All this is well and good except that now it has turned the once quiet passive beach community of Santa Monica into a hustling bustling town of major moguls and outside visitors from around the world, leaving places to stay in Santa Monica at a severe shortage.

While comfortably accommodating tourists to the area all year long, it seems that the hotel industry has had difficulty keeping up with the increased business traffic, leaving nearby town hotels at full capacity, especially during film festival weeks. After all, Southern California is the motion picture capital of the world so such events are frequent.

This recent overflow has been especially good for the Bed & Breakfast community, a once inconspicuous and silent breed of room and board providers. Now it seems they’re everywhere and southern California is no different.

We recently had the opportunity to stay at the Inn at Playa Del Rey on Culver Blvd., approximately 6 miles from Santa Monica. Built in 1995 by a woman business owner and currently run by an all-female staff, the three-story building comes with a wide variety of rooms and suites all decorated in a very down-home sort of way. If you didn’t know better, you’d feel like you’re at grandma’s house in Pennsylvania when visiting this property.

There’s a fabulous sunshine yellow breakfast room that no doubt cheers up even the grouchiest of night owls in the morning hours. Breakfast includes choices of fruit, cereal, muffins and juices. And let’s not forget plenty of coffee. (CONTINUED...)