Being completely unfamiliar with the area, we took a guess on location and were lucky enough to end up at Leslie's place. We didn't rent a car, but were able to walk pretty much everywhere (the pier, Saturday morning farmer's market, restaurants, and of course, the beach). When we were tired of walking, getting back to Leslie's place was a quick Lyft ride back.
Leslie was very accommodating since our flight arrived much earlier than her check-in time and she gave us instructions to let ourselves in.
Overall, I'd definitely recommend Leslie's place as a good spot to stay while taking in some of what Santa Monica has to offer.