Hotel Angeleno

Above: Part of the lobby.

This was formerly the Holiday Inn Brentwood. Chip Conley of Joie De Vivre took over, remodeled it and it re-emerged as the upscale Hotel Angeleno. Here's more about the ho-hotel :
http://www.hoteldesignmagazine.com/hoteldesign/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=411447

The Hotel is circular and manages the odd shape hotel room well. The rooms are comfortable with Italian linens, feather bed and a flat screen TV (some room still have the conventional CRT's). The front desk staff was helpful and acomodating. The location is good, and, if you're on a layover and not staying more than 1-2 days, it can be quite pleasant.

The location is something else.

It's close to the Getty but I wouldn't dare walk it. As a matter of fact, there's pretty much nowhere to walk to unless you walk into the woods, over the hill and sometimes across a cemetery and a freeway (literally) to get anywhere. You'd have to have a car and deal with $18/day parking. And deal with RABID valet parkers.

Me: Can I just park here, I'm just picking up guests.
Valet: How long do you think you'll be?
Me: Oh, 10-20 minutes?
Valet: Which is it - 10 or 20?
Me: 30!

Geee-zus! This quibbling kills me on a day when the hotel is half-empty and you can practically skateboard through the parking lot!

A much better alternative is The Ambrose Hotel (http://www.ambrosehotel.com/) which I should check out next time.
Much better location. You can bus to Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica, walking distance to drug stores and restaurants, and hospitals! Great for those Shopping and Botox Therapy Weekends (with plenty of ice to reduce the swelling! haha!)


Above: Lobby coffee table cum planter.

Above: Acrylic Lamp and floor lobby.