fee is highway robbery. Why am I paying $25 a day extra for a pool?
Breakfast buffet is very very ordinary. Rubbery eggs and carbonised bacon. Avoid it and go to one of the excellent cafes on the Promenade.
It seems to be a converted motel or elderly apartment building. It's quite nicely done, but there are quirks, like some rooms requiring you to get up and down steps - a problem if you have luggage.

It's pretty good. But I don't think it's good value.

Visited for five days with my daughter and enjoyed most everything. The staff were all attentive and friendly so no complaints about service. It was warm so the quiet pool was great. Would have been happier if there had been other breakfast options besides the 25 dollars buffet, or a coffee/ snack bar for light fare, but the lunch and suppers we had were excellent. I was not happy with the resort fee but just assumed it was a form of gratuity and took that into account when tipping. There is no reason for such a fee because there are not many activities available. For pure relaxation in a place near some beautiful places to walk and explore it was great. My only complaint was the thin walls which resulted in some poor sleeps depending on who was above us or next door. We used ear plugs and were fine.

I don't write a lot of reviews but I have to on this one! The first step into the hotel until the last step was horrible! Service was bad! They had keys that looked like they were from a motel and the bell staff was so rude and slow! I will never go back again

We love everything about this hotel. A pool to sit by as kids swim or to snack next to outdoor open fire if its winter, great food, room service, well designed/great decor...not to mention super comfy beds with lots of pillows and a hotel room big enough for our 3 kids to sleep in on fold outs in the living room (with all of our suitcases!) and us to have our own private bedroom. Oceana is also walking distance to the pier, beach and santa monica shops - and an easy drive anytime of day to LAX if catching flights (no freeway jams as its all back roads to airport). The staff are lovely and its got such a relaxing vibe. This is not a kiddy-kiddy hotel as most people are adults which suits us fine but there are usually some families and we still always feel very welcome travelling with our children of 8, 11 and 13 years. Its perfect after the long 12-14 hour flight from Australia or as a stop over at the end of the holiday waiting for flight home.