Introduction
SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills
Cooks County
The Wednesday event was in the beautiful new digs of the United Talent Agency in Beverly Hills. My favorite hotel in Beverly Hills remains the Beverly Wilshire Hotel – though I’ve only stayed there once. I love the location of the Beverly Wilshire as you spill-out onto Rodeo Drive. It is an easily walk to restaurants, (window) shopping, and great “people watching.” I was unfamiliar with the SLS Hotel and felt like the location isn’t perfect when it comes to walking to nearby restaurants. But it was clear the moment I arrived at SLS Hotel that the hotel itself IS the destination.
The property opened in the Fall of 2008. Here is the New York Times review of the property from 2009. While the property has been open for four years, it has done a good job of maintaining a hip (near contemptuous) feel. There is a great outdoor waiting/lounging area outside the front door and I can imagine it is a good place for people watching on any given day.
Bazaar, the restaurant in the hotel continues to be well-received and it seemed busy when I walked though at about 10PM on a Tuesday evening. Coming from Washington D.C. I’m very familiar with chef José Andrés and his focus on redefining tapas. I also wandered through the “hotel gift shop” which is a series of glass cases housing an eclectic mix of items on the side of Bazaar.
View when you walk through the front door of the hotel.
Registration is tucked away to the left around a wall. It was a bit awkward to find registration at first, but it fits with the theme that the SLS Beverly is more a destination than a hotel. You are greeted by this expansive area where you can have meet friends for a drink or something small to eat. The hotel does flow relatively nicely and has several areas for lounging.
The hallway outside the series of meeting rooms on the main level.
The guest elevators
Billiards area on guest floor
Each guest floor had a billiards table outside the elevator, though you have to call down to the front desk for cue sticks and balls.
lamp in lounge/billiards area
view from room door
Bedroom
Desk area
The bed is not against the wall. Instead the desk area is on the other side of the “headboard.” The rooms are not large.
Television
The TV is behind a tinted plexiglass/reflective material. While it might fit the decor and does hide the TV when it is not on, I don’t know that I was a big fan.
Bathroom
The bathroom is large. As the NYTimes noted in their review, there was no bathtub in my room and the towels have their own alcove which was annoying when getting out of the shower if you forgot to grab a towel before getting in.
bathroom sink area
The “mirror” slides open so you can also look into the bedroom from the sink area. I found the mirror to be set deep off the front of the sink so when shaving I really had to lean over the sink to get a good view.
business center
Gym
This was just one half of the very large gym area.
outdoor pool area in the morning
outdoor pool area at night
Hotel bill left at room door
