Guest Reviews
Bayside Hotel Santa Monica is dedicated to being one of the best beach hotels near Santa Monica Beach, and we think our guests agree. If you’re planning a Santa Monica getaway and would like to experience us through the eyes of your fellow sun, sand and surf lovers, please read our hotel reviews below.
We needed a place to stay close to Ocean Ave that allowed a small dog and this fit the bill. We reserved two rooms--one for my wife and me and a dog friendly room for our adult son traveling with us. Both rooms were spotless when we checked in. Since this was an anticipated rainy weekend and the purpose of our stay was to visit family we did not splurge for an ocean view room. Our room faced the enclosed patio and was lovely. Snacks are available in the room for a price. A minifridge is stocked with beverages but it was easy to make room for our own supply. The price list was quite clear. We did enjoy a couple of take-out meals at the outside tables with umbrellas during a break in the rain. Staff was extremely friendly and welcoming. This is an older hotel that has had some updating. One of the reasons we selected this hotel was the availability of self-parking. All of the other hotels we considered had valet parking only. Parking is limited in the small lot and spaces must be reserved for your stay. There is a charge for this, but there is a single handicap place in the lot at no charge. There are quite a few metered spaces available in the front of the hotel if you prefer to go that route. Many find that less expensive than a reserved space in the lot. We enjoyed our stay and the cost -- for Santa Monica -- was reasonable. We will definitely stay here again on our next trip.
I must have stayed here at least 5 times and love to come back to this hotel. The location just off the beach is perfect, Shutters on the Beach is close by. It is about 15 min to Main Street in Santa Monica but also not too far away from Rose Ave in Venice Beach so you are in easy walking distance to the posher and the seedier side of the Bay. The hotel rooms are pretty basic but with a friendly bright beachside colour scheme and design. They have very comfortable enormous beds. The bathrooms are simple and clean with lovely hot showers and working thermidors (it can get chilly at night during winter months). If you have a room with a kitchen you get a huge fridge and proper hob and oven (there is a frozen pizza available for $12 if you get ravenous at night). I really appreciated the nice touch of getting beach towels in a carry bag and small beach chairs. The WiFi connection worked well and I also had no complaints about the espresso machine and complimentary coffee. I usually pay a bit more to get a sea view room and really enjoy sitting in front of it on a shared terrace watching the sunset over the Pacific. Yes, there is a fairly busy road and parking area between the hotel and the beach but it is kind of fun watching the comings and goings while sipping an ice cold beer on your hotel terrace. The hotel staff is always very friendly and helpful. I got a late checkout without any trouble and when I mentioned that there was a strange bad smell in the cupboard I was given a very reasonable discount on the room price without even asking for it. Pretty good value for money.
We really loved this place. It’s steps from the beach, beautifully decorated and spotlessly clean. We just wanted a base to explore without paying too much and we got exactly that. We booked the garden view room with kitchen and it was great to have the kitchen space and seating area. I’d highly recommend this hotel as an alternative to the high end expensive hotels in the area - I’d rather pay less for the hotel and use the money saved to enjoy all that Santa Monica has to offer.
We stayed overnight during a layover in LA. Having read reviews before booking I was apprehensive but need not have been. We arrived late but were met by the reception staff who quickly checked us in to our rooms. It's a small hotel and has a charm about it that is lost in major chain hotels. The rooms look exactly like the pictures on the website and they were clean and surprisingly quiet. The shower had plenty of hot water and the wifi was quick. If you have mobility problems check to see if they have any rooms where the showers that aren't in the bath. We hired their bikes the next morning and rode to Venice beach and the Pier while staff in reception minded our bags. For our short stay the hotel was more than sufficient