Los Angeles Great Values

The initials of this Philippe Starck-designed hotel, opened in November 2008, can mean many things according to the long list of acronyms displayed behind the lobby’s check-in desk (take your pick from Soft Like Silk or Star Lit Soiree). This is the kind of tongue-in-cheek whimsy that makes SLS fun – a vast departure from its former Le Meridien hotel days. Expect quirky objets d’art in the public spaces like a giant horse statue-slash-lamp and 177 chandeliers of varying design. There’s nothing traditional about the 297 rooms, either. A white platform bed (dig the faux-fur throw) takes up the center of the room and faces a floor-to-ceiling pane of smoked glass which hides a 40” LCD TV. The upstairs teak-decked infinity pool is flanked by cabanas and oversized mirrors. Even the fitness center gets its share of attention with celeb trainer Harvey Pasternak’s crew on call for personal workouts. The stark-white Ciel Spa is headquarters for heavenly massages, the popular Bar Centro serves up nitrogen-infused cocktails, and Bazaar restaurant offers delicious tapas courtesy of innovative Spanish chef José Andrés.

This recently-restored Art Deco jewel maintains the understated glamour of its golden-era heyday. Head for the Terrace bar for poolside pom-tinis and panoramic views of Los Angeles.

For the young and the hip, the Standard is the hot place to stay, see, and be seen. Set smack dab in the middle of Sunset, the hotel boasts a trendy atmosphere with minimalist decor and outlandish accents. It’s a retro-chic hideout complete with bean bags, shag carpeting on the floor (and even on the ceiling), and blue Astroturf galore – by the pool, on private balconies, and lining terraces. The Standard's pool and quirky cafe are happening spots for the fashionista crowd, who drop by to sip cocktails and nibble some of the best comfort food in town, from guacamole and grilled squid, to matzo-ball soup. The modern and comfortable rooms come with a 60s throwback: platform beds. You’ll also find other evidence of the kitschy decade in the form of Andy Warhol print drapes. The rooms also feature private balconies; aroma therapy oils; mini-bars; 24-hour room service; and top-of-the-line amenities, like cordless speakerphones with data ports. Some of the cheapest rooms face Sunset, so bring your earplugs if you want to sleep soundly.

A downtown outpost of the Standard also exists, at 550 South Flower Street (213/892-8080; www.standardhotel.com).

L.A. owes much of its reinvention as a high-brow culture capital to starchitect Richard Meier's travertine marble art institution, perched in the foothills of the Santa Monica Mountains. A tram ride up the hill followed by a stroll through the museum's gorgeous gardens makes one forget all about the traffic snarls below. Tues-Fri 10am-5:30pm; Sat 10am-9pm; Sun 10am-5:30pm.

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Want to buy the dress worn by Anne Hathaway in The Devil Wears Prada? This store picks up wardrobes and props from movie and TV sets after, well, the shows wrap.

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