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 Los Angeles Hotels
Flamboyant, brash, hip and exciting, Los Angeles is a sprawling city of mega-bucks, mega-stars and mega-egos, where nobody seems to do anything by halves. Different areas of the city are like separate villages with their own distinctive personalities. Taken one at a time the bits of this metropolitan jigsaw seem friendlier, more appealing to explore and easier to get to know and it is worth putting almost as much thought into where you want to be based as which hotel you want to stay in. Top choices are the newly revamped Hollywood with its film studios and Walk of Fame, Beverly Hills with its shops and the Santa Monica and Malibu beach areas. Wherever you decide to stay, there is easy access to other areas and no shortage of things to do, from celebrity spotting, visiting Universal Studios, the huge Griffith Park or the Getty Center, checking out the vibrant nightlife or just watching the spectacular Pacific sunsets. The hotels are listed by price category, and their order bears no reflection on our preference.
 Reviews by Leonie Glass |
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| Luxury: Glossy beach boutique hotel with a colonial atmosphere |
| Location: Santa Monica; Ocean Avenue at Pico Boulevard |
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| At this sleek beach boutique hotel, opt for a room – or, better still, a suite – with an ocean view. Classic decoration and white furniture give it a colonial feel, and the rooms, with their marble bathrooms and crisp bedlinen, are oases of calm. The Cameo Bar comes into its own after dark as one of Santa Monica’s happening nightspots. There are also two excellent restaurants and, among the latest amenities, poolside play stations. |
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| Luxury: Loire château replica and haunt of the glitterati |
| Location: Hollywood; Sunset Boulevard between N Harper Avenue and Havenhurst Drive |
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| A fantastical folly, this reproduction of Château Amboise in the Loire appears to have strayed off a movie set and taken up residence on Sunset Boulevard. Built in 1929, it was the city’s first quake-proof building, and has been a favourite haunt of the glitterati since Howard Hughes admired poolside starlets from his penthouse suite. Today’s stars can relax in luxurious surroundings and lush gardens knowing that the paparazzi are banned. |
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| Mid Price: Low-key 1950s-style elegance at LA's first boutique hotel |
| Location: Beverly Hills; W Olympic Boulevard at S Canon Drive |
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| As the Beverly Carlton it was LA’s first boutique hotel, now it has a new name, the Avalon, but the same elegant understated style, an updated version of 1950s. At its centre is a kidney-shaped pool with a terrace and dining tables in private cabanas. The restaurant – blue on blue – has an excellent reputation. There are 88 tasteful bedrooms, furnished with classic pieces by designers of note such as George Nelson and Charles Eames. |
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| Mid Price: Magnificently renovated Art Deco Hollywood landmark |
| Location: West Hollywood; Sunset Boulevard at N Sweetzer Avenue |
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| A Hollywood landmark, this fabulous Art Deco tower was designed by Leland A. Bryant in 1929 as an apartment building. Errol Flynn, John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe all became residents. A multi-million dollar renovation has restored the tower to its former glory, as well as updating the rooms with 21st-century technology and comforts and floor-to-ceiling windows that show off the panoramic views. It has also a spa and a pair of chic dining rooms. |
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| Mid Price: Beautifully restored Spanish Colonial-style hotel with impeccable credentials |
| Location: Hollywood; Hollywood Boulevard at N Orange Drive |
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| As host of the first Academy Awards ceremony in 1929 and favourite of mega-stars Marilyn Monroe and Clark Gable, this Spanish Colonial-style hotel has impeccable credentials. In 2005 designer Dodd Mitchell orchestrated its impressive restoration. The large, elegant bedrooms are now equipped with state-of-the-art technology and luxurious linens. Celebrated chef Tim Goodell oversees the steakhouse, Dakota, whilst the poolside bar Tropicana is the place to see and be seen, if you can get in. |
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| Mid Price: Sophisticated hip hotel, cleverly designed and professionally run |
| Location: Manhattan Beach; N Valley Drive at Manhattan Beach Boulevard |
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| It’s cool in the Shade. Two blocks from the revitalised Manhattan Beach, this hip hotel has a funky, modern design, sophisticated atmosphere and attentive staff. Choose to sip your martini downstairs in the Zinc Lounge, a stunning-looking and lively gathering place for the young beach crowd, or whilst relaxing in the giant Jacuzzi on the Skydeck. Each harmonious, well-designed room has its own espresso-maker, spa tub and luxuriously comfortable bed. |
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| Mid Price: Sleek, smart and sophisticated in an excellent location |
| Location: Corner of Wilshire Boulevard and North Crescent Drive |
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| This former Best Western hotel has been totally transformed by architect Dodd Mitchell into a glamorous urban paradise. Each of the 107 sophisticated rooms has a private balcony, with extensive views of downtown LA or the famous Hollywood sign. The retro modern decor is achingly hip - dark wood furniture, stark white walls, mirrored ceilings, leather panels. This hotel is vibrant, spirited and in an excellent location. |
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| Inexpensive: Kitsch but fun with modest rooms and bargain prices |
| Location: city centre; S Fairfax Avenue at W 1st Street |
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| The owners of this simple hotel with an unbeatable location and great-value prices certainly have a sense of humour. Kitsch but fun, the barnyard theme crops up everywhere from gingham curtains, rocking chairs and inflatable pool animals to alarm clocks that screech ‘cock-a-doodle-doo’. They have transformed a basic motel and given it a clean, jaunty look. The restaurant, Tart, has a French-inspired menu, and the warm welcome is genuine. |
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