Getty Villa Malibu

We drove through Topanga Canyon from Woodland HIlls to the Getty Villa in Malibu. The road was twisty, & the view would have been specatcular if we weren't in the middle of fog. After a couple of wrong turns, we arrived at the Villa. A while ago we read an article criticizing the renovations that were made a few years ago, so we didn't know what to expect. As with the other Getty Museum site, this one definitely did not disappoint.


Everything was well laid out, from the parking to the exhibitions. We have seen antiquties in some of the major museums of the world (Louvre, British Museum, Berlin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, Athens, etc.) but have never seen anything quite like the Getty's collection. Each & every piece was a wonderful example of its type, better than anything we'd seen before. The groupings & layout were well designed and lit.


Not only is the collection superb, but the setting and architecture are both beautiful. People complain about the $15 parking fee, but museum entry is free, so if you have at least 2 in your party, it's quite reasonable. We had lunch in the cafe, and although the menu is limited, it has something for everyone and at prices lower than most museum cafes. We would definitely return if we are in the area again. Here are some images to give you an idea of the setting & the collection.

We drove from there to our next hotel -- the Royal Palace in Westwood. When we drove up we feared we had made a mistake booking this place. The outside looked dated & tired. The lobby was a bit better, but we had read great reviews so we reserved judgment.


When we opened our door we realized we had a suite! A tiny kitchen/dining area, along with a living room, bedroom & bath. Everything appears to have been recently renovated. Flat screen TVs in living room & bedroom, & the most comfy bed! Slept better than we had in ages.


Per Yelp reviews we walked a couple of blocks to SanSai Grill, a fast food-ish Japanese restaurant, so we could get some takeout to bring back to our room. They have a happy hour special, so for $20 we got way more than the 2 of us could possibly eat. The food was pretty good, but we were blown away by the friendly, helpful service. When Holly requested her food without onions, our server recommended an alternative dish & even offered to make a special batch of 1 of the salads for her. Once again, Yelpers steered us in the right direction.