Hotels

Opened in 1931 as a luxury apartment block, the Sunset Tower has had such notable residents as Frank Sinatra, Howard Hughes, Marilyn Monroe and Jean Harlow. The building underwent a $46m renovation in the late 1980s (reinstating some of the art deco elements), and another in 2005 under new owner Jeff Klein. While the 81 rooms occasionally feel in need of another refresh, the old-school charm is a rare pleasure. Staff are attentive and courteous, the poolside with its city views is an oasis, and the Tower Bar is one of the best places to grab a drink in Los Angeles.

Many of the mid-century motels in Los Angeles have a seedy allure: the 1960s Farmer’s Daughter was once so evocative that Julianne Moore moved in while reading for Boogie Nights. But its star had faded by 2021 when developer Leo Grifka began transforming the motel into Short Stories, a peaceful 66-room retreat amid the bustle of literary Fairfax, with a marble-courtyard restaurant and verdant fountain where the car park used to be. LA designer Kevin Klein has given the place a top-to-toe perk-up – with terrazzo bathrooms and red oak credenzas in the suites – that summons up its heyday without feeling like a throwback. “When you stay at a hotel, you’re creating these short little stories,” says Grifka. “I wanted to go back to that.” 

Once a private members’ club frequented in its heyday by Cecil B DeMille, it reopened as a Proper hotel in 2022 opening following an extensive renovation by designer Kelly Wearstler. Highly residential in feel, the hotel blends elements of Mexican modernism with Moroccan, Spanish and Portuguese influences through its 147 guest rooms and two suites. With the James Beard Award-winning team of restaurateur Caroline Styne and chef Suzanne Goin at the helm of the kitchen, guests can choose between two eating options: Cara Cara, an open-air affair with rooftop views, and Caldo Verde, the place to go for Mexican and Portuguese-inspired dishes.