Shutters On The Beach

We recommend Shutters to couples in their forties looking for seaside luxury without leaving Los Angeles, and to affluent families who want the beach without the bustle of Venice. It's an address for romantic weekends, wedding anniversaries, Californian retreats away from the tumult of West Hollywood. Business travellers also come here to unwind after the studios, but the clientele remains mostly leisure.

The building dates from 1993, designed by Michael Smith in a Californian neo-colonial style. White facade with blue shutters, wooden galleries, interiors inspired by East Coast beach houses. Painted panelling, whitewashed oak floors, rattan armchairs, contemporary art works. The rooms range from 35 to 120 m², all with ocean or partial view.

The restaurant 1 Pico holds the main room, bay windows on the beach, seasonal Californian cuisine. Grilled lobsters, oysters from Tomales Bay, fish from the Santa Monica market served the same day. The Coast bar serves cocktails facing the sunset, well-stocked Californian wine list. Continental or American breakfast served in room or on terrace, 24-hour room service available.

Shutters stands at the corner of Pico Boulevard and Ocean Avenue, in the heart of Santa Monica. The historic pier is an eight-minute walk away, Third Street Promenade (shopping, restaurants) ten minutes. LAX airport twenty minutes by car, Los Angeles city centre thirty minutes outside traffic. The neighbourhood is upscale residential, quiet in the evening, very busy at weekends by cyclists and joggers on the coastal path.