The Comfort Inn is housed in a three-floor Spanish-style building, with exterior corridors and nondescript but well-maintained public spaces. Guests gather in the breakfast area for the free hot-and-cold buffet, which can be enjoyed on a comfortable outdoor patio in nice weather. The outdoor heated pool is open year-round, and guests come here to cool off and sunbathe on the adjacent deck. The hotel draws mostly leisure travelers, especially vacationing families. 

The Comfort Inn is on Santa Monica Boulevard in an area filled with restaurants, bars, and shops. The Santa Monica/Yale bus stop is next door, I-10 freeway is a five-minute drive, and the 26th Street/Bergamot Station of the Metro Expo light rail is about a 10-minute walk from the hotel. Santa Monica College is an eight-minute drive or 25 minutes by bus from the hotel. Third Street Promenade features musicians and street performers, dining, shopping, and movie theaters -- it’s about a 10-minute drive or 20 minutes by bus from the hotel. The Santa Monica Pier is a 10-minute drive or 25 minutes by bus. Here, visitors will find an aquarium, amusement park, restaurants, and bars. Santa Monica State Beach and the southern end of Palisades Park are next door to the pier. Venice Beach is 15 minutes by car or 30 minutes by bus from the hotel. Los Angeles International Airport is about a 30-minute drive from the Comfort Inn. 

Guest rooms at Comfort Inn Santa Monica have a basic look, but they’re spacious, tidy, and fresh from a spring 2017 renovation. Many units are accented with chocolate-brown, burnt-orange, and tan, while others have a light-gold palette. All 108 rooms come with pillow-top bedding and impressive amenities for a hotel in this category. There are 32-inch flat-screen TVs with premium cable and free movie channels, safes (use for a fee), microwaves, mini-fridges, coffeemakers, and free Wi-Fi. Some of the bathrooms are a little snug; all come with hairdryers, toiletries, and shower/tub combos.

The Comfort Inn offers a limited set of property amenities, with an outdoor swimming pool as the highlight. It's about 10 meters long and heated for year-round use, and there's deck with loungers. No fitness center is on-site, but staff can recommend public gyms in the area. Guests have praised the quality of the free breakfast, featuring an ample spread of cook-your-own waffles, eggs, breakfast meats, and a range of cold items. Outdoor patio dining is available in warm weather. The Comfort Inn has no full-service restaurant, but there's a 24-hour front desk, lobby computer, and free on-site parking (one car per room, no trucks or other oversize vehicles). Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the building.