6 Best Hotels in Santa Monica, Pacific Palisades, and Brentwood, Los Angeles

A quaint surprise in Southern California, the Channel Road Inn is every bit the country retreat bed-and-breakfast lovers adore, with four-poster beds, fluffy duvets, and a cozy living room with a fireplace. Rooms are fresh and feminine; each has a private bath (and a few have hot tubs). A sumptuous home-cooked breakfast for two is included (which you can enjoy downstairs or in your room), as well as a wine-and-cheese hour every afternoon and home-baked cookies. Walk a block to the beach, or borrow a bicycle to pedal the 2 miles to the Santa Monica Pier. Unwind in the rose garden, in the Garden Spa Sanctuary (a delightful tiny cottage in the garden), or in one of the landscaped nooks scattered throughout the property. There's one dog-friendly room.

The closest hotel to the Santa Monica Pier (it's just across PCH, with easy pedestrian bridge access), the breezy, surf-inspired Pierside is the epitome of Southern California cool. It's all about the beach here, from the stylish coastal-inspired lobby, the sun-filled spaces, guest rooms with that soothing, natural, coastal-California palette and materials and floor-to-ceiling windows framing views of the Pacific Ocean or Santa Monica skyline, and complimentary use of a wide range of fun gear, like surfboards, bikes, and GoPros (as well as video game consoles). The indoor-outdoor Surfing Fox restaurant serves up locally-sourced Coastal California cuisine and creative cocktails and beckons locals and visitors to linger and bask in views of the pier. Don't miss the huge Shepard Fairey mural on the oceanside front of the building; the second largest in the Los Angeles region, it's a stylistic ode to Santa Monica. Dogs are not only welcome here; they're treated like royalty.

Tranquility pervades the airy, California Craftsman–style, four-story Ambrose, which blends right into its mostly residential Santa Monica neighborhood. Expect crisp linens, high ceilings, and sea-themed hues in cozy rooms. Management prides itself on "green" practices like using nontoxic cleaning products and reducing water use. Windows are double paned for quiet; upper floors have partial peeks of ocean in the distance. The somewhat limited all-day dining menu include healthy choices and Groundwork coffee. The small garden allows for a peaceful hideaway in the middle of the city. Perks like a fitness center with Peloton bikes, beach cruiser usage, Wi-Fi, L'Occitane toiletries, an evening wine reception, and Tesla car service are included with the $29 daily amenity fee. E-bike rentals are available.

Tucked in a posh residential area three blocks from the sea and lively Third Street Promenade, Palihouse Santa Monica caters to design-minded world travelers, with spacious rooms and suites decked out in whimsical antiques. Picture Scottish hunting lodge meets Hollywood chic. The 1927 Mediterranean Revival exterior is encircled by a grassy courtyard, a bocce ball court, and outdoor seating. Step into the low-lit lobby, which also plays host to the hotel's guest-only all-day eating establishment, to be greeted by mismatched antiques highlighted with trophies, terrariums, and kitschy paintings. Rooms feel as though you just stepped into a quirky globetrotter's pied-à-terre, with locally made wallpaper prints, hand-carved vintage tables, and sets of faux antlers guarding the beds. Bathrooms hit all the high notes, including Diptyque toiletries. Modern amenities like flat-screen TVs and free Wi-Fi appeal to tech-minded travelers, while the fitness center and the fully equipped kitchens in most rooms cater to extended-stay visitors. Enjoy use of bicycles, a daily lemonade and candy bar, and a mocktail social hour. The all-day breakfast menu is universally loved.

With views of the Santa Monica Pier, this hotel with a friendly staff offers eco-minded travelers stylish rooms with a modern design, just steps from the sand and sea. The Shore was the first hotel in Santa Monica to receive the prestigious LEED Gold certification for its environmentally friendly design. Giant windows front the property, maximizing the sun's rays and inviting guests to look out onto the expanse of the Pacific below the bluffs. Rooms are awash in beach hues, with aqua throws, sand-color blackout curtains, and rich, wooden furnishings. The temperature automatically adjusts when you enter and exit. A see-through rainfall shower occupies a prime location in standard rooms, offering ocean and city views as you wash the sand out of your hair. Perks include champagne upon arrival, Wi-Fi, and beach cruiser use. Additional amenities include a gym, business center, solar-heated pool and hot tub, and a lobby bar.

Tropical casual meets urbane at this stylized, airy seaside escape, where the cozy rooms, which all have French balconies, draw quite the upscale clientele. The mostly marble bathrooms have seated vanities and supremely refreshing aromatherapy products. The restaurant, Sugar Palm Ocean Avenue, makes the best of its indoor--outdoor ambience with a matching ocean-inspired menu and a huge wraparound bar. At the wood-paneled lounge during awards season, you'll likely catch a slew of celebs air kissing. Glamorous socializing also takes place in the pool and cabana area amid all-white armchairs and divans. Though the Viceroy arrived in town with the new century, the rooms are newly refreshed, with a neutral palette and mid-century-inspired furnishings that are set off by works from local artists. Upper-floor, ocean-view rooms are brilliant at sunset. A $40 daily resort fee includes amenities like a welcome drink, yoga classes, and bikes, while parking is $58.