Hotel Oceana Santa Monica

Situated just across the road from charming Palisades Park and Santa Monica Beach, with the sparkling Pacific Ocean beyond, Oceana has the feel of a classic 1950s California beach hotel, just made for soaking up the sun and surf.

Centred around a kidney-shaped swimming pool lined with loungers usually occupied by well-heeled couples, it’s a tranquil escape with mid-century modern rooms that come with plenty of extra touches – fragrant sprigs of dried lavender, say, or a playful porch swing outside.

The hotel is located right on Ocean Avenue, which can be a busy thoroughfare, but as soon as you enter the peaceful courtyard the gridlocked traffic outside seems a million miles away. Around the property is a quiet residential area of pretty avenues lined with palm trees and smart apartment blocks.

The beach is across the road, or it’s a pleasant ocean-front walk, around 20 minutes, along the promenade to Santa Monica’s main attractions, including its delightfully gaudy pier, Muscle Beach and Third Street shopping promenade.