Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica is a 4-star hotel, minutes from the Santa Monica Pier and Venice Beach, where we discovered century-old canals reminiscent of the Italian city of Venice.
East Coast Girl Fell in Love With the West Coast
The first time I set my eyes on the Pacific Ocean, I was “wowed” and instantly fell in love with the West Coast. So, when we had an opportunity to head back to the Los Angeles, California area to attend a wedding in Santa Monica, we were excited to visit the beach again.
It’s not that I didn’t enjoy seeing the Hollywood sights on a previous visit, I just longed to sink my toes in the sand and enjoy the Pacific Ocean breeze.
Boutique Hotel
Hyatt Centric Delfina Santa Monica was the location of the wedding and the suggested hotel for wedding guests. Unfortunately, we procrastinated making reservations, so when we did, no regular King rooms were available. We had to splurge … and I mean splurge … on an ocean view King room with a balcony.
While seeing the ocean waves crashing outside a hotel room sounds like a good thing, it was a bit out of our travel budget for a 4-night stay. And if that wasn’t enough, the hotel charged a daily destination fee of $37.00. The room rate added up to around $428 per night. One positive note is that the destination fee covered a few decent amenities like Internet access, daily bike rental, beach towels, yoga classes, game room, morning coffee, local discounts, and more.
So now that I got out the financial “cons” of this trip, I promise that the rest will be a more optimistic view of our stay at this hotel.
Prime Santa Monica Location
Hyatt Centric was only eight miles from Los Angeles International Airport and in close proximity to the Interstate 10 freeway and Pacific Coast Highway.
If you prefer, you can also fly into the Santa Monica Airport (SMO) that is 3 miles from the hotel, or Hollywood/Burbank Airport (BUR) that is 23 miles away. Note that there is no shuttle service provided by the hotel.
It was not an oceanfront property but it was perched above the shoreline, enough so higher floors in the nine story hotel had either a view (in the distance) of the Pacific Ocean or the Santa Monica mountains.
In addition to Santa Monica Beach (7 minute walk), Santa Monica Pier (15-minute walk), and Third Street Promenade shopping district, the hotel was near Venice Beach, where I had my heart set on seeing “canals” similar to those in Venice, Italy.
The surrounding area was also filled with shopping, entertainment, and restaurants. Santa Monica College is one mile from this hotel, so you have a birds-eye view of the college athletic fields.
Hotel Atmosphere and Vibe
I’m not going to lie. I was excited that the accommodations were fancier than a standard hotel. I was equally as happy that it was a building with no historic significance as many we have stayed in. Instead, it was a refreshing relaxed, laid-back beachy vibe with modern sophistication.
From the beautiful looks and well maintained property, it was no surprise that this hotel had been renovated and rebranded a few years prior.
Not only was the “welcome” drink a special touch, but the lobby was also impressive. The check-in desk area featured colorful seating with uniquely shaped couches and large throw pillows, sofa tables, and high back chairs. On the opposite side, there was a great table for catching up on work.
The lobby staircase led to the “The Sandbox” game room along with meeting space on the mezzanine level.
The hotel’s onsite restaurant, Coastal Harvest Bar & Kitchen, is found at the back of the lobby.
Hotel Amenities
Whenever I stay at a luxury hotel, I feel spoiled, especially when the kindest concierge genuinely offered us help to plan our beach visits along with sightseeing local attractions. This was no easy feat as there were multiple wedding festivities such as a welcome party, ceremony, reception, and brunch on departure day.
We took him up on his suggestion to take advantage of the complimentary bicycles rentals so we can take a ride around town. The bikes are available on a first-come, first-served basis so as lucky as we felt to get the bikes, we were so tired that we only rode around for an hour or so, and back to the hotel to lounge at the pool.
We found that the heated saltwater outdoor pool was a beautiful place for us wedding guests to enjoy some much-needed relaxation and conversation. The pool was a bit small considering the amount of hotel guests, but we managed to get lounges late in the afternoon or after dinner, as the pool stays open until 10 pm.
Some of the twenty-something year old wedding guests raved about The Sandbox, a game/lounging area on the mezzanine of the hotel. They had loads of fun playing shuffleboard, darts, and billiards.
I can’t say that we spent much time at the onsite restaurant, Coastal Harvest Bar & Kitchen except for a few meals … and more than a few cocktails at the lounge. The restaurant was very expensive and breakfast was not included. Aside from the prices, I do recommend the Traditional Eggs Benedict ($25), Delfina Wagyu Burger ($28), and Gnocchi ($26).
In-room dining was a lifesaver on the last evening when we were exhausted but still felt hungry so we ordered dessert; Black Cherry Ricotta Cheesecake ($15) and Triple Chocolate Mousse Cake ($12).
