BY MARIA LENHART SANTA MONICA WESTSIDE STORIES

L.A.’s Westside and Beach Cities beckon beyond the freeways

hile often associated with urban sprawl and traffic-clogged freeways, Los Angeles County is largely comprised of communities that are pedestrian-friendly and filled with neighborhood charm. This is especially true of the Westside and Beach Cities, where places such as Beverly Hills, Santa Monica, Long Beach and Marina del Rey are cohesive meetings destinations, each with a distinctive atmosphere all its own. JOAKIM-LLOYD-RABOFF

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Contemporary Hotels. Yacht Receptions. Poolside Networking. Waterfront Views. 100,000 square feet of meeting space and an abundance of waterfront dining - all just minutes from LAX and world-famous Venice Beach. Marina del Rey is home to six hotels Marriott | The Ritz-Carlton | Marina del Rey Hotel | Hilton Garden Inn | Jamaica Bay Inn | Foghorn Inn Contact the Marina del Rey CVB to learn more about special rates and incentives for meeting planners.

visitmarinadelrey.com • 866.650.4567 • [email protected]

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BEVERLY HILLS LOS ANGELES ➜➜The Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills (www. INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT waldorfastoriabeverlyhills.com) opened ➜➜The Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles in June next to the Beverly Hilton. The Hotel (www.sheratonlax.com) completed 170-room property offers 6,300 square the second phase of a property-wide feet of indoor and outdoor meeting and renovation that included its 805 guest event space, including a rooftop deck rooms, lobby area and 50,000 square with panoramic views. feet of meeting and event space. ➜➜The Kimpton Hotel Palomar Los Angeles ➜➜The Cambria El Segundo LAX (www. Beverly Hills (www.hotelpalomar-beverly choicehotels.com) opened with 152 hills.com) was redesigned with a film rooms, an outdoor pool and fitness studio theme and completed a renova- center. tion of all 264 guest rooms and public RODEO DRIVE, BEVERLY HILLS spaces. The hotel also added a new MALIBU restaurant named Double Take and a ➜➜The former Casa Malibu reopened in game room available for private events. June as Nobu Ryokan Malibu (www. Proximity to LAX and Long Beach Inter- noburyokanmalibu.com), a traditional national Airport is a major asset offered by CULVER CITY Japanese-style inn operated by celebrity the Westside and Beach Cities, according ➜➜The Wende Museum of the Cold War chef Nobu Matsuhisa. The ultra-luxury to Darren Green, senior vice president of (www.wendemuseum.org), which fea- beachfront property, owned by tech sales for the Los Angeles Tourism & Con- tures art, history and cultural exhibits magnate Larry Ellison, offers 16 rooms vention Board. from former Soviet Bloc countries, with private decks and fireplaces and is “People don’t realize how close the will move to a new home in the former adjacent to Nobu Malibu restaurant. beach cities are to the airport—it’s often Culver City Armory with triple the gallery just 10 minutes away,” he said. “Further- space. The museum collection includes WEST HOLLYWOOD the longest stretch of the Berlin Wall ➜➜The Kimpton La Peer Hotel (www. more, LAX itself is a great meeting desti- outside of Germany. lapeerhotel.com) is set to open this fall nation, with hotels there offering attractive with 105 rooms, 1,500 square feet of packages and availability.” LONG BEACH indoor meeting space, a landscaped At the same time, the expanding Metro ➜➜The 199-room Hotel Maya, A Double- rooftop pool deck available for events, light-rail system, which began service be- Tree by Hilton (http://hotelmaya a fitness center and indoor and outdoor tween downtown L.A. and Santa Monica longbeach.com) added two new dining. last year, is upping the convenience factor event spaces: Lagunita Pavilion, a ➜➜The James West Hollywood-Sunset of basing a meeting near the beach, Green 6,400-square-foot space on the edge (www.jameshotels.com) is slated to noted. of Queensway Bay, and Vista del Mar open by the end of summer in a mixed- Plaza, a 10,000-square-foot prefunc- use complex on Sunset Strip with 208 Beverly Hills tion area with palm trees, water and fire rooms, two restaurants, a rooftop bar displays, as well as a permanent stage and 10,000 square feet of meeting Although its image exudes exclusivity, and outdoor bar. space. Beverly Hills is a welcoming place for meetings, and is dedicated to helping plan- ners create unique experiences for their attendees, according to Julie Wagner, CEO Rodeo for a gala reception or giving at- “The fact that our hotels are so close of the Beverly Hills Conference & Visitors tendees private after-hours access to stores together means that we can easily handle Bureau. She urges planners who are basing such as Versace, Lanvin and Jimmy Choo, large groups of 1,500 or 2,000,” Wagner a meeting in Beverly Hills to take advan- Wagner added. said. “There’s no need for cars or buses.” tage of the services her office provides. “We’ve taken over Neiman Marcus at “We’re not a membership organization, night for a fashion show and held elegant but a city entity, which means that we dinner parties in a mansion with a celebrity can cut through the red tape to facilitate chef,” she said. “Based on the needs of the street closures and other special perks for group, the possibilities are endless.” groups,” she said. “If the meeting is based Among the city’s major assets for groups in Beverly Hills, we can also help planners is its concentration of restaurants, stores arrange experiences throughout greater and meetings-friendly hotels, including Los Angeles, whether it’s attending a Clip- the Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly pers game or a studio tour.” Hills, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Beverly Within Beverly Hills itself, there is an Hilton, The Beverly Hills Hotel and Beverly array of experiences available, including Wilshire Hotel, within a compact area, she closing down the cobbled walkway of Two added.

