Our Los Angeles hotel

A few readers asked where we stayed in Los Angeles, and I'd love to share: We were lucky enough to stay at the Oceana Santa Monica, which was one of the nicest places we'd ever stayed. We booked a two-room suite through the amazing (and addictive!) website Mr. and Mrs. Smith, so that we could stay up and hang out after Toby went to bed (at his cute 7pm bedtime:). The rooms were beautiful and and homey; our bed was insanely comfortable, and the hotel was right next to the beach.

But the biggest plus was the service. Every time we walked into the hotel, they would say, "Hello, Ms. Goddard! Did you enjoy your walk?" or "How was your lunch? How's Toby doing?" Fancy! I was amazed that they remembered our names, and they'd coo and chit-chat with Toby for as long as he wanted. :) The staff made the hotel feel so personal. One night, we invited friends over to play games, and we wanted to order pizza, so I called room service, and the guy answered the phone, "Hello, Ms. Goddard! How can I help you?" and when I asked for a recommendation for a pizza place, he brought up local menus, along with bowls of crushed red pepper and grated parmesan. How sweet is that? Those little touches make such a difference, especially when you have a baby. We can't wait to go back next year.

Anyway, we really loved it and would highly recommend it if you're planning a trip to L.A.! :)