Los Angeles & Southern California - Andrea Schulte-Peevers [126]
The London (Map; www.thelondonla.com; 1020 N San Vicente Blvd, West Hollywood) British designer David Collins is putting a mod spin on the old Bel Age Hotel with Gordon Ramsey in ‘hell’s kitchen’, a Golden Door spa on the rooftop and custom-made Waterworks baths. Bliss. Open early 2008.
SLS Beverly Hills (Map; www.starwood.com; 465 S La Cienega Blvd, Beverly Hills) Under the stewardship of the folks behind the ultraswank Hyde and Area clubs, the old Meridien is being turned into a ‘chic, bold and ultimately humane’ space by none other than Philippe Starck. We’ll see. Open mid-2008.
Palomar Hotel (Map; www.kimptonhotels.com; 10740 Wilshire Blvd, Westwood) Once Cheryl Rowley is through with the ex-Doubletree, guests will be retiring to ecofriendly rooms decked out in black and red lacquer, faux snakeskin dresser tops and snakeskin patterned carpet. Open mid-2008.
W Hollywood (Map; www.whotels.com; cnr Hollywood Blvd & Vine St) The most dramatic feature of this upcoming style pit at Hollywood & Vine will likely be the glass-encased bar that will hang over the building’s edge, putting imbibers high above Hollywood Blvd. Vertigo sufferers, beware. Expected by 2009.
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Beverly Wilshire (Map; 310-275-5200, 800-819-5053; www.fourseasons.com/beverlywilshire; 9500 Wilshire Blvd; r $450-525, child free; ) You can expect a red-carpet welcome at this quietly remodeled bastion of style, glamour and top-end anything, now under the aegis of the Four Seasons. It has corked Rodeo Drive since 1928, but the amenities are very much up-to-the-minute, both in the original Italian Renaissance wing and in the newer addition. And yes, this is the very hotel from which Julia Roberts first stumbled then strutted in Pretty Woman, and where Warren Beatty kept a suite for 10 years. Parking costs $32.
Beverly Hills Hotel (Map; 310-276-2251, 800-283-8885; www.beverlyhillshotel.com; 9641 Sunset Blvd; r $450-600, ste & bungalows $950-6500; wi-fi) If the walls of this belle hotel could talk, the tales would make you laugh, blush, cry and cringe. Staying here means dwelling in the utmost of luxury with a vibe that magically marries the historical with the contemporary. For historical background, Click here. Parking costs $29.
Raffles L’Ermitage (Map; 310-278-3344, 800-800-2113; www.raffles-lermitagehotel.com; 9291 Burton Way; r $575-850, ste $1100-1400, child under 16 free; wi-fi) A hushed, elegant Eurasian ambience embraces top-tier travelers at this luxe lair in a residential area of 90210. Everything is calculated to take the edge off travel: 24-hour check-in/check-out times, personalized business cards and letterhead, and a rooftop pool with 360° views and a megacool live-shark tank. The Writer’s Bar is a Hollywood bigwig hangout. Parking is $31.
Westwood, Bel Air & Brentwood
These upscale areas put you right at the doorstep of UCLA and close to the hilltop Getty Center blockbuster attraction.
Brentwood Inn (off Map; 310-476-9981, 800-840-3808; www.thebrentwood.com; 12200 W Sunset Blvd; r incl breakfast $160-240; ) This 21-room gem feels more like bunking at a friend’s place than at a motel yet doesn’t lack in comfort. Rooms, though snug, get an airy feel thanks to cathedral ceilings. The hypoallergenic bedding, Aveda bath products and flatscreen TVs are top-notch. The stone-walled patio is perfect for enjoying the complimentary breakfast and organic afternoon tea.
Hilgard House Hotel (Map; 310-208-3945, 800-826-3934; www.hilgardhouse.com; 927 Hilgard Ave, Westwood; r incl breakfast $170, ste incl breakfast $240-360; wi-fi) There’s something comfortably stuffy about this 55-room Euro-style hotel near UCLA. It’s an unflashy, unpretentious abode with impeccable, smallish and traditional rooms popular with visiting parents and people with family at UCLA Medical Center. Breakfast is basic, but there are plenty of cafés mere steps away.
Hotel Angeleno (Map; 310-476-6411, 866-2643-5361; www.hotelangeleno.com;