Where to Stay in L.A: Palihotel

Sunday 21 February 2016

After a delayed arrival into Los Angeles, an enormous line to rent-a-car, and the notorious L.A traffic, I felt relieved to finally arrive at our home-away-from-home for the Valentine's Day long weekend. We somehow found ourselves in what felt like The Grand Budapest Hotel combined with a 1940's French cabaret lounge. The Palihotel emits so much character from the moment you walk through the door and it continues to do so throughout the hotel. We wanted a quirky, cool, boutique vibe for the long weekend, a place that combined playful ambiance with a romantic edge and we certainly got everything we were hoping for by staying here.

The Wes Anderson inspired decor continues throughout the hotel, the walls in our room were a dark teal which contrasted against a funky cork feature wall and sat atop golf-green carpets. The lighting and stormy wall colouring created a dim, romantic vibe for cuddling up in bed and watching a {french black and white} film. We had a cosy Queen room {rates starting around $240 per night} which was fine for the two of us, it had a small space to hang coats, shoes and leave large items to de-clutter the main room area, a small en-suite bathroom and a cosy bedroom with the prettiest vintage pink sofa and a large window spanning almost an entire wall. 

I find that small, thoughtful details are what make staying in some hotels a wonderful experience. Every day during our stay, I noticed something new and quirky that made me smile and I'm certain that if we were to go back, I would notice things I hadn't spotted the first time. Even thoughtful details such as providing earplugs in the bedroom was a nice touch given that noise from one of L.A's busiest streets, Melrose Avenue, can at times be heard in the room. A small price to pay for a prime location in one of America's biggest and liveliest cities. Whenever I'm booking somewhere to stay, especially in a city as big and sprawling as L.A, location is key. For us, the Palihotel was perfectly located in a cool part of West Hollywood, walking distance to trendy shops and restaurants and a charming black and white cinema just around the corner. 



Mornings before coffee are a struggle whether one is on holiday or not, but luckily for us, the hotel has the sweetest little on site café, The Hart and the Hunter, with a delicious breakfast menu and excellent coffee. It's a light, bright, welcome retreat for a morning pick-me-up before a busy day of urban wandering. 

The Palihotel offers great rates in an historically pricey neighbourhood of L.A, a prime location for exploring such as large city, endless amounts of character, cosy rooms, cheap parking and a café inside the hotel. We left feeling fulfilled and happy to have found such a gem amongst the wonderful craziness that is Los Angeles. 


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