Los Angeles, a city known for its excess and vanity, has no shortage of high-end hotels. From the posh mainstays of Beverly Hills to the cutting-edge, scene-y Downtown L.A. outposts, the city has something for everyone. For many years, however, the points-hotel landscape had been stale, to say the least. Previous hotspots like the W Hollywood and the Andaz West Hollywood had grown tired, and young, affluent Angelenos moved on to trendier spots.
A few years ago, all that began to change. The arrival of the London West Hollywood and, more significantly, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, signaled the points-hotel scene was back on full burn.
This year, the heat was turned up another notch with the recent opening of The West Hollywood Edition, the latest landing of the Ian Schrager and Marriott collaboration thats been churning out hotspots in destinations like New York City, London, Miami Beach, Shanghaiand Bodrum, Turkey.
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Id had my eye on the hotel for several months, and once I could confirm it had opened (never trust published hotel opening dates), I looked for a couple of nights about a month after the opening and booked a room. I told my mom to meet me in L.A. for a weekend so I could get an early look at the brand-new property.
Booking
As would be expected, rates at the all-new Edition in one of L.A.s hottest neighborhoods werent exactly cheap. When I booked, a two-night stay cost $485 per night, and no award nights were available. I did check the rates regularly, hoping theyd drop or that award nights would open up. They never did.
Nevertheless, if youre looking to use points at this property, its a good one at which to do so. Its a Category 7 property, which means an off-peak award night costs 50,000, a standard night costs 60,000 and a peak night runs you 70,000. If you can find an off-peak night, you can also use the free-night certificates that come with cards like theMarriott Bonvoy Brilliant
American Express Card, valid for nights costing up to 50,000 points. The property did not charge a resort fee, a major win in my book.
Location
The West Hollywood Edition occupies a prime piece of L.A. real estate at the corner of Sunset Boulevard and Doheny Drive, smack in the middle of all the action in WeHo. It took 30 minutes and $35 to Uber from LAXs LAXiT ride-hailing lot to the hotel. L.A. is a famously car-centric city, so we relied on Uber and Lyft throughout the weekend. The hotel isnt too far from many of the citys hottest spots for eating, drinking and shopping, though the traffic is notoriously bad, so plan accordingly.
Remember how I said the hotel is in the middle of everything? I meant it. In fact, just across the street is 1 Oak, a major nightclub that had parties both Friday and Saturday nights, and partiers inevitably spilled out into the street after theyd had enough of the club.
At any rate, it was loud until about 3:30 or 4 a.m. both weekend mornings. I didnt mind it much, as Im used to living in noisy New York City, and I expect a hotspot such as this to be noisier than usual. But I did feel bad for my mom, who isnt accustomed to much more than an occasional passing car at her home in suburban Michigan.
Bottom line: Ask for a room in the back of the building. In addition to better views, youll be able to get a full nights rest, too.
Check-in
We arrived at The Edition around 1 p.m. Pacific time on a Thursday. We were immediately greeted by a valet, who asked us our names and took our bags inside the lobby.
The gorgeous lobby was tranquil, and plenty of light streamed in from large windows toward the back.
Likely because of our early-afternoon arrival, there was no line at the check-in desk, and we were helped right away.
The agent found my reservation quickly and said there was a room ready. He did not, however, recognize my Gold status with Marriott, nor did he offer an upgrade. I wasnt expecting one, though, since I booked a room with two queen beds to accommodate my mom and me.
We had our keys in just a few minutes and were told our bags would be waiting in our room when we arrived.
Room
Like I mentioned, we were assigned a room in the front of the hotel, on the fourth floor.
It instantly reminded me of my room at The Bodrum Edition, where Id just stayed a few months before. Upon entering the room, there was a hallway with closets, minibar and, on the other side, the entrance to the bathroom.
The bathroom could be improved. It looked beautiful, sure, but it was fairly impractical. For example, the only place to hang a towel was inside the shower and there was only one hook on top of that. There was a single vanity, which is fine, but the counters werent spacious, especially for two people.
And there were a couple of issues with the shower. The first was the pressure wasnt all that great, and it didnt get quite hot enough for my liking. I mentioned this to the front desk, and after that the temperature did improve a bit, but the pressure was still not great. Im confident they can fix small issues like this because the hotel is still so new.
