Ambrose Hotel

I booked The Ambrose for both a work trip and recovery after a procedure. I needed to be near my clinic and because it was peak season, most hotels with long stay options were either fully booked or way too pricey. The Ambrose seemed like it made sense. But honestly, it turned out to be a bad choice. The price wasn’t far off from 5 star hotels, yet the experience was nowhere close. Service was almost nonexistent. No one helped me with my bags at check in and eventually they will only help if I asked, which was tough since I wasn’t feeling well. My first room had a broken AC and safe, and while they were kind enough and moved me the new room’s AC was so loud I couldn’t rest properly. One night I even tried calling reception and no one answered. Pillows are so hard and uncomfortable. Staff were hit or miss some were really nice, others awkward and uninterested and even won’t greet you back hello. No matter what star the hotel is, staff shouldn’t give off awkward vibes it just puts you off. Things also aren’t explained properly at check in, which makes the whole stay more confusing than it should be. Housekeeping is only once every three days unless you request it, and there’s no room service. I found this out on my very first morning when I woke up wanting to order a cappuccino turns out, you can’t. Simple things like a kettle aren’t in the room, you have to call for them. Even water isn’t straightforward. There are no bottles in the room, and you have to walk all the way near the elevators to fill it yourself, which nobody tells you at check in. I only found out after my procedure when I was trying to recover, so I ended up ordering water from the grocery store instead because it didn’t make sense for me to go and keep filling water. They also say they offer an in house driver, but he was barely available and only in a couple of times the whole week. For the price you pay, that’s just not acceptable. The only positives are the quiet location, the downstairs lounge if you need a place to work, their small happy hour, and a couple of kind staff. But those small things don’t come close to making up for the lack of comfort and service for the price you’re paying. If you’re considering this hotel because other options are booked up, just know you’ll be paying near 5 star rates for a 2 to 3 star experience. Definitely not worth it.

My room is shabby and feels dirty. Windows are filthy. Cleaning services are offered every third day. A cleaner was mopping the floor under my feet while i was having a coffee in the dining room at 11 am. He literally mopped around me for over 5 minutes. On the second morning, there is one person handling the orders and the cooking. It took her 20 minutes to take my order (one latte) and then she disappeared for 10 minutes only to return and inform me that there is no machine for making latte. I was informed that there is a cafe across the road. Hotel doesn’t mind charging top dollar ($1600+ for three nights) while offering less-than-top-dollar services and amenities.

Great hotel. Service is very good. Check in was flawless. Rooms are large and well appointed but there were very few USB outlets in which to charge phones.

Excellent service, specially from Aidee, both in room service and breakfast in the terrace. She is a very good cook and always with a great attitude. The terrace is great and the weather , this time of the year was wonderful. Thank you Aidee. .

I was in Santa Monica for business and the hotel is located within walking distance to the office. Lots of dining options and I especially loved Tartine that is right across the street,

From A to Z, a wonderful and extremely stylish hotel. The interior alone captivated us from the very beginning. The staff are incredibly kind and helpful. We also really appreciated the drinks provided. We used the hotel’s bikes to explore the Santa Monica beach area. This extra touch was a hit. Without a doubt, we would choose the Ambrose again anytime.