The Georgian hotel — Hollywood glamour in California’s blissful Santa Monica

Santa Monica has long been the beloved resort town of the Sunshine State — three-and-a-half miles of golden sand stretching beneath perma-blue skies.

A favourite among international travellers marking the end of Route 66, wanting to celeb-spot or head to the pier that’s been whirling holidaymakers around since 1909, this spot along the Californian coast is currently in the midst of a fresh chapter, with a wave of new restaurants, private members’ clubs and boutiques moving in.

The Georgian isn’t so much a new addition as an old one, recently restored to the Hollywood glamour of the 1930s, when it first opened.

Where is it?

Front and centre on Ocean Avenue, the road lining the beach (Santa Monica is around half-an-hour’s drive from downtown Los Angeles, or 45 minutes from Malibu). The Georgian — nicknamed ‘the First Lady’, as one of the first high rises built here — is an unmissable pop of colour wedged in between the white buildings on the beachfront: aqua and gold, with a navy awning, and a red sign announcing its presence on top.

Style

The Golden Age meets Wes Anderson-on-sea. True to its former owner, Twenties socialite Rosamond Borde, there are sprinkles of Hollywood magic all around, from the luxe Art Deco interiors to the dial phone in the lobby, which you can lift to your ear to hear a recorded script that mimics the best movies of the era. (An artwork donated by Sharon Stone, who recently held an art exhibition here, hangs above it.)

There’s velvet at every turn, along with extravagant floral decorations (changed weekly), books on everything from coastal Italian living to a Joan Didion collection, curated by cultural historian Lee Kaplan, and a few nods to its original life on the walls, with black and white photos of former guests Bobby and Rose Kennedy. The arrival of a powder blue-clad bellboy will immediately make you feel as though you’re in California’s version of the Grand Budapest Hotel.

Facilities

The Library, where red wine and aperitifs are available at all times for guests (and is decorated with artwork by Hugo Guinness, Wes Anderson’s writing partner); The 33, a gallery and event space; The Writers’ Room (a mini co-working space), and a gym. A pool will be built for summer 2024.

Extracurricular

In a surfing hotspot like Santa Monica, it seems rude to stare at all that heavenly ocean and not give it a go. Fun Surf LA offers lessons to both novices and those a little further on in their board journey (funsurfla.com; boards and wetsuits included with each lesson) and, even if you don’t manage to stand up during your session, striking a few poses with their pink and blue surf bus afterwards will make you feel the part.

Walk along the promenade to Venice Beach or head to Pacific Palisades, a beautifully manicured walk with an ocean view below. There’s also the Pier, for all your Ferris wheel and funnel cake needs, and the Third Street Promenade farmers’ market on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Food & Drink

The Dining Room & Sunset Bar plays homage to aspirational Italian living: there’s linguine gragnano, grilled branzino, and celery root cappellaci, with a good range of crudos, plus favourite nibbles including focaccia, burrata, and aged Parma ham. Like the hotel itself, every dish is uber-refined and well-considered, without so much as a braised artichoke out of place. There is also a caviar service, should the mood strike. Breakfast is served here, too, mainly elevated classics from pancakes to omelettes. As for drinks, cocktails lean either Dolce Vita, or Gilded Age in a glass, from the Italian Sparrow (a grape and burned honey blend) to the 1933 Old Fashioned (the bourbon is toasted pine nut-infused).

The newest addition to their food and drink offerings is the Georgian Room — a basement speakeasy whose doors last opened in the Fifties. With a 1918 Steinway and booths separated by thick red velvet curtains, its former guests Clark Gable, Roscoe “Fatty” Arbuckle, and “Bugsy” Siegel don’t feel too far away. A menu from the original Room is on the wall: there are plans to bring back some of the vintage dishes (though, sadly, not the $2 price tags…).

Which room?

Twenty-eight of the Georgian’s 84 rooms are one-bedroom suites with beautiful ocean views. The suites’ push-button concierge service is truly inspired, too: simply press for champagne, dessert, books, or ‘the usual’, and your wish is their command. All the rooms have a selection of books, a record player, Nespresso machines, and sapphire and gold robes, which will make you feel like a Californian socialite whatever floor you’re on.

Best for...

Beach lovers, and anyone wanting to recreate Hollywood glamour with modern panache.

Price Rooms start from £570 per night; thegeorgian.com