Sunset Tower Hotel

In Hollywood the line between history and kitsch is so fine as to be practically non-existent. But one way or another the Sunset Tower manages to land on the right side of the line. In the latter years of the golden age this Art Deco apartment tower was home to the likes of Marilyn Monroe and Frank Sinatra; and while today the mid-century atmosphere is still in place, it’s no museum — there’s nothing faded about the newly renovated Sunset Tower’s sober, earth-toned interiors, and it’s not collectors or autograph hounds but bona fide Hollywood players who frequent its halls today.

The décor is seemingly tailor-made for the golden afternoon sunlight that brought the film business to LA in the first place. It’s not quite high luxury, but it’s pleasantly upscale, with high-end Egyptian linens and Kiehl’s bath products. And if there’s any incongruity, it’s between the classic elegance of the Sunset Tower and the very modern inelegance of the Sunset Strip. It’s a locale that’s best enjoyed with a raised eyebrow, and then escaped, with a trip to the Sunset Tower’s day spa or to the Tower Bar and Restaurant, a clubby, classic eatery on the site of what used to be the apartment belonging to the gangster Bugsy Siegel.

How to get there:
Sunset Tower Hotel is a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport, but the trip can take over an hour in traffic.