My mom noticed another issue. She told me the position of the showers second fixture was inconvenient for someone who was trying to shower without washing his or her hair, as it was fixed below shoulder height and thus you had to hold it in order to rinse your body. One mounted higher wouldve let you just stand under the water.
These were small issues, for sure, but I dont recall having issues with these things at the other Edition properties Ive stayed at.
I still loved the exclusive-for-Edition Le Labo-branded toiletries, which kept me smelling great after each shower.
The main room had all the familiar elements of an Edition room, like the minimalist but uberstylish furniture, an abundance of white, clean, sharp lines and, of course, the faux-fur throw.
There was the lone piece of wall artwork mounted on the far right portion of the headboard above the bed on the right side of room, which added to the minimalist-cool vibe.
I was a fan of the lighting, which especially at night contributed to that vibe.
The beds themselves were fantastic my mom even asked me at one point, Where can I buy one of these mattresses? The pillows were plentiful and varied in terms of firmness. Next to each bed were both USB and AC ports, perfect for bedside charging.
There was a table under the TV that doubled as a desk, and a small sitting area with just one chair and a side table stocked with only the most fashionable publications.
The room had a complimentary Nespresso machine and a minibar with the expected sky-high prices, so we didnt take anything from there and instead went to a corner store across the street to buy snacks and sodas.
Overall, I really enjoyed our room. It was comfortable and had that made-for-Instagram minimalist look that Edition hotels all over the world have been doing so well. I wish, however, that the designers had put more thought into the practical features of the bathroom, because when it comes down to it, even the coolest people need a place to hang their towels.
Food and beverage
The West Hollywood Edition has three main establishments for eating and drinking: Ardor, the hotels signature restaurant; The Roof, which is, well, the hotels roof bar and restaurant; and the Lobby Bar.
Ardor has already been getting rave reviews from L.A. locals not just for its gorgeous design but also for the quality of its food.
As we had plans each night to eat off property, we didnt try Ardor for dinner, but we did eat there for breakfast daily, and I thoroughly enjoyed it each time, finding the service to be prompt and friendly.
I tried the avocado toast ($19), which I ordered with a poached egg on top and a side of the restaurants homemade hot sauce. It was delicious and served on toasted, seedy bread. I had to sample a pressed juice, too. This is Los Angeles, after all. I tried the Green Beauty juice ($12), which was made with kale, cucumber, parsley, kiwi, lime, jalapeo and pineapple. It had a distinct spiciness to it, which made me feel a lot better about myself for drinking vegetables. Each morning, the staff gave us one of the hotels grapefruit pound cakes free of charge, which was absolutely delicious as well.
I also sampled the egg sandwich ($16) with Gruyere cheese, chicken sausage, egg and chipotle aioli served on a brioche bun. It was absolutely decadent so much so that I could only finish half.
My mom ordered the WeHo breakfast ($26) each day, which was served with eggs made to order, sofrito potatoes and a choice of bacon or sausage. She looked forward to it every morning, and especially loved the bacon.
We were busy during our L.A. weekend, but we made sure to hang out at The Roof a couple of times. During the day, it was a beautiful, light-filled space with Editions signature jewel-tone booths and marble tables.
At night, it was a trendy rooftop bar that hosted the whos who of Los Angeles. Each night, there was a line of locals waiting to get a spot up there. I had to check it out, of course.
There was a small outside area, primarily with two-top tables, that had a killer view of the Downtown L.A. skyline when it was clear. It was hazy for most of our stay, but I was able to catch a clear view of the skyline on our last day, and it was stunning.
The menu at The Roof was primarily small bites. We tried two varieties of tacos the pork ($12) and the steak ($16) and thought both were excellent, though I could have had at least another order because they were on the small side.
The Caesar salad ($12) was another highlight, and was made with baby romaine, endives, pumpkin-seed Caesar dressing, Cotija cheese and heritage seeds.
My favorite cocktail was the Lethal Weapon, which was made with Gem & Bolt Mezcal, Aperol, lime, dry Curacao and rhubarb. I love mezcal, and this drink was delicious and refreshing, though it didnt feel particularly boozy. I guess the only truly lethal thing about it was its cost $20, to be exact. I enjoyed this with some of the hotels guacamole and chips ($12), which is pretty much my favorite snack to have anywhere.
The Roof also supplied the food for the adjacent pool. One afternoon, I ordered a crudits platter ($20), which was served beautifully with a white-bean hummus on the side, an order of blistered shishito peppers ($14) and that trusty Caesar salad. It was all delicious, though nothing at this property was cheap.
One night before going out, I bellied up to the lobby bar and ordered an espresso martini ($20) in hopes of getting some energy for the upcoming night. It definitely did the trick.
Ive had overwhelmingly positive food-and-beverage experiences at all of the Edition properties Ive stayed at, and WeHo was no different. This brand knows how to tap into a millennials desire for experiences a large part of that being food and drinks. Theres no all-day, complimentary Turkish breakfast here, and youll pay a pretty penny to eat and drink, but for a couple cocktails or a meal, Id definitely recommend doing so.
Amenities
The standout amenity at the WeHo Edition was the rooftop pool, without a doubt. Pools are another thing that Edition gets so very right, and I felt right at home at this one, with its low-to-the-ground white loungers and a clean, rectangular pool with a surface that barely rose above the pool deck.
The immediate pool area was surrounded by artificial grass, but it was softer than what youd find on, say, a football field. Between the pool and the dining tables adjacent to the roofs glass wall were a number of steps, most of which were covered by another signature Edition flourish: tons of potted plants.
The photos dont even do it justice, but at magic hour, the view was absolutely stunning, especially if you could catch the Downtown L.A. skyline in the distance. This is sure to become an Instagram hotspot.
The only thing I found disappointing about the pool deck was that there was no music whatsoever. I dont know if this was because the hotel was still very new when I stayed, but a little music goes a long way to creating a cool poolside vibe, and it seemed out of character for the Edition to overlook that.
Besides the pool deck, the amenity offering was more in line with a typical city hotel. The lobby had several pieces of comfortable furniture on which guests could sip drinks from the Lobby Bar and socialize. There was also a marble pool table finished with bright yellow felt it was definitely a conversation piece, and I observed hip Angelenos playing pool there each night of my stay.
Just outside the lobby, there was a small deck that had a warm and inviting fire pit, which was perfect for winter in L.A., where daytime temperatures reached the 70s, but at night dipped significantly.
Of course, there was the spa, on the first floor behind the check-in desk. With prices starting at $225 for a 50-minute hydrating facial and not much time to spare, I didnt get a treatment, but I did spend time browsing the shop at the front of the spa.
I initially thought that I wasnt going to see another Edition signature at this property: the statement staircase. However, I found it on my way to the gym from just outside the spa, you ascended a small, spiral staircase to reach the gym. I was surprised to find it in a seemingly low-traffic area of the hotel, but I was glad to find it, nevertheless.
Speaking of the gym, this one felt like a cut above a typical hotel gym, with floor-to-ceiling windows and plenty of machines and free weights for any workout.
Service
Everyone on staff that we interacted with, from the valets, to the front-desk agents and the housekeeping team, was courteous, professional and wanted to help. We made many requests for bottled water in our room, and they were always delivered promptly. We enjoyed chatting with the staff members, who came from all over the nation many hoping to make it in showbiz to work at L.A.s hottest new property.
Aside from the water issues in the room, I didnt notice any new-hotel issues that often plague debut properties, sometimes for months.
Overall impression
The West Hollywood Edition is cool. Its a spot you want to see and be seen at. From the candlelit lobby and its jewel-tone sitting areas and drapes to the roof with its unbeatable sunset and skyline views, it feels like living the L.A. life straight out of a glossy magazine.
Is it the best points hotel in L.A.? Maybe. If youre looking for classic luxury, The Waldorf Astoria a few minutes down the road is the property for you. But, for me, the Edition is the perfect Los Angeles points hotel. It strikes the right balance between luxury and a fresh, young vibe thats tailor-made for me as a shamelessly Instagram-obsessed millennial. The next time Im in the City of Angels, I know where Ill be staying.