March 6, 2017

Meet Mark Verge of Ocean Park Hotel in Santa Monica

Local Stories

Today we’d like to introduce you to Mark Verge.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Mark. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When we purchased the building, the Ocean Park Hotel was run down and looked upon unfavorably in the residential neighborhood where it is located. We quickly learned that the hotel business can be challenging and through trial and error, developed a strong management team to lead the hotel in a new direction.

Over the past several years, the hotel has received numerous improvements to both the interior and exterior. This along with a staff that is passionate about providing clean, safe and friendly lodging has allowed the hotel to enjoy great success. Each year we host tens of thousands of guests from all over the world.

A large portion of the hotel’s success stems from a need for lodging in the Santa Monica and the West LA area that is both reasonably priced and has a positive reputation. Many visitors want to stay in this area of town but cannot afford the high cost of hotels near the beach. We are located in a quant neighborhood within walking distance to the Santa Monica Business Park, several restaurants, a grocery store and pharmacy. In addition to free parking and Wi-Fi, the hotel is located on the bus line which allows guests easy and affordable access to Downtown Santa Monica and the beach. We also operate the OP Cafe which is located adjacent to the hotel. This allows hotel guests a great breakfast and lunch option at an affordable price.

Has it been a smooth road?
When we first purchased the hotel, it had a very poor reputation both with the surrounding neighbors and online guest reviews. We knew that we needed to revamp both our physical and online presence. We also knew that it would take time to overcome both challenges. A business’ reputation can be damaged quickly but sometimes takes years to repair. We began by employing hospitality professionals that understood how to take care of our guests. We set high standards to insure the cleanliness and maintenance of the hotel. We also listened to our guests by providing as many possible options to give us feedback. In additional to online surveys, we made sure each guest room was equipped with a comment card and encouraged the guests to leave us feedback. We then took that feedback and acted on it. We also listened to the hotel staff and made improvements based on their valuable input.

So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Ocean Park Hotel story. Tell us more about the business.
We consider ourselves to be the best select service hotel in the Santa Monica and West LA area. We do not have many of the amenities that larger hotels offer, such as a pool, room service, valet, etc. We focus on and provide the essential hospitality needs; clean rooms, a safe and secure environment and an incredibly friendly staff.

In addition to the basics, we know that travelers appreciate reliable complimentary Wi-Fi, free parking and a knowledgeable staff who can assist them with information about the area.

What we discovered is that there is a market for simple, affordable, quality lodging with a focus on cleanliness and friendliness. Our guests would prefer to spend their money on experiences outside of the hotel than pay for amenities they don’t use.

How do you think the industry will change over the next decade?
Tourism is the number one industry in Los Angeles and based upon the current trends, tourism will only continue to grow in the future. According to the Los Angeles Tourism and Convention Board, Los Angeles welcomed an all-time record 47.3 million visitors in 2016, a total that surpassed the mid-year forecasts and is 1.7 million visitors higher than 2015’s total. This milestone achievement marks the city’s sixth consecutive year of record-breaking visitation.

Based upon 2016’s performance, the projection for 2017 and the next several years is quite optimistic.

Contact Info: