I was impressed by the lobby. It was a spacious atrium with 45-foot palm trees lining the lobby indoors. The back of the lobby was all glass and there was the Pacific Ocean and Muscle Beach. It had an open and bright feel to it. The whole lobby hollered "Beach Vacation!"

The hotel was a little hard to find your way around inside. Some of the rooms are on floors below the lobby and there are a lot of halls and mazes. The hotels does have a nice pool, although a bit on the small side, but was very popular. Each day after surf camp, the kids went to the pool, and it was buzzing with families and other kids. The hotel also offers a complete spa.

Our room was large and had a small balcony that looked across to the beach and the ocean. The view was outstanding. We had a large bathroom with two bathrobes and all the amenities you would expect to find in a luxury hotel. I liked the room; it had a nice, fresh feel to it, and like the rest of the hotel, made you feel like you were indeed at the beach.

We were surprised when, later that afternoon, there was a knock on our door. There room service had cold milk and hot cookies delivered free of charge for the kids. Yum! (Where were mine?) But even cuter were two doggie dishes, treats and bottled water for the dogs. I guess Loews really does love pets!

We had a great time at this hotel. It was great to go out the back door and be right at the beach. The staff was absolutely friendly and made the kids (and dogs) feel like welcomed guests. The hotel had a ton of families and I understand why. I am a fan of Loews Hotels, and this property did not disappoint.

My first stay, a business trip, took place in the midst of massive construction both in the hotel and outside on Ocean Avenue. I had selected the hotel based on its location right on the beach in Santa Monica so when I arrived, I was disappointed that the staff had not alerted me to the mess and the noise.

The hotel lobby was a true disaster: the entire 4-5 story atrium covered industrial strength plastic and construction workers everywhere. Check-in took place at a make-shift registration desk with a line out the door.

Things got worse when I arrived in my room. Facing the noisy Ocean Ave. construction, not the beach, it had no view to speak of. Just plenty of hammering sounds, lots of dust. My room was odd in other ways too. It didn't have a tub, just a large shower, and furnishings seemed rather low to the ground in general. Later, I put two and two together and realized that the hotel had given me a handicapped accessible room. No idea why and they didn't acknowledge this fact at check in.

Why did I ever stay there again, you might wonder? After my brief first stay, I wrote a letter to the general manager filling them in on my negative impressions, top to bottom. In response, I was offered a complimentary return visit and I chose to take them up on it, making a fun weekend visit to LA with a friend.

My second stay was so very different from the first. I received a top-floor ocean view room that had recently been renovated. The vaulted ceilings and balcony overlooking the beach made this room so much better than the last! In my room, I found fresh flowers, a fruit plate and a bottle of wine waiting.

During this visit, I had the chance to check out other hotel amenities such as the pool (small, but with a fantastic view of the beach and ocean) and health club (much larger and nicer than most hotels' gyms).

Would I recommend this hotel? Yes, but with some hesitation. I still love the location - Santa Monica is my favorite part of town and the Loews is about a 10-15 minute walk from the Third Street Promenade and the Santa Monica Pier. However I need to stay at the hotel a few more times to ensure that the service level remains the same when I revert to just another "average guest." For the price, I'm not sure if it's worth it.

Coincidentally, the Loews Santa Monica was offering a cheapish weekend getaway package with full breakfast and spa treatments. As icing on the cake, we were promised - and offered - a room with an unbeatable view. I think that made us stay a lot up there because the room was lavishly decorated and it was obvious that no cent was spared in creating a welcoming ambience.

We spent some time at the spa and fitness centre for which we were given vouchers. It was indeed a short getaway but one that was definitely revitalising and not easily forgettable.