City of stars
LA has a new breed of hotels – and here’s our round-up of the best
The Hoxton
Shoreditch spent six years as the brand’s solo property, but US success has been swift and sudden: in the past 18 months it’s welcomed Williamsburg, Portland, Chicago and now Downtown LA. That knack for distilling local design heritage is in full swing here, with a refined mix of herringbone floors, burl timber and decorative plaster mouldings in reference to the handsome beaux-arts building it calls home. No stay is complete without sampling the posh twists on American classics at downstairs diner Sibling Rival. From £138 per night (thehoxton.com).
Silver Lake Pool & Inn
Though an abundance of natural light and greenery go a long way in LA, this former motel on the city’s Eastside is a masterclass in instilling a sense of place (you’d hope so, too, considering independent hotelier Palisociety is a West Coast operation). Interiors by local studio Electric Bowery are a sunny, restful blend of mid-century and Mexican influences, with contemporary touches like blocky terrazzo nightstands by Concrete Collective. Those hankering for a hint of old Hollywood glamour should head straight to the jade green hotel bar.
From £173 per night (palisociety.com).
The Prospect Hollywood
It takes a fairly special opening to create serious hotel buzz in starry Hollywood. Perched in illustrious Whitley Heights, this new boutique is Brit designer
Martyn Lawrence Bullard’s first hotel project in his adopted city (he’s best known for high-profile celebrity residential commissions, including homes for Cher and Elton John). The stately 1930s Regency façade belies the maximalist treat inside – think gilded palm trees, leopard-print carpets and a curated edit of historic Hollywood memorabilia. From £230 per night (theprospecthollywood.com).
Soho Warehouse
That this 100-year-old ex-warehouse is the Brit export’s second ‘House’ in the city is testament to the full-throttle expansion of its ‘members clubs with rooms’ concept. It’s a bit of a behemoth at 80,000 square feet (the brand’s largest US property yet) with a winning formula of exposed industrial shell – graffitied walls included – and plush, 1970s-inspired furniture that’s far too easy to sink into. There are 48 rooms and a wealth of convivial spots for socialising, but, as ever, you’ll have to cosy up to a Soho House member to book a stay. Well worth it, we say. From £146 per night (sohowarehouse.com).
Santa Monica Proper
US boutique brand Proper made a welcome return to the sunshine state last summer – its inaugural property is six hours up the coast in San Francisco – with long-time collaborator Kelly Wearstler in tow. Thankfully, she’s eschewed an easy breezy brand of coastal California in favour of a more sophisticated, eclectic spin. The lobby alone marries voluptuous lounge chairs, palm trees and layers of earthy-hued texture, and an evening holed up among books and vinyl feels just as tempting as a lengthy stint in the 3,000square-foot Ayurvedic spa. Next up is a new outpost in nearby Downtown LA, which opens later this summer. From £346 per night (properhotel.com).
West Hollywood Edition
Exalted hotelier Ian Schrager has pulled out all the stops for the first West Coast outpost of his luxury concept Edition, securing a prime spot on Sunset
Boulevard (location is everything in sprawling LA) and continuing his collaboration with British design heavyweight John Pawson for the interior. Inside, Pawson’s signature minimalism appears to have tempered Schrager’s maximalist tendencies with swathes of pale Siberian larch wood and spacious rooms in soft tones. Don’t miss the riotous greenery on the terrace of restaurant Ardor, helmed by Michelin-starred chef John Fraser, and picturesque Hollywood vistas from the rooftop pool. From £400 per night (editionhotels.com).