As Hotel Casa del Mar marks its 100th anniversary, the Santa Monica landmark is embracing it’s past and honoring a century of seaside glamour with a year-long centennial celebration rooted in its Prohibition-era past.
Opened in 1926, Casa del Mar has lived many lives along the Pacific Coast Highway. From its early days as an exclusive beach club during the height of the Jazz Age, to a period of reinvention and its eventual return as one of Los Angeles’ most elegant oceanfront hotels, the resort is woven into the social and cultural fabric of Santa Monica. A century later, that legacy of effortless luxury and coastal sophistication remains intact.
To kick off the milestone year, Casa del Mar has unveiled a Prohibition-inspired cocktail menu available throughout the centennial celebration. Drawing from the hotel’s history, the menu reimagines timeless classics, including The Macallan Old Fashioned with Macallan 12 year double cask whiskey, ginger syrup and plum bitters; the Wild West Sazerac with Wyoming Whiskey, vanilla bean syrup and Absinthe; Del Mar Queen Bee with No. 3 Gin, honey syrup, yuzu, lemon and champagne; Casa Clover Club with raspberry syrup, lemon, Dolan Blanc Vermouth and egg whites, and the Mary Pickford with rum, pineapple juice, maraschino liquor and grenadine. Each cocktail is designed as a tribute to an era when cocktails were a quiet rebellion.
The drinks are designed to be enjoyed alongside tapas that mirror the same sense of indulgence. Guests can pair their cocktails with caviar and chips, oysters, Kanapahci and Hirame crudo, shrimp cocktail, croquettes, meatballs in tomato sauce, spicy prawns, tuna tostada, guacamole and salsa, and the hotel’s Casa Fries, bringing modern coastal California flair to classic speakeasy-style indulgence.
Beyond the bar, Casa del Mar impresses with interiors that balance European-inspired elegance and grandeur with relaxed beachside charm. Guest rooms and suites are airy and refined with soft coastal blues and beiges, rich wood finishes, and custom furnishings that frame sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. Many rooms feature oversized soaking tubs, fireplaces and balconies.
The gorgeous lobby sets the tone the moment guests arrive with opposing dramatic grand staircases leading to the main indoor sitting room with high ceilings and beautiful views of the beach and sea. It’s a space designed as much for lingering as it is for arriving, whether over morning coffee or an evening cocktail.
Dining remains central to the Casa del Mar experience, with the Lobby Lounge offering intimate spaces and semi-private cabanas for lounging and sipping libations, extending into Terrazza restaurant serving seasonal California cuisine. Standout dishes include caviar and chips with crème fraiche, toasted figs with gorgonzola and arugula, a raw bar with oysters and crudo, a variety of pastas, filet mignon with sunchoke puree, grilled Dorade, scallops, and halibut with fennel pollen.
As the centennial year unfolds, guests will encounter special touches throughout the hotel, including curated displays of historic photography and a dedicated anniversary suite inspired by the property’s 1926 origins. The Prohibition cocktail menu marks the first of many planned activations, with additional programming and events set to roll out over the course of the year.
After a century on the shoreline, Casa del Mar continues to capture the spirit of coastal California while honoring the glamour, craftsmanship, and hospitality that have defined it for generations.
Casa del Mar is located at 1901 Ocean Way in Santa Monica, reservations at 310.581.5533.
