Four-story atrium lobby. Beachside rooms. Frequent deals. This place takes the dirty implications out of the words "chain hotel."

The Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel is home to 342 rooms, but it would be folly to not get the full experience; try your damnedest to get one with an ocean view. Regardless of your level of success, you'll be in a clean space with twice-daily maid visits, three telephones, waffle-cloth bathrobes and 24/7 room service. Beachfront restaurant Ocean and Vine brings seasonal cuisine to the sand; the pool is open to non-guests for $30 a day with a pass purchased at the spa. The hotel's "Beauty and the Beach" package includes a massage and a pedicure from said spa, and a workout on the beach courtesy of a nearby gym.