I stayed there with my family for 2 nights. I got a reasonable rate through my company so I didn't find it too expensive. Yes they gouge you on valet parking. But great affordable dining is available walking distance for the hotel. Our room was large(425 sq ft) and well appointed. The service was outstanding. We were traveling with our 3yo boy and they brought us complimentary milk and cookies within an hour of arrival. The pool is really nice and the grounds make you feel like you are staying at a tropical resort not west LA. So, if you want a nice stay in Santa Monica seriously consider The Miramar.

We just returned from a 3 night stay at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel and the whole stay was fantastic!
We arrived to the hotel in th evening and were checked in quickly with no problems. We got to our Ocean Tower room where the hotel had placed a bottle of champagne and a platter of chocolate covered strawberries that had "Happy Anniversary" written in chocolate on the entry table. This was a very special and unexpected treat.....and deliciously divine!
We stayed on the 5th floor and while there was some noise from the road, it was minimal and we slept very comfortably in the plush beds.
We had dinner at the hotel restaurant one night and were again very pleased. We indulged in pot roast which "hit the spot" and the service was impeccable. Tim Kirby, the assistant Food and Beverage Manager, does a great job and made every effort to make sure our stay was perfect.
The location of the hotel, right on Wilshire Blvd is a perfect place for a quick walk to the beach or a stroll on the Promenade.
Another great quality of the Fairmont is their effort to be a "green" hotel. As another traveler posted, all hybrid cars get free valet parking which is a huge plus considering it is otherwise $35/day. We rented a hybrid from Fox Rental for less than it would have cost us to park it.
Kudos to the Fairmont Miramar for making our stay a most memorable and luxurious one!

Great hotel, very good service and cleanliness. Fully equipped gym. Only downside the swimming pool although lovely and warm (as it is heated), the position is in the shade most of the day and the beach a long walk down. Restaurant quite pricey but apart from this I would recommend this hotel. Great location for restaurants and shopping.

This is a lovely hotel with two very different wings. We stayed in the Ocean Tower. The room was rather small, but was very well appointed, with a small balcony and beautiful ocean views from our upper floor room. The bathroom was small but very nice, and, as another reviewer mentioned, strangely had a louvered, rather than solid door. The service was impeccable: the bellhops, valets, and room service personnel were all extraordinary. The location is great: the lively Third Street Promenade with shopping and restaurants is just steps away, the very wide beach is across the highway but access is down a steep staircase. Only a 10 minute walk, but not one I would have wanted to do with small children or carrying a lot of beach gear. Our only disappointment: it took far too much effort on our part to get an error on our bill corrected.