The host: Lace was incredibly hospitable and easily contactable before and throughout our stay. She was very welcoming and even baked us some delicious cookies for our arrival. Having lived in the area for many years, Lace was able to give us some invaluable tips about the area.
The place: The Loft is an absolutely stunning and relaxing place to stay. It has been beautifully appointed throughout and was spotlessly clean. Lace kindly provided quality essentials (tea/coffee/milk/wine/yoghurt etc) which meant we could start our stay without having to rush off to the supermarket. The Loft is situated at the end of a pretty courtyard garden, surrounded by citrus and olive trees and beautiful flowers. Lace has also trailed outdoor lighting around the garden, which makes sitting outside in the evening just as pleasurable as it would be during the day. Unfortunately for us the weather wasn't favourable for al fresco living during our stay.
The area: This was our first time staying in Santa Monica (and hopefully not our last) and The Loft couldn't have been more perfect as a base for exploring LA. It is located in a very quiet residential street that was only a few minutes walk to local bars and restaurants. It is a quick and easy drive to Santa Monica Pier and to Venice Beach.
All in all we had a truly wonderful experience in LA; staying at The Loft, meeting Lace and her dog Lola were very much a part of that :-)