Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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smart and sexy, with lots of marble and glamour in the lobby, clean lines in all 200 suites,
and a rooftop pool with sweeping views of all of Los Angeles. I t's fitting for the off-the-
Strip location, literally walking distance from famed clubs like the Viper Room and Key
Club. Just so you don't forget it's the London, E nglish touches include an E nglish bull-
dog who sits in the lobb y on the weekends and free calls to London, E ngland. The spa-
cious suites are well-designed with sleek furniture (embossed leather upholstery, bleached
oak finishes, hand-cut mosaic tiles) and all hav e some sor t of balcony—second-floor
suites have full-on patios. The rooftop pool area is reminiscent of an English garden with
topiaries and Astr oTurf, plus a lounge ar ea for snacks or lunch; ther e's also an outdoor
workout and y oga area. The restaurant, from famed London and “H ell's Kitchen” chef
Gordon Ramsay, is a standout for lunch or dinner , but w e're partial to the bottomless
Champagne weekend brunch.
1020 N. San Vicente Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069.
&
866/282-4560
or 310/854-1111. Fax 310/358-
7791. www.thelondonwesthollywood.com. 200 units. $299-$550 suites. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park-
ing $32.
Amenities:
Restaurant and bar ; concierge; exercise room; rooftop pool; room service.
In room:
A/C, TV, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).
Mondrian
Theatrical, coveted, sophisticated—this is the kind of place superho-
telier I an Schrager has cr eated fr om a once-drab apar tment building. Working with
designer Philippe Starck, Schrager used the M ondrian's breathtaking views (from every
room) as the star ting point for his vision of a “hotel in the clouds. ” Purposely underlit
hallways lead to bright, clean r ooms done in shades of white, beige, and pale gray and
outfitted with simple furniture casually slipcovered in white. Truthfully, the accommoda-
tions themselv es ar e only secondar y—stay her e if y ou want to be par t of a superhip ,
star-studded scene. Booking a r oom automatically gets y ou in to the poolside
Skybar
(soundproof windows on the entir e south side of the building hav e already dealt with a
troublesome noise problem in rooms overlooking the raucous late-night scene.) In addi-
tion to its terrific—and ultrahip—Asian-Latin fusion r estaurant
Asia de C uba,
light
meals and sushi ar e ser ved at a quir ky communal table in the lobb y. Then there's the
elegant
Agua Spa,
offering a full range of spa tr eatments in a Zen-like atmosphere. The
beautiful-people staff isn't strong on service, but so what? They look great.
8440 Sunset Blv d., West Hollywood, CA 90069.
&
800/697-1791
or 323/650-8999. F ax 323/650-5215.
www.mondrianhotel.com. 237 units. $330-$580 double; from $405 suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet park-
ing $23.
Amenities:
2 restaurants; bar; concierge; exercise room; outdoor pool; room service; full-service
spa.
In room:
A/C, TV, CD player, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi ($10 per day).
5
Montage Beverly Hills
Smack-dab in the center of the G olden Triangle, a
credit card's throw from Rodeo Drive, this brand-ne w resort has it all: B eautiful rooms,
top-notch service, an excellent spa, and a rooftop restaurant and pool with sweeping views
of the city. I like the Mediterranean-inspired, Spanish Colonial decor—it's warm and invit-
ing, serene and plush, just what you'd expect from the Montage, which, by the way, is also
one of my favorite Orange County resorts. Because it only opened in late 2008, this defi-
nitely feels like a contemporar y resort; if y ou're looking for histor y, try the B everly Hills
Hotel (see abo ve). All 201 r ooms have balconies, extr emely comfortable beds, and ample
desk space for business travelers. The suites are worth the extra dollars, especially if you like
extra living space to spr ead out; book a corner suite and y ou'll get a complimentar y Mer-
cedes-Benz to driv e around town during y our stay. Private cabanas ar ound the pool ar e
completely decked out with TVs, refrigerators—pretty much anything you could possibly
want, they'll get it for y ou. Get a tr eatment in the two-stor y spa; w e found that ev en the
facials are relaxing. There's afternoon tea in the lobby, and three restaurants:
Parq
for three
