The notorious playground of Annie Leibovitz, F. Scott
Fitzgerald, Lindsay Lohan and just about every other notable name
you can think of, Chateau Marmont precedes itself in reputation.
Fantastical stories and enticing history aside, the hotel itself is
a destination. Expect European charm in the form of frescoed
vaulted ceilings, as well as a host of secret entrances and exits
for dodging paparazzi. Alongside a classic look, slick mid-century
interiors find their way into some of the bedrooms. See and be seen
sipping a martini at the Bar Marmont (or a bloody mary the morning
after on the terrace); a room key is your pass behind the velvet
rope – famous or not, you can call this LA grande dame home.

If you’re jonesing for a bit of European refinement amid the
beach balls and skateboards of Los Angeles, Hotel Casa del Mar is a
sight for neon-sore eyes. The ocean-front Italianate palace feels
out of place nestled between the glossy lobbies of a more Malibu
orientation, but it’s a welcome exception. Utterly romantic,
rendered in burnt siennas and terracotta tiling, the hotel boasts
fairy-tale four-poster beds and ample windows which flood rooms
with the sort of golden sunlight that seems to only exist in
movies. Spacious marble bathrooms and private patios overlooking
the tranquil courtyard put the finishing touches on the film-star
feel.

The city’s international spirit manifests at the LINE LA; Korean, Latino and American heritage converge to offer a hotel that exudes LA-cool like no other. Sitting inconspicuously in Koreatown, it’s well positioned in one of LA’s few 24-hour neighbourhoods with some of the best late night barbecue joints and karaoke bars within easy reach (but equally important, out of ear shot). Rooms are minimalist chic, staff are multilingual, mini-bars stocked with a mix of Korean and western snacks, and the bar always buzzing. Be sure to feast on one of The LINE’s award-wining dining experiences and pick up a gift at the boutique shop, Poketo.

The 20s Moorish-style manor house isn’t the standard industrial-chic or coastal charm you usually find in LA. The usual exposed brick, wooden floorboards and modern prints are instead replaced with terracotta tiles, Persian rugs, Chesterfield sofas and vintage oil paintings. Optimised for longer stays, Palihouse’s accommodation is generously pied-à-terre sized, featuring full kitchens, a washer/dryer and many boasting their own private idyllic terraces. That being said, the 36 lofts still offer all the small luxuries and thoughtful touches of a five-star hotel, making good on the cliché “home away from home”.

Pared back and quietly stylish, The Rose is everything Venice Beach isn’t. Simple decor pays homage to LA’s bygone pre-tech era, before the influencers descended – which isn’t to say there aren’t any in residence. Opened by two photographers, it has a clientele of a similar creative disposition and you’ll often see laptops in the courtyard. Crucially, however, its proximity to the sea (as close as you can get without being oceanfront) determines much of its style too. The boho pads are low-key surfers’ lodges with whitewashed walls, natural materials and the occasional board drying on the porch.

A household name among LA’s young crowd, The Standard is your
go-to for good times, good food and good-looking people. Inhabiting
a 50s vintage Superior Oil building, it has original marble walls
and a chrome escalator that have been hipsterfied with modern art
and accent walls in the hotel’s signature red. Rooms are slick,
colourful and basic – but you don’t come to The Standard to sleep.
On any given night you’ll find a crowd of Gucci-clad
twenty-somethings jostling for drinks at the svelte rooftop bar.
With views across downtown LA, proximity to the area’s best bars
and clubs, the rooftop is most definitely The Standard’s trump
card.

This mid-century hotel encompasses four separate Spanish-style bungalows with a design that’s bright and lived in, making the lodge feel less like a hotel and more like your friend’s flat. Alongside eccentricity and objets d’arts, you’ll find 100 per cent organic cotton sheets, a heavy helping of drought-resistant native plants and a bathroom stocked with bamboo-fibre towels and robes, plus eco-friendly non-toxic products. Ideally situated in the cool-but-not-yet-touristy area of Los Feliz, the hotel is a launchpad from which to try the best milkshake of your life at nearby Fred 62, find rare titles at Skylight Books, and down a dangerously drinkable martini at The Dresden.

Where sustainability is equally as important as style, The Ambrose was the first hotel in the whole US to earn the LEED Silver certification, with a long string of eco-awards following in suit. Low-flow toilets, water-saving faucets, drought-tolerant native plants, 75 per cent of waste recycled or composted, complimentary bicycle storage, non-toxic eco-cleaning products and innovative power saving thermostats are just some of the many practices of which The Ambrose can be proud. Making sustainability sexy, it also treats guests to American Craftsman-style interiors with bright, airy rooms, a trendy bar and a distinctly SoCal sandy-feet, salty-hair vibe throughout.

Location, location, location. Sitting in the midst of Los Feliz, Silver Lake and Hollywood, Hotel Covell’s proximity to LA’s coolest areas is enough to have us booking a room – but its chic interiors are what’s making us never want to leave. A true boutique hotel with no cookie-cutter rooms, Hotel Covell is our dream apartment realised to its fullest potential, the result being a polished but eclectic guest house that’s chic but liveable. Ideal for longer stays in the city, the apartment-style suites are just like your home – but a lot better. In the hallways, expect to rub shoulders with music- and film-industry types. Trust us, you’ll know them when you see them.

Tucked away from prying eyes, Petit Ermitage is a hotel for
those in the know, and a far cry from what you’d expect of the
notorious Sunset Strip. A bohemian oasis, Petit Ermitage does what
it says on the tin – just replace spirituality with sangria. The
first thing you notice is the art, and it’s not your average scene
of the sea you see at motels; at Petit Ermitage you’ll lay eyes on
a Dalí, de Kooning, Miro and Rauschenberg. If you can pull yourself
from the dreamy beds, the rooftop garden is where you’ll want to
set up camp with a good book while gorging on Turkish-style lamb
meatballs and endless plates of monkey bread. Little touches like
Le Labo toiletries (in none other than Santal 33) are very much
appreciated.