WALLIS ANNENBERG CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, BEVERLY HILLS

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The city’s newest hotel, the 170-room for L.A., ideal for creative retreats where across from the new light-rail terminal. Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the first in you don’t want to be stuck in a ballroom While the sweet spot for meetings in the Los Angeles area under Hilton World- all day,” she said. “You can focus on health Santa Monica is groups of around 200, wide’s luxury Waldorf Astoria brand, is a and wellness here. We offer the ability to Sidoriak noted that the city plays host each new option for high-end incentive groups, walk from your hotel to everything. You year to the American Film Market, which she added. Located next to the Beverly don’t need a car when you’re here.” takes over Loews Santa Monica for its Hilton, it will also enable larger meetings Sidoriak noted that group business is tradeshow and draws 7,000 international to provide a top-tier option for senior continually expanding, some of it driven by film distributors to the city. executives. the burgeoning number of start-ups in the Activities and off-site venues abound in While lacking a convention center, area, often called Silicon Beach. Another the city, most famously the Santa Monica Beverly Hills offers such venue alterna- positive factor is the completion last year of Pier, where Pacific Park amusement park tives as the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Metro Expo light-rail line that connects offers numerous event opportunities for the Performing Arts, which provides two Santa Monica with Downtown L.A. and groups. Another popular option is the theaters and an outdoor garden available points in between. Annenberg Community Beach House, a for events. The elegant Greystone Mansion “Light-rail access has been a real historic property built by William Ran- & Gardens is another choice, a 1920s estate game-changer for us,” she said. “Now we dolph Hearst, which offers indoor and with indoor and outdoor event spaces for have a car-free connection to L.A. Live, outdoor function spaces and teambuilding up to 300 guests. Staples Center, the Coliseum. If you’re opportunities on the beach. attending a Downtown convention, you Santa Monica now have a convenient option of staying at Beach Cities With its prime beachfront location, the beach.” Just south of Santa Monica, beachside historic amusement pier and Another asset is Santa Monica’s communities such as Marina del Rey, pedestrian-only Third Street hotel inventory of over 3,500 hotel Hermosa Beach, Manhattan Beach and Promenade lined with rooms that include high-style Redondo Beach also offer attractive hotel myriad shopping and boutique properties and and venue options for groups. dining options, Santa deluxe meetings-friendly According to Lawrence Stafford, Monica has long resorts such as Loews business development manager for the been a magnet for Santa Monica, Shutters on Marina del Rey CVB, Marina del Rey, meetings, especial- the Beach, Hotel Shan- where meetings-friendly hotels include ly in creative areas gri-La at the Ocean, Casa The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey Marriott, such as fashion and Del Mar, JW Marriott Santa Hilton Garden Inn and Jamaica Bay Inn, advertising, according Monica Le Merigot and is a sought-after destination for high-end to Kim Sidoriak, chief Fairmont Miramar Hotel & corporate business where rates are often marketing officer for Santa THE COVE, LONG BEACH Bungalows. Last year saw the more affordable than in Beverly Hills and Monica Travel & Tourism. opening of Courtyard by Marriott Santa Monica. “We’re really the beachfront and Hampton Inn properties, both “Marina del Rey is a waterfront play-

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