I spent two weeks in Santa Monica the past december, we were a party of 7 so we booked two rooms. The rooms at Santa Monica motel are surely not that big, nor luxury either, but there's everything you need, it's clean and it's dirty cheap!!
The motel is on Lincoln ave, you can go by feet to downtown Santa Monica or Venice (15min), there is plenty of liquors, fast food and mart in front of it, there's also a pub just crossing the street. It's a great location.
The staff is also super friendly and helpful.
If you look for fancy, spacious rooms sure this is not the place for you. But for what it offers it's a smoking good deal!

I stayed at this place twice during my trip in california. Had some problems with my flight home. The staff was really helpful and sorted it all out for me. Walking distance to the beach and to all the shops and restaurants. Cheap place with clean rooms and free internet. I can highly recommend this place.

As a group of six from Italy we spent one week in Santa Monica Motel and we all enjoyed our stay.
Clean and comfortable rooms at a good rate.
Situated on Lincoln Blvd it's easy to get almost everywhere you need to go in Santa Monica and Venice Beach.Five minute by walk to the beach,five minutes to the Third Promenade by car,twenty minutes to LAX airport.Good service and helpful staff.
.Backpackers will love it,it's a good worth.

Ok so they say in life you get what you pay for...so after spending 2 weeks travelling around California & Vegas staying in decent hotels I had to bite the bullet for my final 2 nights in Santa Monica and get the cheapest place I could find as funds were running low...I didn't expect luxury, just somewhere to base and get my head down, not too much to ask...here is a summary of my experience:-

After leaving my Ocean Avenue Hotel I arrived by taxi around mid-day...to be met by a bum lying sprawled across the main entrance. I then spoke to the rudest lady I have ever met behind the glass counter on reception and asked very politely if I could leave my bag and check in later as I understood it was probably too early to check in. She agreed reluctantly, but charged me $10 for the privilege...and tried to add another $10 to the agreed room rate.

I returned later (and to be fair dealt with a much more amiable man) to check in, noticed a few shady looking characters (long term guests?) in and around the complex and checked into my room. Not exactly the Ritz but on the face of things looked fine for the money I way paying ($50+tax per night) - TV worked, free wi-fi, showers and hot water ok and spacious enough for a motel...and location reasonable enough ie 10 min walk to main st, 15-20 min to downtown and a host of restaurants (mainly fast food) dotted around the hotel (On Pico/Lincoln). After returning from walking around downtown in the evening the problems started.

'Lady' next door was bringing 'guests' home roughly on the hour until about 4am...you can imagine the sound effects and draw your own conclusions on her career choice...there were guys pacing up and down the balcony periodically and cars pulling up, knocking doors and heading off again soon after...again you can probably guess the industry these residents were in. End result, 2 hours sleep from when the sun came up and I felt safe enough to drift off.

Rightly or wrongly I stayed a 2nd night (I had to try and organise a flight home at short notice due to the poor weather in Europe so my mind was focused on that) and as my cell wasn't working I asked the rude lady at reception if she could change some dollars for coins for the phonebox outside (there are no phones in the rooms) - she surpassed herself in the rudeness stakes by yelling no and refusing to answer me when I asked if there was any call centres nearby (which we have in Europe)...I wouldn't speak to a dog like this and I am amazed that, in a country, famed for it's customer service in the hospitality industry, I would come across such a despicable human being. (For the record people/staff were nothing but courteous everywhere else I stayed on my trip, including the gentleman that worked in this dive when Cruella wasn't working)

2nd night passed off without incident...but this mainly due to me picking up my friend Jack Daniels from a nearby liquor store to help me get to sleep!

The cheap rate in this kip is definately not worth it....find the extra 20, 30 dollars or whatever and stay elsewhere...I am amazed this place is allowed to operate in the hospitality industry at all and I would have to be paid to stay here again.