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A Little Bit of South Beach in Santa Monica

Where: 1415 Ocean Avenue [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

The Georgian Hotel in Santa Monica is an old historic hotel (it's a registered Historic Hotel of America), built in 1933 that once housed LA's first speakeasy during the Prohibition area.

Back in Hollywood's golden days, film stars like Clarke Gable and Carole Lombard would come here for quick getaway. These stars and other dubious figures (Bugsy Siegel and Fatty Arbuckle) liked to hang out on the oceanfront veranda for martinis and jazz. This was when Santa Monica was a secluded and relatively unknown spot. The hotel also used to have a beauty parlor, barber shop, playground and dining room.

Times have changed today and Santa Monica is ridiculously crowded this time of the year. The hotel has lost its luster and some clientele over the years thanks to stiff competiton nearby but still serves drinks on the veranda from 4-7 every day. Lunch is also served from 11:30am to 2:30pm.

Here's a video we shot the other day just before Happy Hour. Aside from the Art-Deco style of the hotel, the veranda kinda reminds us of places along Ocean Drive in South Beach. Only with not so many naked people.

The hotel is also rumoured to be haunted with both guests and staff reporting odd noises like running footsteps, loud sighs and gasps, especially within the old speakeasy walls.

Some still pictures after the jump.