Loews Beach Hotel in Santa Monica

January 2005

(The First in a Series of Locations for Reunions)

For your next reunion, treat your alumni to an elegant affair. It may be more affordable than you think. We found a beachfront hotel in the Los Angeles area, Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel. It is in a lovely location with incredible oceanfront views in Santa Monica, California.

This hotel has 45-foot palm trees inside the four-story atrium lobby with flowing fabric draped from the ceiling and open views to the sea. Beachfront seating areas and a new lounge section are great places for a sunset cocktail for a pre-reunion ice breaker or post-reunion gathering.

It has over 17,000-square feet of bright indoor and outdoor space perfect for the registration process and the photo area for arriving guests pictures for the reunion memory book. The banquet rooms are large and can accommodate groups up to 900. But I think the ideal room for most reunions would be the Arcadia Grand Ballroom which seats up to 450. As this room is enclosed, guests will miss the ocean views upon entering the ballroom, but by that time, the main focus of the evening will be on eating, reminiscing and dancing.

Depending on the size of the reunion, you could probably negotiate reduced prices for parking, overnight blocked room rates or even a free hotel room. As you interview the banquet/sales personnel, ask about a Friday night function or a Sunday brunch. In other words, check all possibilities, visit the facilities and sample the food entries.

I always recommend food stations for reunions as it allows for more reminiscing time. But buffet style or a sit-down dinner is also available. Check prices for all options and select what best works for your budget. Remember, try negotiating for the best price as there are always ways to save money to enable you to charge a reasonable reunion ticket price.

The hotel only offers valet parking, however, but depending on your budget, you can include that in your ticket price or just let guests know they will have to cover their own parking costs. You can discuss prices and options with the banquet manager.

For a first hand view, enter the hotel through their website below:

Contact for more information:
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel
1700 Ocean Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90401
phone: 310.458.6700
fax: 310.458.6768
email: loewssantamonicabeach@loewshotels.com
Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel

Linda Johnson Hoffman
Author
The Reunion Planner, How to Make Your Reunion a Social and Financial Success!

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