Los Angeles Smart Splurges

Cape Cod in California? That’s what you’ll find at this seaside resort, 20 minutes (without traffic) from the Hollywood hustle and bustle. The 198 rooms reflect a whitewashed beach house theme with small balconies and inviting king-sized beds with a mountain of pillows. All units come with techie goodies like iPod docking stations, flat-screen TVs, and DVD players. Brunch at the Coast restaurant allows you to watch rollerbladers and powerwalkers passing by on the beachfront Santa Monica promenade. Rent one of the hotel's beach cruiser bikes and join them, or head to the pool area, recently redesigned by President Obama’s White House decorator Michael Smith.

The impressive seven-story building features a brick and sandstone facade, wrought-iron balconies, and elaborate Renaissance-style figurines. After a $50 million restoration, the historic property was restored to its former 1926 grandeur. The Casa Del Mar’s interior retains traditional luxury, with oriental rugs, velvet draperies, bronze furnishings, and massive windows overlooking the sea. A member of the Leading Hotels of the World, the Casa del Mar’s 129 impeccably appointed guest rooms and suites feature white gossamer drapes, Venetian blinds, hand-painted armoires, golden chaises, and most offer panoramic views of the Pacific coastline. The en-suite bathrooms are lavish affairs done up in white marble, with pedestal sinks, glass-enclosed showers, and whirlpool tubs by a window that opens onto the guest room.

Santa Monica's Viceroy is loaded with such tantalizing eye-candy, even non-designer enthusiasts will be impressed. The striking lobby blends an unconventional array of colors – mainly blue, greens, grays, and sleek whites – with an eclectic mishmash of furniture and fixtures, plus a spectacular mosaic comprised of custom-made dishes mounted on mirrored walls. Off the lobby is the super-chic pool area, where loungers, cabañas, and white-leather arm chairs are set around tables where dinner and drinks are served. Above all of this self-conscious style, the hotel’s 163 spacious rooms come with sitting areas, writing desks, and mirrors behind the beds which not only reflect the ocean views you’ll have from your windows (if you’re lucky enough to be in an ocean-facing room), they also make the space look roomier. Custom beds are draped in fine linens and down comforters. Large marble bathrooms have seated vanities, soaking tubs and beauty bars. With the beach just a stroll away, the Viceroy is a smart alternative to your typical beach resort with a chic atmosphere that can’t be beat.

Up a narrow drive off Sunset Boulevard rises Hollywood’s famous celebrity-rich hotel. This landmark hotel is the place to stay for celebs (and high-flyers) seeking privacy rather than the see-and-be-seen atmosphere common to many local hotels. Accommodation here is in 63 cottages and bungalows, many of which are found near the brick-laid pool. Even so, you’re still likely to rub elbows with a Hollywood star at check-in or while relaxing in the lounge off the lobby. No two rooms are alike in the Chateau and, while the general decor isn’t as impressive as that found in other local hotels of its price category, the chambers are comfortable, outfitted with antiques, and most feel more like small apartments than bedrooms – many in fact come with fireplaces (not like you need them in LA) and 11 have kitchens. No wonder so many luminaries have actually called the hotel home for a spell – Jim Morrison certainly did, while John Belushi infamously checked out altogether, by overdosing in Bungalow 2.

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Enclosed by a white-picket-fence, The Ivy hosts Hollywood power players in a rustic country-chic...more

Hollywood’s showiest scenesters glare down on the glowing LA skyline at the modernist Mondrian hotel’s popular poolside bar.

Ivy-covered labyrinthine mall of mini-boutiques where L.A.’s hippest designers sell their pricey wares to celebs and wannabes.

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