Last Saturday, after the Dominique Cohen for Target launch party, I bolted directly to Shutters On The Beach hotel in Santa Monica.

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Last winter I worked on a Shutters cookbook with Dana Slatkin, a chef, supermom, and one of the nicest people I know. Her family owns the hotel and its sexy Mediterranean sister property Casa del Mar. (The book, name TBD, comes out next spring and is fantastic–I tested many of the recipes and they are rediculously easy yet restaurant quality.)

Anyway, Dana was kind enough to invite me to shack up at the luxury property for the weekend. How could I decline? It’s one of my favorite spots, period.

I love it because the rooms are spectacularly homey with crazy-fluffy beds with luxe linens, hardwood floors, soft-color walls that echo the warm natural light dancing on the sand and water beyond, and fun little toys like a little rubber whale bathtub buddy. And for temporary beach living, there is no better address.

“On The Beach” is no exaggeration. Just check out the view from my little balcony, which I snapped in the deliciously overcast morning before the sun broke through.

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Here are some other shots that should make you want to book the next available room.

This is where I partook in margaritas and guac and chips.

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I camped out with a movie each night in a snuggly bed.

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A palace for primping.

If you want to stay here, here’s what you need to know:

Notables:

• It’s more “beachfront” than any other Santa Monica hotel and very romantic (and thus wedding central—I saw three sets of vows exchanged during my two-night stay).
• The rooms flat-out rock.
• There are casual and formal restaurants on property.
• You can jump onto the beachfront path or hit the water outside your front door and walk to the Third Street Promenade and retail area of Santa Monica’s Main Street.
• The L.A. Times is dropped at your door each morning.
• The front desk staff is some of the genuinely friendliest I’ve ever met (minus one grumpy early morning gal).
• Yes, a lot of celebrities do stay here, including Jennifer Aniston, Pamela Anderson, and Angelina Jolie.
• Paradise is expensive, starting at around $505 per night.

Nitpicks:

• Our hairdryer was like a turbo jet, which made it impossible to create any other look than “beach blown.”
• The gym is small.
• It can be tough to get a lounge chair at the pool during prime sunning time.

Nobody’s perfect, but Shutters comes close.

–Erika Lenkert

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