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Guests at Casa del Mar and Shutters Have a New Ride: The 2011 Jaguar XJ

What kind of car a hotel drives really shouldn't influence your stay (after all, this isn't a high school boyfriend you're deciding on) but when that hotel ride is a new 2011 Jaguar XJ, it's very hard not to be tempted by superficial desires.

ETC Hotels, which include Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica, Calif., have just announced that their guests will be driven around town in these fancy new whips. It's perfect timing really as Santa Monica has just opened the new mall, Santa Monica Place, making it possible for guests to pull up in style to pick up their Louis Vuitton and Burberry purchases.

Rooms at Casa del Mar and Shutters go for around $500 a night so that spin in the Jaguar XJ is well-deserved.

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'Catch' The Ocean Views at Casa Del Mar and Maybe Even Pull in a Celeb Sighting

Where: 1910 Ocean Way [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90405

We often forget about Casa Del Mar, located on the beach in Santa Monica. That's probably because we're too busy focusing on the celebrity sightings at the valet at Shutters on the Beach or the tequila tasting that goes on at the party-centric Viceroy Hotel.

However last Saturday, we remembered just how much we loved the views from Casa Del Mar's lobby bar which has full-frontal views of the Pacific Ocean. And since we hadn't tried dinner at the hotel's restaurant, Catch, we thought that would be the best way to enjoy a low-key Saturday night with friends.

We picked a good day too as the waves in Southern California were hitting record heights, giving us a little more action with our ocean view. The restaurant, just to the left of the lobby bar, is actually quite small and most of the tables are situated near the windows, of course.

We were seated in a small booth which had comfy, neutral-colored cushions with cute little back pillows. We actually sank into the booth which we much prefer over of one of those hard wood booths or one with squeaky leather seating (ladies who wear short dresses you know what we mean.) However, we probably sank a little too low as we felt like a small child sitting at the grown-ups table. Want more rigid seating? Ask for a table directly next to the window.

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Canary Hotel in Santa Barbara Gets Harsh LAT Review

Where: 31 West Carillo Street [map], Santa Barbara, CA, United States, 93101

Santa Barbara's got a new hotel but judging from this review of the Canary Hotel by the LA Times' Valli Herman, the place still has a long ways to go before it's on the same level as some of its famous neighbors. And we don't mean Oprah. We mean Ojai, Bacara.

The Canary Hotel is actually the new incarnation of the Hotel Andalucia, a five-story boutique hotel that opened in 2004 just a block off State Street. The place got a gigantic facelift courtesy of the group behind two of our fave Santa Monica hotels--Casa del Mar and Shutters on the Beach--the Edward Thomas Collection (ETC Hotels).

As for the name, it really has nothing to do with the bird but rather the Canary Islands off Morocco's coast. Thus the decor is mix of Spanish and Morrocan but the bird makes an appearance in the logo and the hotel offers binoculars in each room and named the rooftop poolside bar, the Perch.

Despite all this cuteness and a great downtown location. Herman was severely displeased with the service.

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