The 24/7 Fitness Center looked like a nice place to work out in, featured a few Peloton bikes and treadmills, along with an elliptical, weight machine, and free weights. There was also a water bottle refill station, chilled towels, and disposable earbuds.
We did not rent a vehicle on this trip, but our friends (who chauffeured us around) self-parked at the hotel, at a crazy, high daily parking rate of $67.26 (includes tax). If that’s not high enough, electric vehicles pay an additional fee as charging is onsite as well.
We only saw one dog that looked like a “show poodle” in this pet-friendly hotel. If you’re travelling with a pet, you’ll want to refer to the hotel’s strict pet policy and fees.
Coastal-Themed Room With a View
The hotel features 315 hotel rooms and suites. We stayed in a 1 King Bed Ocean View with Balcony, a spacious room with a decently-sized but not huge balcony.
The beach theme carried throughout the hotel but one step inside our guest room, and we were blown away by the pops of coastal color around the tropical, palm-tree inspired room.
I loved the modern furniture, especially the oversized headboard, all of which made me want to go home and renovate our bedroom to look just like that. I even liked the retro geometric carpeting design.
The plush bedding was attractive and made a luxurious statement adorned with colorful pillows. Here’s the fun part: We had a connecting room with other wedding guests. That made for some fun evening chats and reminiscing well into wee hours of the night.
There was a desk, flat-screen HDTV, complimentary Wi-Fi, and a mini-fridge. We appreciated the climate control that we seemed to continually adjust to make the room colder or warmer throughout our stay.
As always with a balcony, the blackout curtains were appreciated to keep the room dark in the mornings in “sunny California.” We slept great during this trip.
The bathroom featuring a bathtub and shower was stylishly decorated with a blend of wallpaper and wall tiles, along with a tiled floor. There was a hair dryer and BeeKind brand bath toiletries.
And while I typically say that a hotel iron is a silly amenity, we really appreciated it for this wedding destination as our suit and dress were squished in the tiny hotel closet, and needed a good press prior to the wedding ceremony.
Explore Santa Monica
To explain my favorite activities on this trip, the lure of the California beaches along the Pacific Ocean was the real highlight. Sitting on the softest (and warmest) sand, it was thrilling to watch brave surfers trying to catch the perfect wave.
Not so brave, I was happy to just soak my feet in the pristine water to cool off on a pretty hot day. While some of our friends enjoyed playing volleyball on the beach, we were happy to just sit and chat, and attempt to build a sandcastle. The beach sunsets were simply magical, with vibrant colors that blended orange, pink, and even blueish purple.
The Santa Monica Pier with its iconic Pacific Park Ferris Wheel made us adults feel like kids again as we walked around and around the amusement park and on the boardwalk. The Pacific Ocean views did not disappoint as well as the cotton candy, hot dogs, and other fun carnival foods we ate. I’m surprised my dress for the wedding still fit.
We also spent a few hours at the Third Street Promenade. It’s a fun downtown outdoor mall area, where we strolled, shopped, had a few drinks, and ate even more.
In a quiet neighborhood section of Los Angeles, I got my wish to go look at the Venice Beach Canals. And while I was not expecting it to be just like the Venice, Italy canal gondola rides, I just wanted to see the area for myself.
At the canals, we found the quaintest arched bridges, calm waters (opposed to the raging waves of the Pacific Ocean), lots of small row boats, and even some homes that feature facades with European-inspired architecture. Okay, so it was no Italy but it did make for some beautiful photos.
Final Thoughts: Do I Recommend the Hotel?
While I admit that we spent a fortune on this California trip, we had a blast visiting with friends and attending the most spectacular wedding ever. So, despite the high daily rate with added destination fees, the Hyatt Centric hotel is highly recommended.
We enjoyed the adjoining rooms among friends that could make traveling as a family with kids, such a great perk. Even better, children stay free in a parent or guardian’s room but rules apply.
- Newly renovated and rebranded with a modern vibe
- Friendly, attentive service from hotel and concierge staff
- Central location near the beach and Santa Monica attractions
- Saltwater pool (small), gym, and complimentary bike rentals
- Spacious rooms and (great views that come with a price tag)
- Expensive food at the Coastal Harvest Bar & Kitchen
Author Bio: Originally from Long Island, New York, Donna Wright now calls DeLand, Florida her home. An avid traveler, she has journeyed by air, land, and sea, to many cities in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean to exciting destinations like California, Arizona, Las Vegas, San Diego, Myrtle Beach, Lake Tahoe, Reno, and more.
This content is provided for general informational purposes only and should not be considered travel or consumer advice. Hotel amenities, prices, policies, and availability may change. Readers should verify all details independently and use their own judgment when planning travel.