DEVISTA DRIVE, HOLLYWOOD HILLS
Ma’am, you have a beautiful home,’ says the Uber Eats delivery guy as he carries two bags of Thai food (ordered from Night + Market) out on to the terrace, which glows in the setting sun. ‘Thank you,’ I answer, not admitting that this gorgeous mid-century-style abode, high in the Hollywood Hills, is actually a holiday rental booked via Onefinestay. It doesn’t feel like a holiday rental, partly because of its thoughtful design – the three bedrooms and two bathrooms all branch off from a bright open-plan living area with a soaring wood-clad ceiling, tiled fireplace, huge windows and a little galley kitchen and dining nook, which manages to be both spacious and the heart of the home. But it’s also because the decor is characterful without being cluttered – a living room shelving unit is adorned with beautifully curated knick-knacks and there are plants everywhere, but the rooms are simple and whitewashed with small bedside tables and good storage (the master suite even has an ample walk-in wardrobe). It’s an ideal spot for a trip with family or friends, filled with the amenities we’ve all come to rely on (an Internet TV, a Nespresso machine), but with a distinctly Californian vibe, which makes it feel very glamorous, too. The little gifts left for us – Le Labo shower gel, dark chocolate, organic ground coffee and little green ‘detox’ drops to add to our water – are also a nice touch.
The outside is equally appealing – cleverly designed and planted, a little corner patio is a total suntrap, has a sunken hot tub at its centre, spiky succulents around the edges and views across the hills (although sadly not quite of the Hollywood sign itself). There’s a barbecue and a firepit alongside a big wooden table with benches, which is the perfect place to while away an evening (as we do with our Thai food). We chose this house because it manages to feel like a little tranquil escape, yet it’s also close to the action. West Hollywood is a 10-minute cab ride away and is quintessentially LA – chi-chi vegan lunches at Gracias Madre, purple matcha lattes at Cha Cha Matcha and shopping at Zimmermann and Glossier on Melrose Place – while Runyon Canyon Park, with its wild walking trails and incredible city views, is 10 minutes in the other direction. Hotels can be a glitzy (and costly) way to enjoy a city, but for a truly authentic I’m-pretending-to-be-a-native experience, you can’t beat the laid-back but stylish offering that is Devista Drive. Just as I didn’t want to admit to the Uber Eats guy that it wasn’t actually my home,
I’m already planning my return. SARAH TOMCZAK
TRIP NOTES Prices start at £480 a night, five-night minimum stay. Devista Drive sleeps six (onefinestay.com)