Shade Hotel owner Mike Zislis (right) with guests Matt and Christine Haight during last year’s Waves of Grain Beerfest fundraiser for the Roundhouse Aquarium. The hotel frequently hosts community events. Photo by Adrienne Slaughter
The brainchild not of an hotelier but of a restaurateur, Shade Hotel prioritizes the experience of both guests and diners. South Bay residents flock to its rooftop for the hotel’s menus and cocktails, joining out-of-town visitors who pack the hotel to capacity most days.
Conde Nast voted Shade the number six reason to visit Los Angeles, TripAdvisor.com named it one of the Top 25 Trendiest Hotels, and South Bay locals have voted Shade Hotel the Best of the Beach for the third consecutive year.
Shade has luxury figured out. Rooms are replete with spa tubs, Tempur-Pedic beds, down duvets, a pillow library, and Lavazza espresso machines.
“We run it with real customer service and ‘no’ is never an option. Whatever you need, we’ll run to the store and get it… It’s about the little things we can do to make their experience memorable,” Zislis said.
The location helps, too – guests are a stone’s throw from top-of-the-line shopping in downtown Manhattan Beach and the Pacific Ocean.
Shade Hotel, 1221 N. Valley Drive, Manhattan Beach. (310) 546-4995. www.ShadeHotel.com
Runner-up: Terranea, 6610 Palos Verdes Drive South, Rancho Palos Verdes. (310) 265-2800. www.Terranea.com
