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Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica

Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica is being rebranded to Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica in the next few months for Q4-2013 launch. On a whim, after reading a New York Times review, I posted last week photos of Sheraton Delfina Santa Monica from a trip I made in April 2013.

Le Meridien’s name and remodeled rooms may help justify the $400 per night price tag for a hotel several blocks from the Santa Monica beach. This will be the first Le Meridien hotel in southern California in some time.

“Over the past seven years, Starwood has made significant investments in developing Le Meridien as a contemporary lifestyle brand with a truly distinct point of view,” said Brian Povinelli, Global Brand Leader, Le Meridien and Westin. “Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica will be uniquely positioned to bring the destination to life through cuisine, the arts and local culture.

Le Meridien Delfina Santa Monica will feature the signature Le Meridien Hub(TM) experience, which re-interprets the traditional lobby into a social gathering place for creative people to converse, debate, and exchange, further building on the brand’s award-winning arrival experience and curated coffee culture. Le Meridien arrival consists of four elements: large-scale artwork in high impact areas to reset the mind and stimulate dialogue and curiosity; the sensory experience, illustrated through Le Meridien signature scent, sound and use of light, creating a unique and distinctive atmosphere; UNLOCK ART(TM) program, featuring LM100 (TM) artist designed key card collections that not only offer access to the guestroom but also to Le Meridien brand affiliated contemporary cultural centers in the city; and a 24-hour curated soundtrack.

MarketWatch – Wall Street Journal

Le Meridien is a Starwood Hotels brand I truly enjoy. I have had several great stays at Le Meridien San Francisco. I think this is one of the best Starwood Hotels in the city with the opportunity to have a room with a balcony and I find Le Meridien San Francisco is the best of seven Starwood Hotels in the city most consistent for getting large room upgrades as SPG Platinum.

Several other Le Meridien hotels where I have stayed in the past seven years all had a sense of style and unique character compared to most Starwood Hotels. Blame the French heritage of this brand acquired by Starwood Hotels. Unfortunately most of the Le Meridien hotels I enjoyed were hotels shed from Starwood Hotels after the acquisition.

Looks like corporate Starwood is ready to get Le Meridien rolling out new properties as an upper upscale Starwood Hotels brand.

2 Comments

  • Siricepick July 25, 2013

    Wow… Not sure how that property will become a Le Meridien. I live and work near the Delfina and have stayed there a few times. It’s not close to the beach at all and the amenities there aren’t so great. There are so many hotels that are central to Downtown Santa Monica where all is the action is that would be ideal for tourists. While I love SPG, I don’t think the Le Meridien brand is right for the Delfina.

  • D Wonderment July 25, 2013

    Its a former Holiday Inn and the ownership over the last number of years have been stingy to Platinum members with benefits other than room upgrades.
    Gone for considerable time free parking 🙁
    I stayed there after 9-11 for 50 dollars a night. The norm was around 100 to 150 per night. The owners started to ask for excessive amounts after the 4 Points name changed to a full service Sheraton
    The hotel has horrible sound proofing and horrendous low end bathroom fixtures worse than a 2 star property for 4 &5 star property pricing

    If they don’t fix the infrastructure its going to be lip stick on a pig for 400 dollars a night
    I agree it will take a miracle(mostly money) to make this a solid sound proof and enjoyable property
    Its a 3 star minus property even with the improved lobby and pool area over the last number of years
    It will take extensive building redesign to remotely make this a solid 4 star

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