PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

I've seen hundreds of hotel renovations in my travels, but none have impressed me as much as this boutique Beverly Hills hotel. The owners pumped $3 million into completely renovating the entire hotel (formerly the Beverly Hills Inn), and the result is spectacular. The lobby is a showcase of functional art, with gleaming tile mosaics; fabrics in deep, rich tones; and a profusion of artfully arranged orchids. Continuing a recent trend that I'm all for, a wall has been removed to allow direct access from the check-in desk to the bar and lounge, where guests are encouraged to sample the house special -- a Mosaic sake martini. The guest rooms are equally impressive, all done in soothing earth tones with 300-count linens, goose-down comforters and piles of pillows, windows that open onto the quiet neighborhood street or garden courtyard, minibars stocked with Wolfgang Puck snacks and libations, and sparkling bathrooms with Bulgari bath products and huge rainforest shower heads. Other perks include free high-speed Internet access, poolside cabanas, CD players, DVD players in the suites, late room service from the hotel's small restaurant, a fitness room, and covered parking. Tip: The corner deluxe rooms are worth the extra $15.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Los Angeles 2009, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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