How I Survived Awards Season (So Far), Thanks To This LA Hotel

Awards season in Los Angeles isn't an Olympic sport, but if you catch me at the right moment during its run, I swear it could be. From the marathon red carpets, to last-minute fittings, to parties that end at dawn, to slack messages that need to be treated like breaking news alerts, and the traffic that turns a 20-minute drive into a spiritual test, it's a lot. OK, fine, it's not really like the Olympics at all, and all of the things I just listed aren't even remotely as hard as spinning around on ice on your knees like my new hero Alysa Liu, but they can get overwhelming. And while the chaos is part of the fun, it's also exhausting.

So last month when I flew into LA for the first leg of the season, including the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes, I made a decision that felt mildly rebellious: I wasn’t staying in Beverly Hills. Instead, I checked into a hosted stay at the Santa Monica Proper Hotel — a sun-washed sanctuary on Wilshire that promised ocean air, impeccable design, and just enough distance from the chaos to keep me glowing instead of gritting my teeth. It was the best decision I made all week.

I landed in Southern California on a crisp winter morning, luggage in tow and a caffeine-fueled plan to thrive this awards season. Everyone said pick a hotel near Beverly Hills or West Hollywood, but I had other ideas. By the time I left the Santa Monica Proper, I honestly felt like I’d lived in the vibeiest winter bubble Los Angeles could offer — salty ocean breezes, beach-to-bar energy, and the kind of luxe ease that makes you never want to leave.

When most people think awards season in L.A., they think of a parking lot of paparazzi around the Beverly Hilton and cocktail dresses crowding hotel lobbies. And sure, award shows like the Critics Choice Awards and the Golden Globes are steeped in that tradition of Hollywood glamor, but here’s the thing: I didn’t want the usual this year. I wanted calm. I wanted beauty — not just a hotel room with a chandelier. Which is exactly what the Santa Monica Proper delivers. From the moment I walked in, it was clear this wasn’t just a base for my awards excursions, it was a destination in itself.

Some hotels are “close to the beach.” This one feels spiritually aligned with it. From the moment I walked into the lobby, Santa Monica Proper radiated that laid-back coastal confidence — the kind that doesn’t try too hard because it doesn’t have to. There’s sunlight pouring in from every angle, natural textures everywhere, and a no-stress, effortlessly chic energy.

My room felt like a private retreat above the city. Pale oak floors, soft linen bedding, curated art that made me consider redecorating my condo back home in Toronto. And when I had to run out to grab a pair of earrings to go with my Golden Globes look, I was steps away from the 3rd St. Promenade and was able to pop into Anthropologie and back to my hotel in 20 minutes. The walk was scenic and the errand was efficient. As a Capricorn, I couldn't ask for more than a nice aesthetic and efficiency! Even when I was inside answering emails or steaming a dress for an event, I felt tethered to the ocean a few blocks away. That’s the magic of the hotel: you’re not just staying near the coast, you’re steeped in it.

Let’s start here: Los Angeles in the winter is elite.While the rest of North America is layering thermals under puffer coats, L.A. is doing that smug 65-and-sunny thing. The light is softer. The sunsets are longer. The city exhales after summer’s tourist rush and before spring’s festival frenzy. Awards season lands right in this golden pocket — glamorous, yes, but with a breeze.

Staying by the coast in winter means mornings that feel cinematic instead of punishing. I’d wake up, watch the automatic curtains open (my favorite room feature), and let that pale Pacific light flood the room.

Santa Monica in January feels like the secret menu version of L.A. quieter beaches, joggers in hoodies, coffee shops that aren’t overrun. And at Santa Monica Proper, that seasonal softness is baked into the experience. The interiors — all warm woods, creamy textiles, sculptural lines — feel like they were designed specifically for this time of year. Cozy but never heavy. Minimal but never cold. Winter in L.A. isn’t about hibernating. It’s about glowing gently.

The best part of staying in Santa Monica was that I was close enough to the glamor, yet far enough from the madness. Staying in Santa Monica meant I could dip into that theatrical buzz without drowning in it. When it was time for fittings, events, or late-night celebrations, I’d head east toward the glow. And yes, there was traffic — this is L.A., not a fairy tale — but returning to the Westside afterward felt like stepping out of heels and into slippers. There’s something delicious about leaving a velvet-rope party and ending the night on a rooftop overlooking the Pacific instead.

Back at the hotel, the rooftop pool deck was its own scene. Even in winter, it’s the place to be — heaters glowing, blankets draped over shoulders, cocktails in hand as the sun melts into the ocean. You’d overhear conversations about streaming numbers and director shortlists while seagulls wheeled overhead. It was surreal in the best way.

Santa Monica Proper connects you to both worlds seamlessly: the laid-back soul of the coast and the theatrical hum of awards season. You can spend the afternoon walking along the beach in sneakers and the evening brushing shoulders with nominees. No costume change required — spiritually or sartorially.

