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Tags: Hotel Renovations / Hotel Hell / Viceroy Hotels / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Viceroy Santa Monica Will Be Getting a Renovation

Where: 1819 Ocean Avenue [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

The other day we took a look at What's on The Block at the Viceroy Santa Monica, a happening hotel near the beach that is always giving us good enough excuses to get drunk on a random weekday.

But could it be that the guests are also partying too hard? A commenter on our story pointed us to his TripAdvisor review which showed an Empire Suite (about $640 a night) in seriously worn down condition. Cigarette burns in the carpet, wrecked furniture and low shower head pressure were some of the complaints.

Needless to say our commenter was pretty unhappy about having paid so much for just a so-so room. We were sort of shocked ourselves since we've stayed in a regular room not too long ago and the room, while definitely not brand, spanking new, it was in good condition.

We asked the hotel's rep if they could comment on the situation for us and they told us they would answer the TripAdvisor review instead. Here's what Caroline Dyal, Director of Hotel Operations, wrote:

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Tags: What's On The Block / Whats-on-the-Block-Map / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

What's On The Block at the Viceroy Santa Monica?

Where: 1819 Ocean Ave. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

We talk about the Viceroy Santa Monica fairly frequently since, as part of the Kor Hotel Group er...Viceroy Hotel Group, it hosts quite a few swanky events and special packages. But this week, we thought we’d throw in some value-added info by telling you What’s On The Block to give you a better idea of all that’s in store when you stay there. And thanks to its location right at the nexus of several different areas of Santa Monica, there is plenty of action for tourist and native alike.

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Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Pink Hotels / Breast Cancer Awareness / Hotel Cocktails / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Cocktails for a Cause at Viceroy’s Whist

Where: 1819 Ocean Ave. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Everybody likes happy hour, but what we love even more than drinking discounts is drinking for a cause. Luckily, we can now feel philanthropic as we sip and swig thanks to the Viceroy Santa Monica’s new Cocktails for a Cause happy hour at Whist.

In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, every Tuesday from 6:00-9:00pm throughout the month of October, when drinkers, uh, we mean guests, order a specialty “Strawberry Vice” cocktail, 100% of the proceeds will go to the Beautiful Day Foundation.

The Strawberry Vice will cost you $10, and we got our hands on the top secret recipe: half an ounce of homemade strawberry jam, 1.5 ounces of Remy Martin VS, and 1.5 ounces of champagne put into a shaker with ice, stirred and served I a champagne flute. The pink cocktail should match your pink breast cancer awareness ribbon perfectly. We’ll cheers to that.

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Tags: Hotel Photoshoots / Shangri-La Hotels / Los Angeles Hotels / Celebrity Scoop / → All Tags

Shangri-La Santa Monica Goes GQ

Mmm, Channing Tatum. Mmmm, shirtless dudes in GQ. Mmmm, Shangri-La Santa Monica.

The August issue of GQ features one of the most kickass photoshoots ever: a shirtless Channing Tatum gallivanting around the Shangri-La Santa Monica. He's in the hallways; he's in Suite 700 (and, uh, he's kinda messy in an endearing, manly kind of way) which has two bedrooms and a wrap-around terrace with one of "the best views in the world."

Photographed by Mario Testino, the hotel is, admittedly, sort of background for the Channing Tatum hotness here — and, though the property is not as prominently featured in the images as heavily as the hotel spotlighted in Annie Liebovitz's Peninsula photos, we think we can deal.

Check out the pics here.

[Photo: Mario Testino]

Tags: Celebrity Scoop / Santa Monica Hotels / Viceroy Hotels / Hotel Restaurants / → All Tags

Lionel Richie and Bai Ling Debut Romance at Viceroy Santa Monica

Where: 1819 Ocean Ave [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Today in celebrity 'WTF' news: Lionel Richie and Bai Ling went on a date on Thursday night. Yes, that would be he of The Commodores and she of the perpetually-over-exposing dresses. This "date" of theirs is not only of interest to us because it is one of the most bizarre-o celebrity pairings ever, but because it took place at the Viceroy Santa Monica's signature restaurant, Whist.

According to X17, this "date" involved the two of them arriving and leaving from the hotel/restaurant in separate cars — but their "eyewitness account" maintains that he was rubbing her back during the dinner, and they were sitting mighty close to one another. Of course, this could all be an overhyped celeb spotting with out-of-thin-air rumors of a romance (along the lines of that disconcerting Natalie Portman/Sean Penn thing earlier this year), but we have reason to believe (mainly faith in the weirdness of both of these people) that this could be for realsies.

Man, why are we never at these places at the right time? All we've gotten in a hotel restaurant was a Hanson sighting.

Tags: Summer Cocktails / Hotel Cocktails / Hotel Bars / Tequila / → All Tags

Viceroy's Taste of Tuesdays Gives You More Than a Taste

Where: 1819 Ocean Avenue [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

You know how much we love Hotel Cocktails here at HotelChatter, having gathered together a whole batch of holiday cocktails to keep us feeling giddy during the festive season. And now that summer is officially here, why not cull together a list of summer cocktails? That's what we'll be doing every Friday this summer, starting today with the Margarita Lavanda, pictured above on the right.

