A Venice Beach Original
Hotel Erwin
A landmark in and of itself, Hotel Erwin is a love letter to the ever-changing spirit of Venice Beach. Located along the iconic Pacific Avenue, we distill the best parts of our culture, creativity, and community, so you can discover Venice in all its forms, the way it was meant to be experienced.
Here, we create a relaxed, yet elevated environment with everything you need to explore at your own pace. Meet each day with beachside views and immerse yourself in the laidback luxury of our coastal hotel where the only thing we overlook is the ocean.
In a neighborhood that’s constantly redefining itself, so are we.
Never Normal. Always Venice.
Sincerely, Erwin.
Erwin's Root
Erwin Sokol came to Venice in 1958 with a dream to open a hotel for families and tourists to come and enjoy Venice again, like they had in its heyday. This vision took hard work, dedication, and a lot of passion, but Sokol went above and beyond to give his guests a true Venice experience.
In 1975, Sokol opened the hotel’s doors, named at first as Marina Pacific Hotel & Suites, as Venice was not a destination for tourists in the mid-70s. Steadily, the city began to regain some of its tourism attractions. Shortly thereafter, he decided to rename it as Hotel Erwin, and it stuck.
Hotel Erwin was founded over forty years ago and has been the hangout spot over the last several decades for artists, surfers, techies, and skaters alike. We’re indescribably different yet authentic and totally unique. Inspiration and creativity are as much alive today in these walls as they were since our inception, and we’re committed to providing a totally one-of-a-kind experience to our guests just steps away from the Venice boardwalk.
Ever-evolving, Hotel Erwin has been part of the “it crowd” since 1975. We’re a reflection of the Venice Beach culture and have remained wonderfully original in our distinct corner of the world. It’s why we’re globally renowned and a popular choice to stay and hangout among travelers. Whether you’re here for a pizza and brew at Venice Way Pizza or staying in one of our boho-inspired suites, we invite you to kick back, relax, and live the Venice lifestyle.
How did Hotel Erwin get its name?
Hotel Erwin is named after our founder, Erwin Sokol, the vision and manifester behind this hotel. He created one of America’s most unique beachfront hotels over 40 years ago and breathed life into Venice again. He is a one-of-a-kind, inspirational, ingenious, and brilliant man who helped shape the Venice we know and love today.
Why is the ‘R’ backwards in the logo?
A play on Venice’s wacky, weird, and wonderful inhabitants, we’re just as playful, expressive, and unapologetically Erwin – hence why our ‘R’ is backwards in the logo. Take it or leave it.
When did Hotel Erwin first open its doors?
In the summer of 1975, not many travelers were too keen on staying near the drug-ridden Venice boardwalk. However, it didn’t take long for tourists to be allured and attracted to the wacky and oddities that makes up Venice beach. Slowly but surely, Hotel Erwin created a name for itself, and has become the vibrant and witty place tourists, residents, and passersby’s have grown to love over the years.
What makes this hotel so special and iconic, even over the last 45 years?
Our people, the service, our guests, and the unbeatable location. Just like our OG neighborhood, we’re unconventional, a total original, and have all the vibes. We don’t greet two guests the same because we embrace what makes them different. And that’s what makes us unique.
What is Hotel Erwin’s tagline?
Never normal. Always Venice.
with a little help from our friends
Contributors & Characters of Erwin
VISIONARY AND VENICE ICON
LARRY BELL
Larry Bell began his career in 1959 in abstract art by creating monochrome paintings, sculptural constructions, and standing glass panel walls. His spontaneity and experimentation with light, mass, volume, and large glass wall structures was recognized in the artist community, and shortly thereafter he began to create installations and interior wall environments for museums in New York and the United Kingdom.
In the 1980s, Bell experimented with mirage works, or rather an illusion resulting from a combination of light and heat and continues with these ‘Vapor Drawings’ to this day. He divides his work and time between his two studios in Taos, New Mexico and Venice, California.
Iconic Dogtown Photo Journalist
Josh Klassman
Josh Klassman is a documentary style photographer from Venice who grew up surfing, skating, and documenting the city starting in the mid 1980’s, when he was just 14 years old and living in one of the most dangerous, violent, unruly, crazy, and radical cities in Los Angeles County. All of his shots were done with his Nikon FM2 camera in a single take, in black and white, and “each shot was do or die”. In his words, “I never went for clean. I went for real.”
Local Photographer & Creative
Jordon Rose
Fine Art Travel Photography, Interiors and Design.
Jordan Rose Designs offers professional photography services, social media packages, and thoughtfully curated travel guides.
Digital Storyteller, Web Designer, Photographer, Travel Writer
Taryn Weitzman
After 14 years in corporate America, Taryn quit her job, traveled the world solo, and combined her passions of photography, wellness, storytelling, and business to create Her Travel Style, a digital space for the self-aware woman who wants to better know and care for herself through travel and Her Aperture, a boutique photography and web design agency.
Cloudesign Inc
Jack Cloud
Cloudesign Inc is a full-service design firm known for their multi-platform media arts design talent. From concept thru creation, we produce engaging content for film, TV, web, and mobile platforms. The Cloudesign philosophy, ”by disrupting convention, asking the right questions, we carve the way to innovative ideas. By using disruption as an agent for growth, we overcome conventional wisdom and prejudices that get in the way of exciting possibilities and visionary ideas.”
Venice Papparazzi
Alex and Edizen Stowell
Venice Papparazzi was started on the Boardwalk in 2003 by Alex and Edizen Stowell. They have an archive of over half a million photos, have covered over 1,500 events, and is the premiere media outlet for Venice events, news, community spotlights and information.
Alex and Edizen Stowell feature organized lists of helpful information for both locals and visitors alike on their sister site www.visitveniceca.com
Artist
Poby
Poby is a German visual artist based in Los Angeles, CA. After his career as a pro athlete in Germany he studied graphics, design and art. Succeeding in Munich as a commercial photographer, specialized in sports and underwater, he moved to New York City and proceeded his career in the United States. Covering Olympic Games and all kinds of world Championships. Creating advertising for VISA, Adidas, Nike, and many more.
