Santa Monica: California's Most Celebrated Beach CityWhether we’re recognized for having the best family beach, the best margarita or having one of the top 10 most Instagrammed places in the world, Santa Monica has proven its place as a beloved starlette on the California Coast. It’s why celebs and tastemakers alike choose Santa Monica when they’re doing business in Los Angeles. Don’t believe us? Just ask Forbes, Conde Nast Traveler, TripAdvisor, Zagat, Wine Spectator and more!
Check out all of the awards received in 2012 by Santa Monica’s hotels, attractions, restaurants and bars, stores and services, and more. If you're a Santa Monica business, learn how you can help spread the good cheer with branded promotional materials.
And the Award Goes to....
DESTINATION
- Best Family Beach, American Profile
- LA’s Best Date Spot, Match.com
- Best Farmers Market, LA Weekly
- 2012 Siemens Sustainable Community Award-midsize community
- Top 50 Destinations for Presidents’ Week, Priceline.com (#5)
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Hotels
Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows
- Top 25 hotels in Southern California, Condé Nast Traveler
- Stay Award, Orbitz Magazine
Hotel Shangri-La- Best Poolside Happy Hour in LA, CBS Los Angeles, June 2012
JW Marriott Santa Monica Le Merigot- Top 25 hotels in Southern California, Condé Nast Traveler
Oceana Beach Club Hotel, Santa Monica- Top 25 hotels in Southern California, Condé Nast Traveler
Shore Hotel- Top Green Hotels, Forbes Travel Guide, October 2012
- 2012 Design Awards Winner, Lodging Hospitality
- 2012 Green Plus: Hotel Architecture, HA+D Magazine
- AAA Four Diamond rating – April 2012
- Awards Finalist - Hotel (Mid-range, Economy), Hospitality Design (HD) Magazine
- Shaw Contract Group Design Is Awards Winner – July 2012
- Los Angeles Business Council 42nd Annual Architectural Award (New Buildings, Hospitality)
- Best Hospitality Project-LABJ Commercial Real Estate
- Westside Urban Forum Design Award (Hospitality)
Shutters Hotel- #6 Hotel in Southern California, Condé Nast Traveler
- #37 Spa in the World; Condé Nast Traveler
- #8 Hotel in the World, Travel & Leisure
Travelodge Santa Monica - 2012 “Property of the Year”-Travelodge Brand
- Quality Excellence Award-Travelodge Brand
- General Manager of the Year-Travelodge Brand
Viceroy Santa Monica- Best Poolside Happy Hour in LA, CBS Los Angeles, June 2012
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ATTRACTIONS
Annenberg Community Beach House- LA’s Best Pools, Huffington Post, July 2012
M.i. Westside Comedy Theater - Readers' Choice Award for Favorite Los Angeles Comedy Club, About.com
Pacific Park- Best Arcades in LA, LA Weekly, November 2012
- Best Theme Park in World, HotelClub, June 2012
Pedal…or Not Electric Bike Tours- 2012 Certificate of Excellence, TripAdvisor
Santa Monica Bike Center- Silver Bicycle Friendly Business Designation, League of American Bicyclists
- 2012 Sustainable Brands Innovation Open, People’s Choice Awards (Bike & Park)
Santa Monica Pier- Best Places to See a Sunset, Huffington Post, December 2012
- Best View in LA, Rentenna, June 2012
- Best Sightseeing Spots, ELLE, December 2012
- Top 10 Most Instagrammed Places in 2012
- Top location for dates in L.A, Laist
The Gourmandise School of Sweets and Savories- Best Cooking Class, LA Weekly
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DINING & NIGHTLIFE
Bar Pintxo- Best Spanish Restaurant, Los Angeles Magazine
Bar Chloe- Best Looking Cocktail Bars in LA, LA Eater Nov. 2012
Bay Cities Italian Deli- Best Macaroni and Cheese, LA Weekly
- 38 Essential Los Angeles Restaurants, Eater LA July 2012
- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Deli (Westside), Los Angeles Times
Beachy Cream- Most Delicious Cookie in LA, Huffington Post, May 2012
Blue Plate Taco- Best New LA Restaurant, Huffinton Post, May 2012
Border Grill- Best Margarita, LA Weekly
Brick + Mortar- Best Underrated Burger, LA Weekly
Chez Jay- LA’s Most Iconic Dive Bars, LA Eater, November 2012
Enterprise Fish Co. - Best Santa Monica Happy Hour, LA Weekly
Father’s Office- LA’s Most Iconic Dishes, LA Eater, July 2012
- LA’s Most Iconic Drink, LA Eater, August 2012
FIG- Best Bloody Mary, LA Weekly
Houston’s - Reader’s Choice 2012 Best American Restaurant (Westside), Los Angeles Times
Huckleberry Cafe- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Breakfast/Brunch (Westside), Los Angeles Times
- LA’s Most Iconic Dishes, LA Eater, July 2012
- LA’s Favorite Dishes, LA Weekly, August 2012
- Best Cupcakes in America, The Daily Meal, November 2012
Lago del Locando- Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
- Downtown Santa Monica Eclipse Award 2012
La Sandia- Best Tequila Bar, Huffington Post, July 2012
Loteria Grill- Best Nachos in LA, LA Weekly, November 2012
Luxxe Café- Best Coffee in the Country, Huffington Post, September 2012
Melisse- Forbes Travel Guide Four Star Rating Award
- Top Restaurants in LA, Zagat, October 2012
- 38 Essential Los Angeles Restaurants, Eater LA July 2012
- Chefs of the Year (Josiah Citrin), Los Angeles Magazine
- Best 40 US Restaurants, Gayot
Mercado- Top 10 Best New Restaurants, Los Angeles Magazine
Milo & Olive- Best Bakery, LA Weekly
- 10 Best Pizza Restaurants in LA, LA Weekly Aug. 2012
Ninjin- Best Delivery Spots in LA, Refinery 29, October 2012
One Pico- Forbes Travel Guide Recommendation
