Where to Stay - Los Angeles 2010 - page 88

91

The Orlando If you came to L.A. to shop , you'll definitely want to stay at the
Orlando. Not only is it situated betw een B everly Hills and West Hollywood, it's also
within walking distance of the Grove, the Farmers Market, the Beverly Center, and Res-
taurant Row (is your credit card sweating yet?). Billed as a European-style boutique hotel,
the Orlando has a modern, chic look with custom furnishings and cool color schemes of
browns, burnt oranges, and light tans. The large guest r ooms are comfortably equipped
with 32-inch plasma TVs, iPod minibars, and beds with E gyptian cotton sheets, but
you'll probably spend most of your time at the rooftop deck, floating beneath sunny blue
skies in the saltwater pool. I f you're in a splurging mood, r equest a spacious E xecutive
Garden room with a big ol' king-size bed and private patio. Other hotel perks include a
complimentary E uropean br eakfast buffet, $10 taxi v ouchers per day (smar t), and a
wonderful Italian restaurant called La Terza.
8384 W. 3rd St. (at Orlando St.), L os Angeles, CA 90048. & 800/62-HOTEL (800/624-6835) or 323/658-
6600. Fax [phone]. www.theorlando.com. 98 units. From $279 standard rooms; from $410 execu-
tive rooms. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet parking $26. Pets accepted. Amenities: Restaurant; bar ; exercise
room; outdoor heated pool; room service. In room: A/C, TV, CD player, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

The Standard, Hollywood Designed to appeal to the under-35 “it ” crowd,
André Balazs's swank West Hollywood neo-motel is sometimes absur d, sometimes bril-
liant, and always provocative (not to mention crowded!). It's a scene worthy of its Sunset
Strip location: shag carpeting on the lobby ceiling, blue AstroTurf around the swimming
pool, a DJ spinning ambient sounds while a per formance artist showing more skin than
talent poses in a display case behind the check-in desk—this place is definitely left of
center. But look past the r etro clutter and often-raucous par ty scene, and y ou'll find a
level of ser vice more often associated with hotels costing twice as much. Constr ucted
from the bones of a vintage 1964 motel, it boasts comfortably sized rooms outfitted with
cobalt blue indoor-outdoor carpeting, silv er beanbag chairs, and Warhol's poppy-print
curtains, plus private balconies, and minibars whose contents include goodies like sake,
condoms, and animal crackers. O n the downside, the cheapest r ooms face noisy Sunset
Boulevard, and the relentless scene can get tiring if you're not into it. Note: The 12-story
Downtown Standard, 550 S. F lower St. ( & 213/892-8080 ) brings a similar dose of
retro-future style and cool attitude to Downtown. It's worth visiting just to check out the
retro-glam rooftop bar with its vibrating waterbed pleasur e pods, movies projected onto
neighboring buildings, and hot waitresses.
8300 Sunset Blvd. (at Sweetzer Ave.), West Hollywood, CA 90069. & 323/650-9090. Fax [phone].
www.standardhotel.com. 139 units. $160-$295 double; from $500 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park-
ing $22. P ets 20 lb . and under ac cepted for $100-per-pet f ee. Amenities: 24-hr. coffee shop; poolside
cafe; bar/lounge; babysitting; concierge; access to nearby health club; out door heated pool; room ser-
vice. In room: A/C, TV/DVD, MP3 docking station, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).

5

INEXPENSIVE
Beverly Laurel Motor Hotel Value The Beverly Laurel is a great choice for wallet-
watching travelers who want a central location and a r oom with mor e style than y our
average motel. Ov erlooking the par king lot, the budget-basic but w ell-kept rooms are
smartened up with diamond-print spr eads and ey e-catching ar twork; other featur es
include a minifridge, micr owave, and ample closet space, and a large kitchenette for an
extra 10-spot. The postage-stamp-size outdoor pool is a little public for carefree sunbath-
ing, but it does the job on hot summer days. B est of all is the motel 's own excellent
coffee shop, Swingers (p. 137)—nobody ser ves better burgers and malts, and y ou may