Luxury Hotels: Those seeking a fabulous Santa Monica beach vacation with the family need look no further thanViceroy Santa Monica — an incredibly chic and surprisingly kid-friendly boutique hotel offering a unique mix of urban sophistication and relaxed coastal character.

While many luxe hotels in Santa Monica are soliciting families this summer, Viceroy Santa Monica has a leg up on the competition with its fun-filled “Fete for a Family” getaway package that I and my family recently enjoyed. The stellar summer special, which runs from March through August and costs $1,845 (inclusive of tax), offers two-nights in connecting guestrooms, not to mention a lovely welcome amenity of wine (ours a 2005 Merryvale Starmont Cabernet Sauvignon) and cheese with accoutrements for Mom and Dad — cookies and milk for the kiddos. Movies on DVD and popcorn are also delivered to your room upon request.

The “Fete for a Family” package also includes breakfast each morning either in-room or at Whist, Viceroy Santa Monica’s Michelin recommended, full-service restaurant notably rated one of the “top 50 hotel restaurants” by Food & Wine magazine. Adding to the adventure, a hybrid car rental comes with the package with a plotted route to the Getty Villa in Malibu, a new educational center and museum for the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome and Eturia.

Ideally located on Ocean Avenue mere minutes from the beach, historic Santa Monica Pier and the ever-popular Third Street Promenade, this ultra-stylish, English-inspired retreat offers extravagant accommodations, choice amenities and superb service. All 162 of the property’s rooms and suites, which start at $359 per night and with most boasting coastal views, are extraordinarily well-appointed. Molding details, custom armoires, Lucite and glass tables, warm wood bed frames and other stylish touches adorn the rooms, while the elegant bathrooms feature floor-to-ceiling marble tiles, spa-worthy hair and body products by Aromatherapy Associates and, in many, seated vanities. A “Beauty Bar” is offered, with a variety of items such as body scrubs, face and body moisturizers, and a hand-harvested sisal fiber wash cloth available for purchase.

Suite accommodations at Viceroy Santa Monica start at $559 per night. Along with a magnificent ocean view balcony, the one-bedroom, 640-square feet Empire Suites also offer a living room with coffered ceiling, sleeper sofa, 27-inch flat-screen television and a whirlpool tub. The one-bedroom Monarch suite is the penthouse accommodation and features everything in the Empire Suite along with a marble entry, living room with wet bar, convertible sleeper sofa, whirlpool tub, steam shower, and custom furniture designed solely for this space. Both suites can be expanded into two-bedroom units through adjacent rooms.

In-room amenities at Viceroy Santa Monica abound, and include luxurious Filidoro linens and bathrobes as well as cozy down comforters and pillows that implore you to sleep in. In addition to a spectacular view of the Pacific, my family’s adjoining rooms on the 5th floor each boasted extremely large flat screen TVs with DVD player, clock radio with iPod dock and code-enabled safes for valuables. In-room mini-bars are also stocked with an assortment of goodies to appease the palates of adults and children, alike. While enjoying all the features and benefits provided with the “Fete for a Family” package, be sure to take advantage of other on-site services Viceroy Santa Monica offers, like valet parking, concierge assistance, same day dry cleaning and laundry and 24-hour in-room dining.

As mine did, families will also enjoy the property’s two quaint plunge pools, sundeck and private cabanas surrounded by beautifully manicured landscaping. A 24-hour accessible fitness center stocked with free weights and cardiovascular equipment is also located on-site to keep the exercise buffs, well, buff. If Mom and Dad cannot escape from work even for the weekend or simply cannot resist checking e-mail (guilty as charged), all rooms on the property feature wired and wireless DSL/High-speed Internet access as do many of the public spaces. A fully-equipped business center is also available so guests can stay on top of things at work amid the fun.