The chic sleep: Kimpton La Peer Hotel, Los Angeles
Achingly cool architecture, a buzzy location and a talented head chef – all a given in LA. But this hotel takes Californian chic to a whole new level. By DANIELLE FOX
West Hollywood is far from understated. In fact, if the plethora of celebrity hotspots, restaurants, art galleries and boutique spin studios are anything to go by, WeHo is fast becoming the epicenter of LA. And then, sandwiched elegantly between Melrose Avenue and Santa Monica Boulevard, you’ll find the perfect antidote to the bustle of the design district: the Kimpton La Peer Hotel.
Housing just 105 rooms, this relatively small hotel has an outsized commitment to hospitality. Guests enter through a private, off-street courtyard, allowing famous visitors to keep a low profile. Once inside, the outstanding service starts immediately, with drinks including coffee and daily juices on offer at a counter in the main reception. And nothing is too much trouble, with one staff member sourcing a universal charger and a spare toothbrush for me at 5am one very jet-lagged morning.
What strikes you most, though, when you eventually get past the complimentary treats at reception, is the hotel’s subtle and stylish interiors (well, we’re in the design district after all). Icelandic-born designer Gulla Jónsdóttir was enlisted to marry her European sensibility with an understated-yet-luxe, Malibu-inspired vibe. The result? A serene urban oasis in the middle of LA.
THE DETAILS
Dine
Casey Lane, famed chef and owner of the Tasting Kitchen in Venice, California, and Casa Apicii in New York City, is behind the hotel’s seafood-focused Italian restaurant, Viale dei Romani, as well as both the poolside and lobby bars. Be sure to try the avocado on toast for breakfast, which the menu claims is the “world’s best”, topped with blood orange, mint and bottarga. And for an aperitif, a little later on in the day, order one of the excellent cocktails or something from the impressive, Italy-focused wine list.
Explore
Billed as the first walkable neighborhood in LA, the WeHo design district is wonderfully laid-back. And while it may seem strange at first to wander around LA by foot, you are within walking distance of Melrose Avenue and the likes of Glossier, Moon Juice and celebrity hangout Alfred Coffee.
Relax
Kimpton La Peer Hotel has partnered with several wellness companies and has a yoga-focused app that encourages guests to continue their practice and find new avenues of wellness while they’re away. The ever-changing program of events includes Wine Down Wednesdays with Lindsey Valdez, future-self meditation, astrology readings, sound healing and chakra assessments. In-room JadeYoga mats make it easy to work out in private, but the open-air yoga classes hosted on the rooftop – and followed by mimosas – are well worth the early start.