Sonder The Beacon

Apr 10th, 2024

Staying in this historic building was wonderful. It is a great location and the beds were very comfortable. Wish it was warmer to use the pool, but the grounds are beautiful and they have many outside seating options.
Mar 31st, 2024

Overall nice hotel right by the beach, walkable to the pier and promenade and downtown areas. The front entrance has a few steps, so you will have to carry your luggage up. As of writing, only one of two elevators was operational, and the working elevator is tiny and slow, and can only hold 500 lbs. We stayed during the weekday and the rooftop occasionally hosts parties which include somewhat loud music, which can be heard from inside the room (we were on the 4th floor out of 7 floors). The apartment room had a full-size kitchen (full-size fridge, stove, oven, dishwasher), living room with sofa bed, and separate room with king-size bed. Bathroom had shower and bathtub, both with shower wands. Sofa bed pops out and is quite uncomfortable, but that might be any sofa bed. The app and Sonder chat may tell you there are no on-site EV chargers, but valet does indeed have both Tesla NACS and J1772 Level 2 EV chargers. J1772 charges at around 7.2-7.8 KWh. Valet helped charge my car at night, which is a plus. However, valet service is $49/night + tax. Speaking of parking, it's either valet service, street parking, or parking lot about 1 block away for $25/night. Overall, I would come back again if they fix the elevators and next time would opt for 2 queen beds instead of 1 king and sofa bed. Nearby activities: Promenade shops, downtown restaurants, beach, Santa Monica Pier, Farmer's Market on Wednesdays Safety: I would choose to valet my car as to not worry about any vehicle mishandling. Walkability: 10-15 minute walk to the Santa Monica pier, 5 minute walk to nearby restaurants and shops Noteworthy details: Room had a semi beach view!
Apr 8th, 2024

We recently had the misfortune of staying at Sonder Beacon, from start to finish, our stay was nothing short of a nightmare. Checked in all excited for some relaxation, but guess what? Our room was next to a thumping nightclub! Complained to the staff, hoping for a fix, but they basically shrugged and said "hey, Santa Monica is a party zone!" Seriously, who puts guests in rooms they can't sleep in until 2am? They offered a downgrade when we pushed for a solution so we ended up checking out the next day, completely defeated. This gets even worse - Julien Palmer-Martinsons, the building supervisor, promised a full refund and even emailed us confirmation! But here we are, still chasing our money. This place is a total avoid! Save yourself the stress and find a different hotel. Your sanity will thank you.
Apr 6th, 2024

We were in a 1 bedroom suite and a 2 bedroom + 2 full baths. Room was perfect in every possible way - spacious, lots of natural light , comfortable bed, and the suite having a small kitchen was also ideal. Didnt have the kitchen option with the 2 bedroom option, but the extra space made up for the lack of a kitchen for a family of 4. Even the soaps and lotions seemed better than what would typically be available. The room and size was perfect for our family of 4 with two older teens. My only criticism about the hotel was the shower- getting into the shower required a stool - ok I am exaggerating but it definitely took more effort than what you would think and what you would want, especially when getting out of the shower with wet feet. Ok - I can get over that part, but the real issue with the shower was the lack of hot water when you turn the taps on. It takes a good 15++ min for the shower to hit a reasonable temperature to have a shower. I wish I was being dramatic about it but when you have something to go to, or have just landed and want to jump in for a quick showerthis is not possible. Also, in a state where water conservation is so important and where being green is prizedwhy not figure this out? You have invested so much with such a nice hotelI hope you figure this one out too.
Apr 5th, 2024