Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
6
•
Taking a Tour of the Walt D isney
Concert Hall:
Built with a lot of D is-
ney money but without a trace of
goofiness, this stunning accomplish-
ment of ar t and ar chitecture is the
crown jewel of D owntown. You'd have
to fly to S pain to see ar chitect F rank
Gehry's similar ar chitectural master-
piece, the G uggenheim M useum. The
dramatically cur vaceous stainless-steel
exterior houses one of the most acousti-
cally perfect concert halls in the world.
The self-guided audio walking tour ,
narrated b y actor J ohn Lithgo w, is
superb. See p. 164.
•
Taking a S tudio Tour:
This is why
you're v acationing in L.A.—to see
where movie magic is being made. S tu-
dio tours ar e an enter taining oppor tu-
nity to get a peek at the stage sets for
sitcom and talk sho ws (sometimes dur-
ing filming), and y ou never know who
you're going to see emerging from his or
her Star Wagon. See the “Studio Tours”
section on p. 191.
•
Visiting Santa Catalina Island:
Taking a
day trip to Catalina makes for a most
adventurous day: a scenic boat ride; oodles
of shopping, snor keling, and scuba div-
ing; golf; hiking trails; waffle cones; sun-
burns; and DUI-fr ee barhopping.
Tip:
The helicopter taxi is a lot cheaper than
you'd expect. See chapter 11.
2
THE BEST SPLURGE HOTELS
1
•
The Ambr ose
(1255 20th S t., S anta
Monica;
&
310/315-1555
): T ake a
break from the fast-paced L.A. scene at
this stylish 77-r oom boutique Ar ts and
Crafts hideaway that offers a soothing,
peaceful envir onment—tranquil J apa-
nese gar den, koi pond, trickling foun-
tains—and plenty of fr ee per ks
(including complimentar y taxi shuttle
service). See p. 74.
•
Beach H ouse H otel H ermosa Beach
(1300 The S trand, H ermosa B each;
&
888/895-4559
): R omance-seeking
couples will nev er want to leav e this
beautiful boutique resort offering plush,
luxury-laden studio suites. Book one
overlooking the sand and sunbathers
for the ultimate beach getaway
swim laps in the same pool Katharine
Hepburn once do ve into fully clothed,
and eat pancakes in the fabled Fountain
Coffee Shop. Ah, yes, the Pink Palace is
still the place to r elive H ollywood's
Golden Age. See p. 80.
•
Casa del Mar
(1910 Ocean Way, Santa
Monica;
&
800/898-6999
): This
impeccably r estored R enaissance
Revival-style hotel is the grande dame
of L.A.'s beachfront hotels, ideally situ-
ated in the midst of the S anta Monica
scene and offering panoramic vie ws of
the ocean fr om every room. Be sure to
book the “ All A bout Me” spa package
for ultimate indulgence. See p. 67.
•
Chateau Marmont
(8221 Sunset Blvd.,
West H ollywood;
&
800/242-8328
):
Modeled after an elegant Loir e Valley
castle, the 1920s-era Chateau oozes Old
Hollywood. S ecreted abo ve the S unset
Strip, its ghosts fr om the past include
Greta G arbo, E rrol F lynn, N atalie
Wood, M arlon B rando, J ames D ean,
Marilyn M onroe, Clar k G able, and
Jean Harlow. See p. 86.
. S ee
p. 73.
•
Beverly H ills H otel and B ungalows
(9641 S unset B lvd., B everly H ills;
&
800/283-8885
): S pending at least
1 night at this H ollywood icon is w ell
worth the heavy hit to y our cr edit
card. Take afternoon tea in the famous
Polo Lounge next to O zzy O sbourne,