We recently sampled this fancy margarita at the Viceroy Santa Monica during its Taste of Tuesday event, held every Tuesday from the Whist restaurant throughout the summer by the pool. Each month, a different spirit will be featured along with $5 drink and food items, $15 carafes of signature sangria and platters of five "tastes" for $20.

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Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Fairmont Hotels / Hotel Breakfasts / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Kegs and Eggs at the Fairmont Miramar’s FIG Restaurant

Where: 101 Wilshire Ave. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

First we told you about the delightful dinner service at FIG, the restaurant at Santa Monica’s Fairmont Miramar Hotel. Then we told you about their new lunch service. Now it’s time to let you in on Chef Ray Garcia’s Sunday “Kegs and Eggs” brunch, launching this Sunday, June 28.

For $37, you get a bottomless pint of specialty draft beer like the Koningshoeven “Quadrupel” Trappist, and any egg dish (usually stuffed, filled or sided with the latest seasonal ingredients) like the Frittata Verde with green veggies and avocado tomatillo salsa. Beer not your thing? You can also order a la carte.

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Tags: Weekend Hotel Happening / Hotel Restaurants / Hotel Bars / Santa Monica Hotels / Viceroy Hotels / → All Tags

Do Summer Santa Monica-Style On The Cheap at Viceroy's Whist

Where: 1819 Ocean Ave. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Whist, the restaurant at the swank Viceroy Santa Monica Hotel, is bringing back its poolside summer specials, including “Summer Fridays” (a nice alternative for those of us who don't get 'em at work) and “Taste of Tuesdays.”

Since Memorial Day Weekend is the unofficial start of summer, Summer Fridays begin today with a 4-hour happy hour from 2-6pm. For the 2 o’clock hour, drinks are just $2; at 3:00, they cost $3, and so on. There is also a new bar food menu including fried chicken and biscuit sliders for $2, and oysters on the half shell for $3. Summer Fridays will run through August 28.

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Tags: Hotel Restaurants / Fairmont Hotels / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

FIG at the Fairmont Miramar Launches Lunch

Where: 101 Wilshire Blvd. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Chef Ray Garcia at FIG.

We were already big fans of the new restaurant, FIG, at the Fairmont Miramar Santa Monica (as is the LA Times) which is why we were excited to hear that restaurant will soon start serving lunch.

Yesterday, we were able to check out the menu at a tasting sponsored by Bombay Sapphire Gin. And lunch? That's right up our alley.

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Tags: Hotel Spas / Loews Hotels / Eco-Hotels / → All Tags

Sustainable Serenity at Loews Santa Monica

Where: 1700 Ocean Ave. [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

Everywhere you look these days, the environment is taking center stage…that is, when the economy isn’t distracting everyone. Spas might just be the perfect nexus for the two topics of debate as more and more of these havens of luxury pampering are becoming increasingly conscious of their environmental impact.

Representing a sign of the times, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is re-opening its 7,000-square-foot Ocean Spa & Fitness center with a renewed dedication to using environmentally friendly architecture, products and treatments.

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Tags: Hotel Delays / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Shangri-La Santa Monica Slowly Putting on the Finishing Touches

Where: 1301 Ocean Avenue [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

The Shangri-La Santa Monica finally soft-opened last December after numerous delays, so we decided to check in on how the place was doing. Last night, we strolled by the hotel and found it to be ... quiet. Very quiet. And there's a good reason for that: the hotel's bar, restaurant and pool are still under construction.

The restaurant and bar will not be ready until May, according to the hotel's website. But we're not sure what's going on with the pool, which was to be ready in March. A recent TripAdvisor reviewer had a room "that overlooks the pool and deck in the courtyard below. It was unfinished, but looks to be great."

So why stay here? The hotel does have a killer location across from the ocean and it's close to all the shops and some decent restaurants in Santa Monica. Plus, room rates are as low as $169 on Quikbook.com.

With the summer season approaching, we hope that the Shangri-La can get these crucial elements open quickly.

Tags: Hotel Packages / Loews Hotels / Hotel Deals / Santa Monica Hotels / → All Tags

Loews Santa Monica Won't Make You Check Out til Sunset

Where: 1700 Ocean Avenue [map], Santa Monica, CA, United States, 90401

We understand late check-out situations. We understand that when we call the front desk at 11:30 and beg for a late check-out, the front desker may be unsympathetic — they've gotta get us out so they can clean the room to check the next people in. We understand. Really.

Which is why we're not entirely sure how exactly it is feasible for Loews Santa Monica to offer this: if you book the Double Your Sunset package, you score yourself a 6:00 p.m. check out. Yes, 6 pm. Seriously. Again, we don't know how they're able to do this — what time does everyone else check in? (Note: the website says 4 pm, so, which tells us that you should really not show up expecting to check-in early).

The Double Your Sunset includes a one-night stay in a deluxe room, a 6 p.m. check out time and a $75 credit to use at the hotel's just-renovated Ocean Spa & Fitness (ah! You have some time to spend it and somewhere to use that resort cred!)

The package is available April 1 to Dec. 1, with rates starting at $359 per night (standard rooms without the package start at $319). Book here.