Santa Monica Proper Hotel

Great stay with excellent service and staff!

Our anniversary stay at the Santa Monica Proper was, quite simply, extraordinary. From the moment we arrived, the experience felt personal. Miguel checked us in and then actually escorted us to our room—a small gesture, perhaps, but one that immediately made us feel genuinely welcomed. And what a room it turned out to be! We were very generously upgraded to a Premier Suite, and it was absolutely gorgeous: wraparound floor-to-ceiling windows, beautifully designed living and sleeping spaces, and an extraordinary two-room bathroom that seemed as large as some entire hotel rooms we’ve stayed in. Waiting for us was a bottle of Veuve Clicquot and truffles in honor of our anniversary. Talk about starting a celebration properly! But what really distinguishes the Proper is the hotel itself. It is an architectural and design gem. Everywhere you look there is something interesting, beautiful or unexpected. The entire place feels less like a conventional luxury hotel and more like an extraordinarily stylish private world you’ve somehow been invited into. Palma, the hotel’s main restaurant and gathering space, is a perfect example. Instead of the usual hotel restaurant filled with rows of identical tables and chairs, Palma seems to contain a myriad of completely different little sitting, drinking and dining areas, each with its own personality. You want to wander around just to see where you might sit next. We happened to be there on a Saturday night and discovered that Friday and Saturday evenings feature a DJ and dancing. We couldn’t have planned it better. The music and energy made our anniversary night even more fun, while the warmth of the staff kept the whole experience from ever feeling impersonal. A special shout-out to Lydia, Tyler and David at Palma, who were so friendly, accessible and welcoming. And then there was breakfast the next morning. Hotel breakfasts are notoriously expensive and, all too often, nothing much to write home about. The “Proper Breakfast” was indeed notorious—but notoriously splendid and delicious. It was one of the standouts of an already standout stay. The Santa Monica Proper is more than a beautiful hotel. For us, it was an oasis—another world right in the middle of Santa Monica. We checked in for an anniversary celebration and checked out feeling as though we’d actually escaped somewhere. And it’s an escape we very much want to make again.

Although we only stayed one night here, it was a great experience considering how nice our room was, the quiet and cleanliness of the public spaces and friendliness of the staff. We love to workout while on vacation and found the gym here to be very well appointed, great temperature and very clean. We were hesitant about the location but it’s only a short stroll to the water. We will most certainly stay here again when back in Santa Monica!

Our last stay at the Proper was mid-August. This was our second stay and it will be our last. The hotel is focused on events at the expense of the guests. Common areas are constantly blocked off and a lot of noise as a result. Even some make-shift areas were made on guest floors with no respect for the guests privacy or access availability. We had a King Balcony room. The chairs were incredibly uncomfortable and the view was terrible, as was the traffic noise. The vibe is definitely 20's and 30's with the see and be seen crowd. The pool is very small and I don't get why some say this is a family hotel. The valet parking is crazy expensive! The greater issue is Santa Monica's fault as the empty store fronts and large homeless population is very unappealing. Not certain why they bother with being part of the Bonvoy program as I am a lifetime Titanium member and received no upgrade or acknowledgement. The room was ok and overall cleanliness was good, but the sink drain had a really strong moldy odor that was very off putting. Unless some things change with Santa Monica overall I'll be surprised if this hotel survives the neighborhood and city deterioration.

I recently stayed at your hotel and had a massage during my visit. While the treatment itself was okay, I did not feel it reflected the level of quality or value expected at a luxury property. What concerns me more is that I later learned that one of the therapist who provided my service was neither formally trained nor licensed. As a hotel that positions itself as a luxury destination, I find this particularly alarming. Beyond the impact on the guest experience, this raises serious concerns regarding professionalism, standards, and potential legal implications. Guests trust that services offered at your property meet the highest level of qualification and compliance. If I had been seeking a more informal experience, I could have chosen a day spa at a significantly lower price point. However, my expectation in choosing your hotel was to receive a service in line with luxury standards.