Silver Lake Pool & Inn

From the beginning we’ve been impressed by the Palisociety hotels, and the seeming effortlessness with which they conjure a relaxed cool from the unlikeliest materials. With the Silver Lake Pool & Inn, though, they’ve reached new heights, transforming a truly undistinguished 1980s motel into a chic little design oasis right in the heart of one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Los Angeles.

They had help from some talented designers — Cayley Lambur and Lucia Bartholomew from the Venice Beach-based Electric Bowery served as architects on the building’s extensive renovation and as its interior designers as well. The result is light, bright, and welcoming, a modern-classic L.A. residential look with influences from Palm Springs and Mexico City, supplied with boutique-hotel necessities like walk-in rain showers, Nespresso machines, and locally sourced snacks in the mini bars.

It’s a perfect encapsulation of what makes Silver Lake special, from its creative energy to its unhurried pace of life — the latter perhaps best embodied by the elevated pool deck, a rare but welcome luxury in this part of town. And while the hotel’s restaurant, Marco Polo, takes its inspiration from coastal Italian cuisine, a perfect match for the Silver Lake Pool & Inn’s dolce vita vibe.