Hotel Casa del Mar in Santa Monica, Ca.

Recently my brother got married at the Casa del Mar in Santa Monica. I must admit that I haven't spent a lot of time in Santa Monica and I wasn't too sure what to expect from the hotel. It's got a lot of history and the main areas have a bit of an art deco feel to them. And then they take you to your room...



Well, hello dolly! Treat me to an oceanview room that looks like this anyday. While certainly a bit more traditional than our typical style, Mr. Big and I fell right in sync with the hotel.

Darrell Schmitt Design Associates remodeled the hotel in the past few years...and wow...it certainly impresses. It's difficult to tell in the following photo, but the Catch Restaurant and Wine Bar, is a design dream. Covered in creams, pale blue, and natural accents, I was in heaven. It may seem odd, but they had some of the greatest chairs that I've seen.


Best of all? The staff of the hotel were fantastic. I'm not sure if it was because we were there for a wedding or what, but they took amazing care of us. Room rates definitely aren't cheap, but if you can get a promotion, it's not to be missed. I would definitely return for a little R&R in the future.

(PS. The runs on the beach in the morning were fab!)