Shutters on the Beach

A new low for hotel service. I had a trip booked there, called to speak to the concierge about making some dinner reservations. Seven calls later, the operator couldn’t get the concierge or a manager on the phone. They are very good at putting me on permanent hold. After 12 minutes and 37 seconds of one marathon hold, they connected me to, surprise surprise, an angry existing guest calling down to try and get a bellman. This got so bad I have cancelled my stay and am going to the Peninsula Beverly Hills where the staff is exceptional, and the hotel is not a gong show. Shutters isnt getting my business. Read less

We stay almost exclusively at Rosewood hotels & there is not one in the Los Angeles area & we have stayed at the Lowes in Santa Monica but it was not close enough to the water for me so we decided to try Shutters on the Beach since it is right on the beach & American Express assured me it would be 5 star quality. I am pleased to report that it was 5 star quality! I read all 2063 trip advisor reviews before our trip to Shutters and was worried as there were some negative reviews. Also, for the 1st time ever I let someone else make my reservations (American Express Platinum Travel) which made me nervous because I figure adding anyone to the mix increases the risk of a mistake being made that I would not make myself. But it was FABULOUS. Admittedly, I did call AMEX at least 10 times before the trip after booking to ask about potential problems & make special requests. I even called from the rental car office at LAX & they were kind enough to call the hotel & remind them about my requests & let them know that I was on the way. Eight miles from LAX is VERY convenient. I was SO PLEASED that I got the room I requested and early check in as those were the two most important requests of the many I requests I put in. I will definitely use American Express Platinum travel again. Upon arrival our bags came up with us which was very nice so we didn’t have to wait for them! On our first night they sent champagne (and a good one- Perrier Jouet) with a little dessert & strawberries with a welcome card which was nice and something we always get at Rosewood. Perfect view from all three balconies & great breeze with all three balcony doors open. Good people watching from the balconies. In the late afternoon the two balconies overlooking the ocean were in the direct sun so the side balcony overlooking the restaurant was nice – in the shade but still a direct oceanfront view. Perfect turndown service- they come when you ask and so friendly! Front desk warm & helpful. Valet warm, helpful, always fun to talk to & they were fast. Our only wait over the entire 9 days was one time and 10 min. Room service was on time every time we ordered & what was delivered was exactly what was ordered every time. I am not a pancake person. But I LOVED their pancakes. I don’t use pancake syrup so I was pleased that the order included some soft butter & fresh fruit. Breakfast is free every day with the AMEX booking up to $60. Mini bar fridge not cold enough so they brought a cold fridge. Free newspapers at the front desk & I think you can get them delivered to your room. I had to store an item too large to fit in the safe on two days & security came to the room, picked it up, had me fill out paperwork & returned it afterwards without any problems- they were prompt & very professional. Pool bar staff friendly & efficient. Gift shop has fun stuff, bought a couple of presents there for my son & husband & they have Sun Bum sunscreen products which I like. Love the hardwoods in the room- like we have at home, no carpet is very classy. Free coffee in the lobby in the mornings but also a Keurig in the room. The coffee bar in the lobby bar was really nice and stocked with fun options & my husband enjoyed it. I don’t drink coffee in the morning so I got an iced tea at Coast every day after my walk. Coast manager called me by name when I inquired about an iced tea to go and I had not met him yet which impressed me. Know that Coast stops serving food & drink at 9pm but guests are welcome to stay till 11pm so, if your room overlooks Coast you might not be able to sleep until 11pm. This only happened to us one night & we stayed up later most nights anyway so it wasn’t a big deal. One morning we were awakened at 6:45am with someone using a leaf blower at Coast at 6:45am. I said something to the front desk & it never happened again. I did not have any of the negative experiences that the people complaining on Trip Advisor had & was very relieved. I did encounter one problem at the lobby bar (the Living Room). Encountered the same rude waiter on two separate occasions but the Director of Food & Beverage (JC) smoothed things over. Upon check in you will be given two $20 drink vouchers which was a nice touch. The shower needs more storage space like a couple of those glass shelves people put in the corners. Not much room for more than soap & the hotel items so I had trouble with my shampoo, conditioner, bath gel & razor storage. That being said our experience was 5 star all the way except for that one guy. On the flip side, Lisa from turndown service would not take my cash tip on day 4 because she said I had “been so good to them already with twice daily tips” and she was so pleasant to talk to on top of that. On our last day room service brought a complimentary bottle of chardonnay & some chocolates which was nice. The weather was perfect. In July highs around 73 F. Bring a jacket or wrap for the evening. The view cannot be beaten from our room & I fell asleep every night with the doors open listening to the waves. We will return with confidence that it will bring another amazing experience. Read less

I just returned from a 4-day beach vacay in Santa Monica to escape the heat in Arizona and landed in heaven the minute I entered room #103 at Shutters. From the over-sized jacuzzi bathtub to the private balcony to view the beach, Santa Monica Pier, beautiful sunsets and colorful Santa Monica Pier at night, it was perfection and just what I wanted and needed. Shutters excelled my expectation in every way from service to food to clean and luxurious accommodation. I had a wonderful vacation. Okay, granted, it's pricey -- VERY pricey -- but if you can deal with that it's worth every penny. I did think that a room for $1,330 per night, perfect as it was, should have come with free parking and maybe they throw in the $35 per day "Resort Fee". When I looked over the bill, I sort of felt a bit gauged when I saw those fees tacked on over and above the $1,330. Regardless, I would stay there again in a second, and I can't wait until that next beach vacation at Shutters comes. Read less

Nice hotel within walking distance from The Santa Monica pier! We stayed here for a wedding and enjoyed it: *Good service *Nice room with lots of decor and nice jacuzzi tub *Got a nice crib and a box of organic baby amenities (shower gel, wipes and lotion) *Food at the outdoor wedding was actually very good, not your typical banquet food The rate is expectedly on the higher side but the place is well kept and the location is great! Read less

Shutters lived up to everything good I'd heard about it. The location can't be beat. The rooms are very comfortable - fabulous soaking tub. We had an ocean view and balcony and were on the 5th floor so it was quiet. The pool area is lovely. Coast restaurant was fabulous - we ate there meal after meal because the food was good and healthy, the service was excellent, and the view from the outside seating is A+! Sunset over the ocean and the Santa Monica pier/ferris wheel, plus a steady stream of people and dog watching. Most important, all of the staff were warm, gracious, and seemed to really enjoy and take pride in their job. Highly recommend Shutters for a splurge! Read less