Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
89
W Los Angeles
Design-savvy hipsters looking for cutting-edge style and famil-
iar comforts will enjoy this 15-story, all-suite hotel near UCLA. Hidden behind a severe
concrete exterior, this oasis-like property has always had advantages: an all-suite configu-
ration, two lush acres of greenery, and eye-catching '60s architectural detailing that's been
liberated from its longstanding Sheetrock walls. Rooms range from large two-room suites
to two-bed, two-bathr oom suites, featuring bold, angular furnishings in dar k African
wenge wood, accented with gray carpeting and soft plum textiles. L uxuries include
divinely dressed beds, 27-inch TVs—plasma screens in some rooms—and DVD and CD
players. The
NineThirty
restaurant ser ves superb American cuisine, while nightlife
impresario Rande Gerber's bar,
Whiskey Blue,
still packs the tr endsters in on w eekend
nights. The well-furnished gardenlike pool area has its own outdoor cafe called the
Back-
yard,
serving Mediterranean “swimwear fare.” The 7,000-square-foot
Bliss Spa
offers hip
services like mo vie-while-you-manicure nail stations, and men 's and women 's lounges
that offer snacks to the r oad-weary.
930 Hilgard Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90024-3033.
&
877/W-HOTELS
(877/946-8357) or 310/208-8765. Fax
310/824-0355. www.whotels.com. 258 units. From $329 1- or 2-bedroom suite. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Valet
parking $31. P ets accepted.
Amenities:
2 r estaurants; lounge; bab ysitting; concierge; exercise room;
outdoor heated pool; room service; spa; Wi-Fi (free, in lobby).
In room:
A/C, TV/DVD, CD player, hair dryer,
minibar, Wi-Fi ($15 per day).
MODERATE
Carlyle Inn
Value
Tucked away on an unev entful stretch of Robertson Boule-
vard just south of Beverly Hills, this four-story inn is one of L.A.'s best midpriced finds.
Making the most of a small lot, ar chitects have created an attractive interior cour tyard,
which almost every room faces, that gives the property a feeling of openness and serenity
that most others in this price range lack—not to mention good outdoor space for enjoy-
ing the free breakfast or afternoon munchies at umbrella-covered cafe tables on nice days.
The well-planned, contemporar y guest r ooms are fitted with r ecessed lighting, quality
furnishings, firm bedding, and bathr obes. Suites have pullout sofas but ar e only slightly
larger than standard rooms, so families may be better off in a double/double or connect-
ing rooms. The conscientious manager keeps everything in racing form. The hotel's pri-
mary drawback is that it lacks views; curtains must remain drawn at all times to maintain
any sense of priv acy. Still, it doesn't seem to bother the 90% r epeat visitors, who kno w
good value when they find it. M anagement will deal, so ask for discounts.
1119 S. Rober tson Blvd. (btw. Pico and Olympic blv ds.), Los Angeles, CA 90035.
&
800/322-7595
or
310/275-4445. Fax 310/859-0496. w ww.carlyle-inn.com. 32 units . From $199 double; fr om $209 suit e.
Rates include full buff et breakfast and weekday-afternoon hors d'oeuvres. AE, DC, DISC, MC, V. Parking
$11.
Amenities:
Exercise room; Jacuzzi.
In room:
A/C, TV/VCR, hair dryer, minibar, Wi-Fi (free).
5
Chamberlain West Hollywood
This four-stor y boutique hotel in a tr ee-lined
residential West H ollywood neighborhood looks and feels much like a high-quality
Manhattan apartment building (probably because it used to be an apar tment building).
The location alone is reason enough to stay here, as it's only two blocks from the Sunset
Strip and Santa Monica Boulevard. If you're young and hip and have plenty of room on
your credit card, you won't need y our car once it 's parked in the undergr ound garage
(hell, you won't even need comfor table shoes). I f you've been to the Viceroy in S anta
Monica, y ou'll r ecognize the E nglish M odern decor—dusky grays, gr eens, and blues
among star k white furnishings. Each guest r oom is a suite with a separate living and
sleeping area, and comes pleasantly equipped with a plush king-siz e bed with M ascioni
