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                                                                EXHIBIT 23.1

                       CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement of
Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. on Form S-3 being filed under the Securities Act
of 1933, as amended, of our report dated February 28, 1997, on our audits of the
consolidated financial statements and financial statement schedule of Sunstone
Hotel Investors, Inc. and Sunstone Hotels (the Predecessor), and of our report
dated February 28, 1997, on our audit of the financial statements of Sunstone
Hotel Properties, Inc. (the Lessee) appearing in the Annual Report on Form 10-K
of Sunstone Hotel Investors, Inc. (the "Company") for the year ended December
31, 1996, of our report dated July 17, 1997 on our audit of the financial
statements of Markland Hotel, Inc., for the year ended May 31, 1997, of our
report dated July 18, 1997 on our audit of the financial statements of the
Gateway Center Group, for the year ended December 31, 1996, of our report dated
August 7, 1997 on our audit of the financial statements of the Holiday Inn
Mission Valley Stadium Hotel, for the year ended May 31, 1997, and of our report
dated August 7, 1997 on our audit of the financial statements of TSB Crystal
Partnership, for the year ended December 31, 1996, which reports appear in the
Company's Current Report on Form 8-K/A filed August 22, 1997, and of our report
dated November 22, 1996 on our audits of the financial statements of Ventura
Hospitality Partners L.P., appearing in the Company's Current Report on Form
8-K/A filed January 7, 1997. We also consent to the reference to our firm under
the caption "Experts."


Coopers & Lybrand L.L.P.


San Francisco, California
August 25, 1997