Avalon Hotel, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles

You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to hotels in Los Angeles. As I was planning my trip I knew I had to spend a night in Beverly Hills. Forget Pretty Woman & the Beverly Wilshire, I was looking for a smaller place, & Avalon was totally up my street. located on 9400 West Olympic Boulevard, this was Kelly Wearstler’s first hotel project, & it’s still a shining beacon to her interiors style. Known for it’s ‘novel physical space’ as Avalon describe it, the hotel is set around the hourglass shaped pool, with private cabanas, & a very beautiful restaurant Oliverio, where I had dinner the night I arrived.

During the mid Twentieth Century in Southern California ‘patio lifestyle’ was a big culture, and taking the indoors outside, sitting by the pool or under a cabana was the way the evenings were drawn out. The hotel feels set in this era. With 83 rooms, including junior suites, one bedroom suites & a penthouse , the pool, wellness studio, a business centre, wifi & valet parking, oh so important in a city where you are completely lost without a car. Cue LWSY, minus car….oh.

I felt like the only person in LA who wasn’t driving so being within walking distance of the obligatory sights such as Rodeo Drive & of course the Urth Café for breakfast I was perfectly happy to settle in for 24 hours before my next night at my second Wearstler designed hotel, the Viceroy, Santa Monica.

I’d arrived into LA on a day flight from New York, so by the time I’d got to Avalon my body clock was whirling away, coupled with the heat of the night (four previous nights in a freezing cold New York) I was craving breakfast & coffee over a late supper by the pool. No matter how much I may research a hotel before my stay, it never looks how you think it might. The house restaurant, Oliverio was set around the pool, again a novelty for a Londoner, but was actually the perfect pitch for me to just take in the vibe of the hotel, people watch & have a late supper. I had a super busy four days ahead of me, and the last few days had started to catch up on me. Tonight I needed to just relax…

The Hotel Reception

The Hotel Bar at Oliverio

Avalon Poolside

Time for some supper, Oliverio is what you might call regional Italian. Italian Chef Mirko Paderno uses Californian meats, & wines from the local vineyards together with traditional recipes such as Fritto Misto, Lamb Ragu & Bolognese. So if you can’t get into Cecconi’s one night, just head to Oliverio. You can see the tables & chairs on the other side of the pool below, & then behind that is the restaurant with those famous Platner dining chairs. I was saving the restaurant for breakfast the following morning. Tonight was pool night. Just as my eyes were rolling to the back of my head it was time for bed. I struck lucky with an upgrade to a suite with terrace overlooking the hourglass pool. Here are a few shots of my room below…

Avalon Hotel LWSY