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Romantic Santa Monica Beach EscapeBy Valerie SummersSanta Monica, considered by many the ideal beach community, continually raises the bar with ongoing improvements. Visitors are drawn to Santa Monica’s wide sandy beaches, popular 3rd Street Promenade, attractive shopping areas, art galleries and the historical Santa Monica Pier at the south end of Palisades Park.
At the completion of our meal we stepped out onto the stunning Mediterranean-style lobby and outdoor terrace of Le Troquet and seated ourselves in one of the private corners, beneath the star-filled sky for a nightcap. Returning to our room we discovered wonderful welcoming touches which made us feel more like guests in a private home rather than a hotel. There were the Frette linens, down comforters, the votive candles and a little green toy frog in the bathroom.
Relaxed, romanced and revitalized, we set out to explore Santa Monica’s attractions. We sipped a huge 42 ounce margarita filled bowl at Mariasol Cocina Mexicana down at the end of the pier before strolling along the lush Palisades Park. Later we ambled over to the 3rd Street Promenade to window shop and enjoy the antics of the street performers. The next day was spent at Bergamot Station where an eclectic group of artists display their works in more than 30 galleries plus the Santa Monica Museum of Art. And every day we basked in the warmth of Southern California’s year ‘round sunshine and soft ocean breezes More Information:Le Merigot |
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Several
notable beach hotels have sprung up in recent years, each with its own
distinctive personality. I recently enjoyed a romantic getaway at JW
Marriott’s Le Merigot Beach Hotel & Spa, situated steps away from the
expansive beachfront. I discovered a personalized, sophisticated,
attractive hotel with a top-notch staff starting with the Guest Services
Manager. My companion and I were shown to our spacious room featuring
contemporary décor done in soft beach colors. Through the double doors we
ventured out onto our huge terrace which overlooked the sun setting on the
Pacific and the bright lights of the Pier’s revolving Ferris wheel. 
For
convenience, we booked a reservation for dinner at Cezanne, the hotel’s
restaurant which turned out to be an excellent choice. We were seated
comfortably in a private booth which lent itself to an evening of intimate
conversation while the pianist played romantic melodies in the background. A
high noise level seems to be the norm for most Los Angeles restaurants, but
this was a most welcome change. George Scorka, the charming Hungarian-born
sommelier, introduced himself and offered suggestions on wine selections.
It was a treat to engage him in conversation about California’s vineyards.
The menu which we perused featured many favorite dishes but we settled on
stuffed artichokes and Oysters Rockefeller as appetizers and fresh Chilean
sea bass and Dover sole as our entrees. The presentations offered artistic
eye appeal, but the tastes were a real WOW! We had discovered an
outstanding culinary find in talented Chef Desi Szonntagh. Everything was
so masterfully prepared that we couldn’t stop there and so finished off our
meal with the warm chocolate lava cake complemented with pistachio ice
cream, one of the best we had ever tasted. 
Next
morning, following a sumptuous breakfast served in the privacy of our
sun-drenched terrace, we ambled downstairs to the hotel’s 5,500 square foot
full service spa and health club. Checking out the menu, we found they
offered Beachside Bike Adventures, Hiking Adventures, Palisades Power Walk,
Private Fitness Training, Yoga and Pilate classes in addition to a fully
equipped gym featuring Cybex cardiovascular exercise equipment. We,
however, were in the mood for pampering and there were so many choices,
among them… Aromatherapy Salt Glow, Moor Mud Body Wrap, Luminous “C” &
“Sea” Facial, and Hot Stone Therapy Massage. The most enticing were the spa
packages ($250-$640) where I treated myself to the well-named Ultimate
Indulgence Package which included the Seaweed Body Wrap, Duet Massage, Scalp
Treatment, Deluxe Facial and full-session Reflexology all administered by an
expert staff, well worth every cent. This was my oasis of tranquility.
