Viceroy Hotel Santa Monica

We stayed at the Viceroy in Santa Monica recently, and even though it might not be thought of as a family hotel, it turned out to be perfect for us.  Its location is great--just up the street from the ocean, and a playground right there...and a 10-minute walk from the Santa Monica Pier, with its ferris wheel that overlooks the Pacific Ocean, a carousel, and plenty of other rides and games. It's also  right across the street from the best breakfast spot in town, Cora's... so you can hop out of bed, get the free coffee downstairs at the hotel, take a morning walk on the beach, and eat at Cora's instead of the hotel breakfast, which would set you back at least three times as much as eating out.  Bonus: You don't need a car to do any of this!