The Best Hotels in and Around Marina del Rey, Los Angeles

There’s certainly no getting away from the Marina here. It’s the view out of practically every window. This boutique hotel is a local landmark, dating back to the earliest days of the harbor. Recently restored after a major renovation, it’s now better than ever. Rooms and suites come with queen and king beds, and an air of maritime chic. Its restaurant, SALT, is known for its seafood and champagne brunches, while the heated pool is lined with day beds, completing the picture of yacht-set luxury.

You just know this is going to be the cream of the crop before you even walk in. Highlights include: locally caught seafood small plates at restaurant Cast and Plow; the spa’s signature Zen Harmony Phyto-Aromatic Body Treatment – an 80-minute bliss-fest massage; and chilling in a poolside cabana for the day, with complimentary sparkling wine and refreshments on tap. You can also charter a boat, take a sunset cruise, borrow a bicycle to explore the Strand (Marina del Rey’s promenade waterfront full of shops and cafes) or just stay in your pillow-top bed and order room service all day.

This resort-style hotel covers all bases. For fun, there’s the outdoor swimming pool, indoor gym and seaside bar-restaurant, Sinder, with its theme nights and daily happy hour. For business travelers coming from LAX just 5mi (8km) away, there are ergonomic workspaces, various meeting rooms and event venues. In your room, you’ll find pillow-top mattresses, and views over the marina or over to Venice Beach. Tick, tick, tick.

You have to blink when you learn that this charming guesthouse has received accolades for being one of the best urban inns in America. Yet the clapperboard building hardly seems urban; see the impeccable coastal environs of its location on the edge of Ballona Wetlands Eco Reserve, where you can watch herons preen while you have your morning coffee (binoculars provided). In fact, this inn is the best of both, allowing you to get easily into the bright lights of LA proper when you want, but giving you a retreat from them, too.

This Venice hotel is unabashedly aiming for the Millennial and Gen-Z crowd, with its colorful guess-the-rockstar murals and designed-for-Instagram neon signage. Luckily, its appeal goes far below the surface – there’s quirkiness galore here, from the vinyl record players to the “crash pad suites,” to the outdoor fire pit and ping-pong tables that create a community vibe in the centrally located Quad (even on chilly nights). All rooms come with pillow-top beds, huge 55” HDTVs and mini-fridges, for keeping your party supplies cold.

Venice Beach needs no introduction, and nor does the Erwin, which has been doing its thing here for five decades. A 2019 renovation has polished up this gem to a high sheen. One notable highlight (literally) is the rooftop bar, High, which is popular for the stunning sunset views, craft cocktails and after-dark DJ sets. There’s no pool or fitness center, but guests can use Gold’s Gym nearby for free. Why not combine exercise with sightseeing on one of the hotel’s rentable Sole Bicycles? It’s just a 10-minute bike ride along the Marvin Braude Bike Trail to the heart of Marina Del Rey.

This boutique hotel couldn’t be more on the beach without literally being in the ocean, but while it’s close to all the action, it’s also a place of deep calm and relaxation. The emphasis here is on simple pleasures, from the pared-back, whitewashed decor, to the fire-pit tables on the deck, and the uber-comfy beach-facing lounge chairs, which basically beg you to pick up a book. Rooms come with fans, radios, beach towels and individual thermostats, so you can make sure your stay is just how you like it.

Fronted by a 18ft (5.5m) mermaid mosaic, this hotel is hard to miss. It’s a charming little spot, filled with eclectic touches that nod to its Venice location, such as a framed 1950s swimsuit, vintage photos of bodybuilders and ornate blue glass chandeliers. It’s close to the Boardwalk and around 1mi (1.6km) from the Marina, and with 43 rooms and five two-story loft suites, its offering is relatively tiny compared to the big chain hotels. There’s no restaurant on site, even for breakfast, but there are coffeemakers and mini-fridges in rooms, and plenty of brunch options nearby.