A Seaside Escape

I lived the first few years of my life steps from the Atlantic, in a linoleum-sided duplex on Delano Avenue in Revere, Mass. I spent my summers shaping sandcastles on the beach with the neighborhood kids, and eating orange popsicles that dripped down my bathing suit. My dad would lather his legs and arms and shiny bald head with Hawaiian Tropic while I’d trawl the shore looking for colorful rocks and frosted sea glass. I once sliced my toe on a sharp, white shell, a thin rivulet of blood inching across the sand. But the salt-sting of the ocean cured everything. My mom adhered a Band-Aid to my cut, and I bounced along, searching for shells. That tiny diagonal scar has remained etched on me. I’ve always been drawn to the ocean, an escapist sanctuary from the ailments of everyday life.

Oceana Santa Monica, a beachfront resort and spa perched across the street from the Pacific, captures the seaside spirit of my youth, albeit one far more luxurious. Recently, when I needed a reprieve from the Sturm und Drang of the real world, I checked in for two nights, cocooning myself inside one of the hotel’s 70 spacious oceanfront suites for a weekend of sleep, poolside lounging and leisurely outdoor strolls.

My suite was awash in nautical decor, with plush mint-blue chairs and cloud-soft Loro Piana bedding stretched across the room’s ocean-facing king-sized bed. Bookshelves were stacked with novels in various shades of turquoise, teal and indigo. Coffee table tomes and white marble bowls were meticulously placed in various corners, along with black and white gelatin prints of classic Hollywood movie idols. I cracked open the window, and a fresh ocean breeze filled the suite.

Oceans is a short walk from the Santa Monica Pier and the Third Street Promenade. There is plenty to do if one wishes to leave the property. But there’s absolutely no need to do so, and if rest and relaxation is your primary mission, the Oceana provides everything a guest could desire. Amenities include a complimentary glass of Prosecco at check-in, daily yoga classes, bike rentals, a gym and weekend surfing lessons. And the service is top-notch (ask for Noah at the front desk, one of the friendliest hotel clerks I have come across in all my years of travel writing).

After an afternoon spent poolside reading, writing and sipping a strawberry smoothie at the property’s juice bar, I embarked on a leisurely stroll along the shore. After watching the sun dip below the horizon, I opted for dinner at Oceana’s on-site restaurant, Sandpiper. A few culinary highlights: the pan-seared sea bass garnished with a lemon butter sauce and a side of sautéed vegetables, the wild mushroom risotto made with a blend of wild mushrooms, parmesan cheese and truffle oil, and a roasted portobello mushroom stuffed with quinoa, bell peppers and goat cheese. The tuna poke is one of the most delectable dishes I’ve ever tasted, as fresh as the sea from where the tuna was fished.

After dinner, as the nighttime sky spread across Santa Monica, I reclined on a chaise lounge at the outdoor pool area, star-gazing and staring at the glimmering moon above, the nearby swish of the ocean waves slowly lulling me to sleep. hoteloceanasantamonica.com