Fairmont Miramar Hotel
101 Wilshire Boulevard, Santa Monica, CA 90401
The Story
The pool at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows in Santa Monica has been attracting Hollywood's finest since 1932, when it was added to the property after the original mansion on the site was demolished during the Great Depression. Perched on five acres atop the bluffs overlooking the Pacific, the heated outdoor pool is surrounded by palm trees, private cabanas, and the kind of attentive poolside food-and-drink service that makes standing up feel like an unreasonable request.
A pool with a guest list
Greta Garbo lived at the hotel for more than four years and was a regular at the pool, though knowing Garbo she almost certainly wanted to be left alone while using it. Jean Harlow was a fan, as were Marilyn Monroe and James Stewart. The hotel's nightclub was ferociously popular with the Hollywood crowd during Prohibition, hosting the likes of Gloria Swanson, Humphrey Bogart, Cary Grant and the Kennedys. And in 1962, the pool and grounds doubled for the romantic West Indian resort that Cary Grant takes Doris Day to in That Touch of Mink.
" During the Second World War, the Army commandeered the entire hotel to house returning overseas troops — for a brief period, almost certainly the most glamorous barracks pool in military history.
Plan your dip
The pool is open to hotel guests from 9am until sundown, with poolside food and drinks served daily. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the hotel screens films by the pool every weekend at sunset — Poolside Cinema, they call it — which for a pool on this particular list feels almost too on-brand. You don't actually need to be staying at the hotel to swim here either; day passes are available through ResortPass, which gives you access to the heated pool, hot tub, and chaise lounges. The pool at the Miramar is very much a locals' favourite, not just a tourist attraction. A more recent footnote: Britney Spears enjoyed her bachelorette party here, the night before she married Kevin Federline.
Signature Experiences
The bluff-top pool
The heated outdoor pool, added to the property in 1932, sits on five acres atop the bluffs overlooking the Pacific, surrounded by palm trees and private cabanas. It is open to hotel guests from 9am until sundown, with poolside food and drinks served daily.
Poolside Cinema
From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the hotel screens films by the pool every weekend at sunset.
Famous Connections
Who Came Here
As Seen In
Plan Your Visit
Good to Know
- How to Book: Book direct at fairmont-miramar.com or by phone. You do not need to be staying at the hotel to swim — day passes that include the heated pool, hot tub, and chaise lounges are available through ResortPass.
- Best Time: Late spring through early autumn for the pool. The Poolside Cinema runs weekends from Memorial Day to Labor Day.
- Accessibility: Contact the hotel directly to confirm accessible rooms and step-free access to the pool and grounds.
- Tip: The pool at the Miramar is very much a locals' favourite, not just a tourist attraction. You don't need to be a guest to swim — day passes are available through ResortPass, giving access to the heated pool, hot tub, and chaise lounges.
Nearby
Continue the tour