On the morning of the Globes, my room at Santa Monica Proper Hotel transformed into a glam suite. My makeup artist, Aniya, arrived with her kit in tow — brushes fanned out like couture accessories, foundation bottles lined up with surgical precision — and set up. There was more than enough room for her to lay out all her equipment and the soft natural light poured in made for the kind of diffused glow people try to recreate with ring lights. In that moment, we didn’t need one. As Aniya worked her magic, the whole process felt calm instead of chaotic. With the beautiful backdrop and cozy room, there was no rushing or stress, just intention and artistry.

Once the look was locked, and Aniya helped me into my RVNG Couture gown (a Canadian designer I love), we turned the hotel into our own editorial playground: sculptural archways, textured plaster walls, sun-drenched corridors, the rooftop with the Pacific stretching out behind me like a matte painting. Every corner felt like a ready-made backdrop — earthy, elevated, quietly dramatic or just simply and elegant. It was giving awards-season glamor without the try-hard energy, and the photos turned out perfectly. Let’s just say the grid has never looked more cinematic.

Awards season can be indulgent. Heavy meals. Late nights. Champagne that appears as if summoned. What makes staying at Santa Monica Proper different is that wellness isn’t an afterthought, it’s infrastructure. Here's the overview of the fitness offerings: "Daily rooftop yoga, strength training, mindful movement classes, and our state-of-the-art fitness center, equipped with Peloton, Tonal, Pilates reformers, and VO₂ Max testing." And when it comes to recovery, the website reads, "Reset in our private Recovery Suite with cold plunges, full-body red light, dry sauna, and compression therapy. Deepen your recovery with infrared and oxygen therapy in the Ammortal Chamber."

One afternoon, between events, I slipped into the hotel spa. How they describe it: "Rooted in centuries-old Ayurvedic wisdom, Surya Spa offers holistic treatments, curated therapies, and bespoke wellness journeys, all steps from your room." And it lived up to the hype. Outside, the city was sprinting while inside, everything slowed. Warm oils, quiet rooms, intentional stillness. I walked out feeling like I’d hacked the system.

Winter is when our bodies want rest anyway. Pair that with the heightened energy of awards season, and having built-in ways to decompress becomes essential. From morning yoga on the rooftop, a quick steam before dinner, or a solo sunset moment by the pool, you can participate in the spectacle without being consumed by it.

The lobby at Santa Monica Proper Hotel is, quite honestly, the chicest co-working space I’ve ever accidentally checked into. During awards season — when emails multiply like rabbits and deadlines refuse to respect time zones, it became my unofficial office. There’s something about the soaring ceilings, the warm wood tones, and the steady hum of conversation that makes productivity feel less punishing. Suddenly answering Slack messages felt almost glamorous.

I’d post up with a tea, laptop open, half-eavesdropping on nearby conversations about screeners and stylists, fully locked into my own to-do list. The night before the Golden Globes, I had dinner at the lobby restaurant, Palma. The food was delicious and the vibe was impeccable. It’s buzzy without being chaotic, social without being distracting. You feel plugged into the awards-season current of Los Angeles, but grounded by the relaxed rhythm of Santa Monica just outside the door. Work, but make it coastal.

During winter stays, when the seasonal lighting and cooler temps make indoor spots feel extra intimate and inviting, Palma becomes a hub of calm sophistication. And when the broader city is teeming with the dazzling chaos of awards week, it serves as a grounding counterpoint — a place to breathe, connect, and savor the experience slowly.

Palma was amazing, but room service at Santa Monica Proper Hotel was just as good. It became my quiet little luxury between the buzz of awards. There’s something deeply cinematic about answering the door in a robe while the Pacific light spills across rumpled sheets — a tray wheeled in with the kind of care usually reserved for a scene in a Nancy Meyers movie. After days of slipping out of heels and washing off red carpet glam, it was so comforting to order pasta and fries (an elite combination), eaten cross-legged on the couch while watching The American President (directed by the legend Rob Reiner, rest in peace), which just happened to be on TV, and live that stereotypical alone-in-a-hotel-watching-TV-and-indulging-in-great-food dream that you see in movies.

During awards season — when the city moves at a relentless pace — having beautifully plated, seasonally thoughtful food delivered to your room is indulgent, yes, but it's also essential. It’s the exhale between events, my soft place to land.

By the time I zipped up my suitcases and took one last look at the Pacific from the rooftop, I realized that I hadn’t just attended awards season, I’d actually survived it (so far). The fittings, the traffic, the after-parties, the Slack chats that never sleep, all of it felt softer, somehow, because I had a place that absorbed the chaos instead of amplifying it. Santa Monica Proper Hotel wasn’t just where I stayed; it was where I recalibrated. Where I swapped industry noise for the low hush of winter waves. Awards season in L.A. will always be theatrical — that’s the point — but having a coastal sanctuary to return to each night? That’s the real win. And as long as the Globes keep glittering, I know exactly where I’ll be checking in.