Best Boutique Hotels In Los Angeles
If you're visiting Los Angeles or looking for a great place to bunk up, forget the corporate chain hotel and stay at one of LA's best boutique lodgings. With each having their own personal style along with one-of-a-kind amenities, travelers and residents of LA flock to stay and be seen at these unique hotels.
Palihouse
Palihouse Holloway
8465 Holloway Drive
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(323) 656-4100
Palihouse Santa Monica
1001 Third Street
Santa Monica, CA 90403
(310) 394-1279
www.palihouse.com
Complete with a sophisticated and unique design that exudes cool, The Palihouse family of hotels has quickly established itself as the go-to place to stay if you're looking for boutique extended stay lodging. Quite the change from the normal concepts of most high-end hotels around the city, rooms at the West Hollywood and Santa Monica locations come with a modern, sophisticated design along with full kitchens, walk-in closets and flat screen TVs. Palihouse West Hollywood also boasts a rooftop lounge for guests' enjoyment, as well as seasonal dishes served at The Palihouse Courtyard Brasserie. In the evening, the lobby/lounge is the place to be seen and is a comfortably, yet trendy spot to grab a drink or coffee. Across town, Palihouse Santa Monica is just a couple of blocks from the shopping and restaurants of Third Street Promenade, and of course the beach and Santa Monica Pier are nearby. The hotel, with its essence of chic comfort, offers residences including studios, one bedroom residences, two bedroom residences and penthouse options. Whether you pick West Hollywood or Santa Monica, Palihouse combines luxury hotel life along with top notch amenities with a touch of long-term residency for anyone who chooses to stay.
The Orlando
8384 West 3rd Street
Los Angeles, CA 90048
(323) 658-6600
www.theorlando.com
Resting in the middle of the growing and trendy West Third Street Neighborhood, The Orlando is a family-owned hotel which recently celebrated its 30 year anniversary. If you're looking to be in the center of things, this is the spot to be. The neighborhood of West Third Street, technically named Mid-City West, is primarily concentrated along the strip between Fairfax Avenue and La Cienega Boulevard and is a bustling strip of restaurants, bars, lounges, boutiques and more. The Beverly Center and The Grove are conveniently close, making The Orlando perfectly situated for those who love to shop. The hotel, offering guestrooms and suites, offers a selection of newly-redesigned accommodations and has quickly become a top spot to stay and visit in LA. With a spa, fitness center, a saltwater pool on the roof to sunbathe in, as well as dining options at their "Library Lounge" or next-door Clover Juice Bar, The Orlando is a delightful boutique hotel. Don't forget to take advantage of their specials and packages also!
Sunset Marquis
1200 Alta Loma Road
West Hollywood, CA 90069
(310) 657-1333
www.sunsetmarquis.com
The Sunset Marquis may be one of West Hollywood's best and most secluded treasures. The hotel, which rests at the top of Alta Loma Road, a cul de sac'd residential neighborhood, sits right next to The Sunset Strip. Sitting next to this famed street may explain why the Sunset Marquis has evolved over the years into a place to crash for touring rock stars of the 60s through today, as well as writers, actors, models and more. While it sits next to the busy Sunset Strip, its Mediterranean-inspired villas and lush green landscape help to set it away from the busy push of the Strip to create a quiet and exclusive atmosphere once you step behind the hotel's doors. Enjoy dinner on the open-air patio at Catavina, book a few treatments at the spa, rock out to live music sets on the Villa Pool deck, or explore the work of famed photographers in the lobby's Morrison Hotel Gallery. The hotel, which offers accommodations in villas and suites, creates a home away from home environment on a beautiful 3.5 acre oasis in the heart of the city. The hotel is also home to the famed NightBird Recording Studios, so keep your eyes peeled for your favorite artist sneaking into the underground garage to record a few tracks.
