Mike Zislis has a knack. The local enterpenuer has been ahead of the curve in several realms — he opened brew pubs in the 1990s, a couple decades before craft brewing went mainstream, and lauched finer dining establishments in downtown Manhattan Beach well over a decade before the town became known as a dining destination. And so when Zislis built Shade Hotel as part of the Metlox Plaza development in the mid-2000s, it was a sign of things to come, and sure enough more than a half dozen boutique hotels are now in development stages throughout the Beach Cities (including a Shade Redondo). But it’s hard to imagine any matching the impact of Shade Hotel in Manhattan Beach, which didn’t just provide beautifully appointed rooms for visitors but created a community hub and a landmark for the newly evolving downtown of the city. — MM
Shade Hotel, 1221 N. Valley Dr., Manhattan Beach. 310-546-4995. shadehotel.com.
Runner up: Terranea Resort. 100 Terranea Way, Rancho Palos Verdes. 310-265-2800.terranea.
