Santa Monica Scene

It’s late evening, after a full day immersed in Los Angeles sunshine and sangfroid. A midday lunch unexpectedly stretches into a walk on the kitschy Santa Monica Pier, and then dinner at one of those touristy chain restaurants on Ocean Avenue. I straggle to the door of my hotel. The doorwoman, instead of opening up with a smile, grills me as to my raison d’être.

“Are you a guest here?” she queries, looking up and down at my, ahem, informal attire. Yes, I reply, wishing I’d lied and said I was here to teach service-industry customer relations.

As she shuffles through a multipage list to look for my name, another staff member opens the door from the inside. He’s grasping a slender, inebriated man by the scruff of his black Banana Republic shirt.

“This guy’s out of here—he’s eighty-sixed,” says what turns out to be a very broad-shouldered doorman/bouncer. “I’m going back in to get his friends. Don’t let him back in.”

Voilà, Viceroy.

Built at the corner of Ocean Avenue and Pico Boulevard in 1969 as the Pacific Shores Hotel, the property was redesigned, renamed and reopened in 2002. Viceroy—unassuming from the outside but brimming with interior attitude—is reigning king of the Santa Monica hotel bar scene. It attracts a youngish, nouveau riche tippling clientele, a percentage of whom are also on the list of patrons spending the night.

Like W hotels—including the chain’s new San Diego property—Viceroy makes double use of its lobby by also employing it as a bar. The check-in area flows into Cameo Bar, named for an oversized cameo above the front desk. Parrot green is dominant in the color scheme. To create a lounge atmosphere, vintage and custom furniture has been utilized. There are a few sofas and glass tables in the mix, too.

There are several options for someone standing in the Cameo Bar/lobby. There’s a perky little library off to one side. Books are rakishly stacked in symmetrical, 45-degree-angled shelves. Unlike most libraries, loud talking—not to mention martini sipping—is encouraged.

Or you can pass the library and opt for the pool area. There are two small plunge pools. A sundeck is filled with extra-thick padded chaises. The real treat outside, though, are the semiprivate cabañas. White canopies cover plush, U-shaped sofas (with seating for a dozen). I’ve stayed in hotel rooms that aren’t as roomy or comfortable as Viceroy’s cabañas.

A third option—behind the bar/lobby—requires a reservation on busy nights. On the walls of the upscale restaurant Whist are 250 pieces of English china, in a multitude of shapes and sizes. The eatery has been criticized for the amount of nightly noise that seeps in from the nearby Cameo Bar. Traditional it is not. But Whist’s steaks and chops come highly recommended—and do not disappoint.

Of course, you can always go to your appointed room. Outside the elevator on guest-room floors, the unique adventure that is Viceroy continues. The hallways are kept darkened. It’s a puzzling, eerie concept—I kept wondering if the power had gone out.

My eighth-floor, ocean-side (lighted) room did hold a truly amazing view of the Pacific Ocean. You can see the shoreline above a hotel row that’s a block closer to the beach; this perspective adds to the vista.

Viceroy—playfully dancing on the edge of design and accommodation—will not be everyone’s cup of tea. The bar/lobby concept that delights some might discourage others. Even the bar/lobby restrooms push the envelope; there are separate rooms for men and women—but a shared sink basin (separated by a mirror) is of the peek-a-boo variety. If such design features intrigue you—c’mon, loosen up—call and get your name on the list. n

if you go

Without traffic, Santa Monica’s Viceroy Hotel is roughly a two-hour drive from San Diego. The hotel is nondescript on the outside—but rest assured, it’s the property at the corner of Pico and Ocean. Room rates start at $189 a night. For more information, call 800-622-8711 or go to www.viceroysantamonica.com.

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