Pancho’s Tacos- Best Nachos in LA, LA Weekly, November 2012
Real Food Daily- Top Upscale Vegan Restaurants, SHAPE Magazine, November 2012
- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Vegetarian/Vegan Restaurant (Westside), LA Times
- LA Nature’s Plate People’s Choice Winner
Rejuice- Top Juice Spot, Fox News Latina, August 2012
Rosti Tuscan Kitchen- Best Delivery Spots in LA, Refinery 29, October 2012
Rustic Canyon Wine Bar and Seasonal Kitchen- Best Upscale Burger
- 38 Essential Los Angeles Restaurants, Eater LA July 2012
- Top Restaurant for Foodies, Open Table, September 2012
Santa Monica Seafood- Best Seafood, Los Angeles Magazine
- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Seafood (Westside), Los Angeles Times
Stella Rossa Pizza Bar- 10 Best Pizza Restaurants in LA, LA Weekly Aug. 2012
- Best Pizza in West Coast, Food & Wine Magazine, July 2012
- Best Pizza Restaurant in US, Fox News, October 2012
Sugarfish - LA’s Best Sushi, LA Eater, August 2012
Swingers- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Diner/Family Restaurant (Westside), Los Angeles Times
Tacos Por Favor- 10 Best Tacos in Los Angeles-LA Weekly, May 2012
Tar & Roses- Best New Restaurant, Angeleno Magazine
- Top 10 Best New Restaurants, Los Angeles Magazine
- LA’s Favorite Dishes, LA Weekly, July 2012
- Top Restaurant for Foodies, Open Table, September 2012
Thai Dishes- Best Delivery Spots in LA, Refinery 29, October 2012
The Daily Pint- LA’s Most Iconic Drink, LA Eater, August 2012
- LA’s Most Iconic Dive Bars, LA Eater, November 2012
Upper West- Best Nachos in LA, LA Weekly, November 2012
Valentino- Best Italian Restaurant in US, Travel + Leisure Magazine, September 2012
Vanilla Bake Shop- Reader’s Choice 2012 Best Bakery/Sweets (Westside), Los Angeles Times
West 4th & Jane- Best Mac & Cheese, CBS Los Angeles, October 2012
Wilshire Restaurant- Top 30 Under 30 Chefs (Chef Nyesha Arrington), Zagat
- Ten Talent Under 30 (Chef Nyesha Arrington), Where LA
- One of the most 69 interesting people to watch in 2012 (Chef Nyesha Arrington), LA Weekly
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SHOPPING & SERVICES
Above the Fold- Best Newsstand, Los Angeles Magazine
Bloomingdales Santa Monica- ICSC United States Design and Development Shopping Center Gold Award (Hixson Architecture)
Bumble Bee- Best Cheap Tops, LA Weekly
exhale- Best Deep Tissue Massage in LA, CBS Los Angeles, December 2012
- Most Relaxing Massage, Refinery29 LA
Gracie at Santa Monica Museum of Art- Best Quick-Stop Museum Gift Shop, LA Weekly
Santa Monica Place- 2012 LEED Gold Certification
- MAPIC “Best High Street Retail Development”
- ICSC U.S. Design and Development Award - Renovation or Expansion of an Existing Project - over 500K
- ICSC U.S. Design & Development Award – Sustainability
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MISCELLANEOUS Infrastructure/Planning- Water Treatment Plant & Charnock Well Field Restoration Project of the Year (Environment Category) – American Public Works Association
- Bike Action Plan Small Jurisdiction Implementation Award – American Planning Association (APA), Los Angeles
- Bike Action Plan Implementation Distinguished Leadership Award – APA, California Chapter
Sustainability/Transportation- Big Blue Bus Administration Building Renovation Silver-level Certification for Commercial Interiors Leadership in Energy & Environment Design (LEED)
- City of Santa Monica Sustainable Community Award Winner, Midsize Community – U.S. Chamber of Commerce Business Civic Leadership Center and Siemens USA
- City of Santa Monica Electric Vehicle Champion City – Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG) and Southern California Edison (SCE)
Economic Development- City of Santa Monica Most Business-Friendly City in LA County, EDDY Award Finalist — Los Angeles County Economic Development Corp.
- Santa Monica Bike Center Silver-level Bike-Friendly Business Award—League of American Bicyclists
- City TV’s “Tour de Feast” STAR Award, Economic Development Category —States of California and Nevada Chapter, National Assoc. of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors (SCAN NATOA)
Technology- Mobile Parking Website Geospatial Information Systems (GIS) Winner – Public Technology Institute (PTI)
- Be Excited, Be Prepared! Website Public Safety Technology Winner – PTI
- City of Santa Monica Best Government Innovator: Mobility Solutions – Information Week magazine
- City of Santa Monica Top 100 Fiber to the Home – Broadband Communities magazine
Finance- City of Santa Monica Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting – Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada
Innovation/Communications/Public Information- City of Santa Monica Mayors Challenge Top 20 Finalist – Bloomberg Philanthropies
- Santa Monica Public Library Five Stars – Library Journal Index of Public Library Service Ratings
- Mobile City Website Savvy Award for Best Graphic Design – City/County Communications & Marketing Association (3CMA)
- CityTV Website STAR Award, Website Category – SCAN NATOA
- Be Excited! Be Prepared! Website Award of Excellence, Most Innovative Communications – 3CMA
Food/Entertainment- City TV’s “Cheap Eats” Los Angeles Area Emmy Award (Public, Municipal and Operator Produced Cable TV) – Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
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