After previous lives as a military hospital and drug treatment center, this luxurious hotel has regained its high-class rep with the beachside elite.

Only steps from the surf, the original Hotel Casa del Mar (which opened in 1926) was the place to see and be seen at the beach. Plush Oriental rugs, handpainted ceilings and unobstructed ocean views served as the perfect backdrop for Industryites and moguls to do their business. But after becoming a military hospital in World War II, it did not regain its tony resort status until major renovations were complete in 1999. Now, accents like damask and velvet draperies, fruitwood and bronze furnishings, rich colors and soft lighting create a 1920s feel in the lobby and all 129 rooms. But even though it reeks of history, this is a modern hotel. Every room has a white marble bath with whirlpool, plush bathrobes, DVD player and high-speed Internet access. The cocktail lounge is giant; the restaurant, Oceanfront, serves New American cuisine with a Santa Monica slant; the spa offers treatments with Murad products.