At the time of our stay (mid-February 2005) this hotel was transitioning between a Four Points Sheraton and a boutique-styled Sheraton, named the Sheraton Delfina. Many of the full-fledged Sheraton stylings are already in place. Comfortable Sweet Sleeper bed and a very soothing, swank lobby area attest to the upgrade. At the same time, it retained some Four Points benefits, like free self-parking downstairs. In room coffee. Hi speed internet for a fee, $2 charge for local or toll free calls.

However, it’s not without its problems. Our bathroom wasn’t fully tiled, and the shower was frankly outdated. (This room is next to a service elevator -- a silent one during our stay -- and there is a small door that leads from the bathroom, presumably to the elevator shaft or maintenance room? The tiles on the floor stop short of this extra door. See the photos, linked below.) They put in a nice sink, but didn’t work on the shower. Strange.

Another item that needs overhauling is the windows. We were in room 401, which is itself a smaller, oddly shaped room at the end of a very long hallway (our room was booked via Hotwire -- perhaps some Hotwire discrimination?) so perhaps our room had old 1960s windows while other rooms were fully modernized. But our windows leaked – both air and water, when it rained. (Yes, it rains in southern California.) There was a puddle on the windowsill in the morning. Other minor stuff still shows that they're in transition. The drop ceiling in the lobby isn't in place, so you can see the pipes etc. if you look up. Signs are contradictory, some saying Four Points, others saying Delfina. So kinks are still being worked out.

The hotel also put erroneous charges on our bill, which I didn't see until I got the credit card statement. (A downside to express check-out...) It took three calls to their accounting office to get this resolved. Eventually, 6 weeks after the stay, we got the credit, but Daisy in the accounting office was really unresponsive.

For the price we paid on Hotwire, we were certainly happy. The regular $289 rate would have been way too much for this room, though. This will be a great hotel *if* they truly finish fixing it up.

Lastly, in one of the earlier reviews, I read a comment that this hotel is in a seedy area. Not so. There is a commercial strip a few blocks inland, but Pico Street, where the hotel is located, leads straight to the beach. 5 blocks, tops. It's not beachfront, but it's not in the middle of a strip mall either. And certainly not in a slum!

Stayed in this hotel for 3 nights arrived at 5am and we were given a room immediately. The hotel was in a good location for the beaches and the staff were fantastic at giving advice as to where to go and how to get around. The beds in this hotel were absolutely amazing proper comfy duvets and more pillows than you could ever need. would definately return!

We've stayed here twice - last time was September, 2004 - and it was undergoing major renovation into a 5 star Sheraton - it will no longer be a 4 point. The hotel itself is fine - our room had been completely remodeled and had a very comfortable, contemporary feel. Rooms are a little on the small side, but clean and nice. Problem is the area - hotel is on a very busy thoroughfare that is noisy - hotel is right across the street from Santa Monica High School and all that goes with that. When we came in at night, we were a bit afraid. Area is kind of seedy and there appeared to be more than a few drug deals going on across the street. Would never feel safe walking the few blocks to the Promenade or beach at night. Also, free parking is a plus, but the garage entrance and exit could only be described as treacherous at best. You can't see clearly while exiting and space is very small for manuvering around. Not bad, but you can probably do better for price.

I was very disappointed in this hotel. The exterior concerned me when I first arrived because it looked very run down. My room was shabby, the carpeting was dirty and had large stains, and the walls had water damage. It was very loud at night because the door to my room opened directly to the outside - more like motel than a 3-star hotel. I was concerned for my safety but they would not let me switch to a different room. I would not recommend this place to anyone.