Hotel Erwin
1697 Pacific Avenue
Venice Beach, CA 90291
(310) 452-1111
www.hotelerwin.com
The Erwin, located on Venice Beach, is a beach bum's delight with its picturesque views of the sun-drenched surf and Venice Boardwalk. The hotel is also close to bustling Abbot Kinney Blvd. if great shops, terrific dining options and people-watching run high on the to-do list. For those who want to stick close to home base, the Erwin's upper deck lounge is the highest rooftop lounge in the area, hence its appropriate name - High. There's also Barlo, which serves breakfast and dinner to hungry diners, in addition to the launch of the weekend Barlo Brunch Club. Guests in suites and premium rooms on the sixth floor can also pick and choose complimentary cocktails, beer and wine on a happy hour cart from 5-7pm every day. One more plus? The hotel is less than 20 minutes from the airport, and that is definitely a pro in a city which has become synonymous with traffic.
SIXTY Beverly Hills
9360 Wilshire Boulevard
Beverly Hills, CA 90212
(310) 273-1400
www.sixtyhotels.com/beverlyhills
Formerly known as the Thompson Beverly Hills, the SIXTY is the rebranded hotel on the block. The hotel, which sits in Beverly Hills on Wilshire Blvd., features a wide range of semi-affordable guest-rooms and suites with chic and modern decor. Close to the shopping and restaurants of Rodeo Drive, it is perfect for anyone who wants to be close to all of the upscale action and celebrity sightings of the city. Grab a bite a the California-style steakhouse, Caulfields, or if you're a guest, head up to the rooftop poolside bar, ABH, for a cocktail. At the end of the day, slip into your elegantly designed room outfitted with sumptuous furniture, amenities and high-end minibar snacks.
Sportsmen's Lodge
12825 Ventura Boulevard
Studio City, CA 91604
(818) 769-4700
www.sportsmenslodge.com
The newly renovated Sportsmen's Lodge received a welcome facelift, forcing its Valley neighbors and L.A. visitors to take another look at the legendary hotel. The original building opened its doors in the 1880s, serving as a place for families to catch fish from the nearby river and eat their fare, cooked by the hands of the Lodge's chefs. Throughout the early days, The Lodge became a famous watering hole for entertainers when the Hollywood biz made big screen celebrities household names. The current hotel was built adjacent to the original Lodge in 1962, setting the stage for the current space. Today, the hotel's indoor and outdoor spaces boast brighter colors and updated furniture, while still paying homage to guests of yesteryear via portraits of '20s and 30s movie stars in the upgraded The Patio Cafe. Most of the rooms overlook the largest pool in the San Fernando Valley, and they all feature free wi-fi. New summer events include a monthly First Thursdays Night Market, poolside DJs on Sunday afternoons and upcoming synchronized swimming classes for guests led by the Aqualillies. The hotel lies in close proximity to studios and attractions in the Valley, as well as being less than 20 minutes from Hollywood and Beverly Hills.
The Ace Hotel
929 South Broadway
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 623-3233
www.acehotel.com/losangeles
Downtown L.A.'s recent massive urban rejuvenation project has encouraged a steady stream of new businesses, renovated condos and apartments, hip restaurants, and hotels to claim a spot in the area's Renaissance. The Ace Hotel announced its arrival two years ago, and the doors opened earlier this year. Built inside Walker & Eisen's 1920s United Ace Theatre, the renovated space boasts Cali-centric artwork in the lobby, a rooftop bar, an intimate pool, as well as full sit-down dining and craft cocktails at restaurant/bar LA Chapter, a Stumptown Coffee bar and, of course, events and performances at The Theatre at Ace. Consider the Ace to be a breath of fresh air in DTLA's Historic Core district.
The LINE Hotel
3515 Wilshire Boulevard
Los Angeles, CA 90010
(213) 381-7411
www.thelinehotel.com
A hotel in Koreatown? Yes, Koreatown has a new must-check-in hotel in the area: The LINE. With a funky, raw character thanks to multi-colored t-shirts that comprise part of the lobby's ceiling design, walls decorated with photography of the city, quirky accoutrements and furniture in the rooms as well as Linus bike rentals, The LINE Hotel has quickly become a LA city favorite. Snag a seat at Roy Choi's Pot, then slide into Speek for cocktails and DJs on turntables. Conveniently located near the Metro, The LINE is easy to access and promises all night entertainment for guests and anyone else who loves to party in Ktown.
Chrystal Baker is a freelance food and events contributor for CBS
Los Angeles, Basil Magazine and Frugivore Magazine. She is the co- editor of a recipe
blog, The Duo Dishes,
as well as her personal lifestyle blog, Any and Everywhere.