The facade of the oceanfront Hotel Erwin in Venice Beach.
140 Character Overview:
Funky SoCal vibes with a touch of grit in the heart of Venice Beach. Rooftop bar with killer ocean views & sunsets. Easy walk to everything.
A view of the surf from right outside the hotel.
The hotel mimics the neighborhood’s mural art with its decor.
The Vibe:
As my Uber pulled up to the Hotel Erwin on Venice’s Pacific Avenue, I was overwhelmed with a serious feeling of familiarity, although I’d never been here before. Was I getting Tamarindo, Costa Rica vibes with all the funky mural art and casual beach bars? Did the madness swirling on the Venice Beach Walk bring me back to Key West and Duval Street? Finally, it hit me. The blue-brown Pacific and its golden sand beaches full of surfers in the water and sailboats on the horizon reminded me of my childhood home Newport Beach, just a few miles down the coast. While I haven’t lived in SoCal for 20 years or even visited for the last four, arriving in Venice felt like a powerful homecoming.
The hotel, itself, is laid-back with a bright, “Millenial” design scheme. Formerly a Best Western, Erwin has updated the space with design-forward ambitions aiming to meet the needs of today’s modern traveler. The vibe skews young and funky rather than mature and upscale, but that’s totally cool.
The room is spacious, bright and colorful.
A no frills balcony offers partial ocean views (and partial parking lot views).
A glimpse of the ocean from my balcony.
The former Best Western hotel has been updated with a modern bathroom design.
The Location:
You really can’t ask for a better location in Venice. The hotel is oceanfront, with the Venice Skate Park and breakwater directly outside. You’re within walking distance to Muscle Beach, the Venice Pier and all the chic shops and restaurants of Abbot Kinney.
Hotel Erwin (on the far left) is within the same block as the iconic Venice sign.
Smack dab in the heart of the madness that is the Venice Beach Walk.
F & B:
The hotel has an onsite restaurant, which I didn’t get a chance to try during my stay, but it serves a menu of creative comfort food. The rooftop High Bar draws a cool, casual crowd for sunset and gets the seal of approval from all the LA lifestyle pubs.
Bruh! Sunsets from High Bar are pretty badass.
The Specs:
119 rooms
Free WiFi
1 restaurant
1 bar
Free passes to nearby Gold’s Gym
Nightly rates from around $320
Serious surf during my visit. Also serious undertow.
The Verdict:
While the hotel is not exactly the lap of luxury, it’s plenty comfortable with its own personal style that works. The selling point for me is the ideal location and affordable price point in one of my favorite neighborhoods anywhere.
Post-surf sess with my bros at Aloha Brothers up the block.
Shayne’s Checklist:
Bathrobe: Yes.
Conditioner: Yes.
Bed Comfort Level: 3 Stars (out of 5)
This destination gets Shayne’s “I’d like to live here for at least one month” seal of approval. I connected to Venice on a deep level.
