Hotels We Love: The Kinney Venice Beach

We’ve been to Venice Beach in California more times than I can remember.

From visiting friends, people watching on the boardwalk, to getting in one last visit to the ocean before flying out of LAX we find ourselves gravitating towards this unique and sometimes odd city. While on a recent trip to Palm Springs we decided to finally stay in Venice Beach on our last night to be near the airport and get a little ocean time in.

While looking for a hotel we wanted to find something as quirky as Venice Beach itself and we definitely found that in The Kinney. From its brightly colored decor, neon signs, and great use of existing space, this boutique hotel gave us a great and colorful experience during our one night stay.

Loved this painting by Scott Listfield of a lone astronaut explorer.

Warhol print, mid-century mod style, colorful yet simple rooms.

This phone is everything. You don’t expect these in hotel rooms these days. Loved the USB plugs in the lamp, too.

Rumor has it there are ping-pong competitions where you can win these award statues. We didn’t have time to find out but how fun. This one was already in our room when we arrived.

Random, positive messages pinned to the bathroom wall were a nice touch.

C&O Bigelow toiletries you’ll actually want to take home with you. They are also cruelty-free!

This neon wanderlust sign greets you as you enter from the parking garage. I also love that the unique style was carried throughout the hotel hallways and lobby area.

This common area is incredible. With murals by artist Robert Vargas of The Doors and a man doing a cannonball into the pool. I love the view of The Doors mural, it’s so bright and unexpected and makes for a fun area to hang out and relax.

The biggest disappointment was the pool closed early, around 10 pm. We had so much going on and I was hoping to get a little hot tub time to relax before flying out the next morning. The pool area is pretty tiny, but hey… you’re a few blocks away from one of the biggest pools on earth. Go to the ocean instead!

We found this random little courtyard with hammocks!

A little bar in the common area.

Have you stayed at The Kinney in Venice Beach, California? What did you think? Tell me below!

The Kinney
737 West Washington Boulevard
Venice Beach, CA, 90292

What to know before you go

The Kinney is a boutique hotel that is affordable and unique. They offer rooms and what they call “crash pad suites”, larger suites for bigger groups or people who like a bit more space. The hotel is located less than a mile from the Venice Boardwalk and is close to Marina del Rey side of Venice Beach. If you want a quieter room make a note when booking as some areas of the hotel are a little noisier than others from what I read, not personal experience. Hotel is not pet-friendly.

Amenities
The hotel provides valet parking at $25 a day. There is a fitness center, on-site beach cruiser rentals, complimentary wi-fi. There’s a common area called “The Quad” with ping pong tables, a fire pit, chaise lounges, and bar top. A swimming area with a dip pool and hot tub and a small nook with hammocks to chill out in. The toiletries are from C&O Bigelow, a cruelty-free brand and bathrobes in the hotel room.

Dining & Drinks
There’s not an on-site restaurant but the hotel offers what they call “The Breakfast Club” which serves up made-to-order sweet and savory breakfast offerings as well as coffee from Vittoria®

Venice Beach, California

One of the more unique places you’ll find along the west coast is Venice Beach. There are endless things to do in and nearby Venice Beach and its ever-evolving scene. Here are some places to check out that are nearby:

The Boardwalk
When one thinks of Venice Beach the boardwalk is usually what comes to mind. This place has it all – street performers, tourist shops and boutiques, a skateboard pit, muscle beach, drum circle, volleyball views of the ocean and some of the best people-watching around. This is a must-see when visiting Venice Beach, at least once.

Venice Beach Canals
I’ll admit, I’ve been to Venice Beach a lot and this trip was the first time we finally saw the canals. They are definitely worth the stop, especially around sunset. These canals were mirrored after the famous canals of Venice, Italy and are such an unexpected and unique place to visit.

Abbot Kinney Boulevard
There’s a lot going on here and I’ve yet to fully explore it myself but this is where you’re going to find a collection of boutiques, restaurants, and beyond. It’s a shoppers dream. Some shops I’m dreaming of checking our on our next visit: General Store, Cuyana, Avocado, The Piece Collective, Miansai, Muji, Marine Layer, and Negarin London to name a few.

Santa Monica Pier
This spot is definitely worth a visit, especially if you have more than one day in Venice Beach. There’s a park with a Ferris Wheel, arcade and vendors and a killer view of the ocean and shore. It’s the end of the iconic Route 66, too.

C&O Trattoria
31 Washington Blvd
A great Italian spot down the street from the hotel. Yummy pasta options and endless garlic knots. That’s right. Endless. They have people there whose job it is to walk around with giant plates of garlic knots and keep you refreshed. Noms!

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams
540 Rose Ave
Ohio girl here, of course, I had to mention one of Jeni’s ice cream spots as it’s so good! Jeni’s is a Columbus, Ohio based ice cream shop with delicious ice cream treats.

Superba Food+Bread
1900 S. Lincoln Blvd.
I love food and bread! Who doesn’t? This place had a cool vibe and pretty good food. We ordered avocado toast (v. hipster of us), and grilled cheese and both were quite tasty.

Wanderlust Creamery
609 Lincoln Blvd Suite b
Had to mention this place as it was such a unique concept. They base their flavors off feelings of wanderlust, childhood, and places the owners have gone or want to go. I’ll admit, some of the flavors seemed a little too odd for me but I did find some I liked and they were -so- good. As an FYI, this place has a parking lot in front, we parked a few blocks away and walked before realizing this.

Toms
1344 Abbot Kinney Blvd
As someone who doesn’t live near a Toms location, of course, I had to go! Check out their shoes, sunglasses, and other items in person.

Eggslut
1611 Pacific Ave
Okay, not unique to Venice Beach area but one of our favorite breakfast spots! This location is pretty close to the ocean and you should expect a line as it was pretty busy. The inside was small but we were able to snag a spot.