Chateau Marmont

"As soon as you check in to this 1930s Hollywood institution, you feel the sudden urge to go absolutely nowhere. You’ll just want to sink into one of the cushy sofas in the baronial lobby. Or amble down to the old-school oval pool, pick up the landline tucked into the white brick wall, and order yourself a bottle of chilled rosé and a side of hot, crispy fries. And come cocktail hour, a gravitational pull will lure you to the carpeted harem-like courtyard for a drink with friends (because when you stay at the Chateau, your friends will want to come hang with you). The rooms—whether you’re in the big main building or one of the cottages past the pool among the rambling gardens—evoke a Los Angeles familiar from noir films: 1950s kitchenettes, Art Deco furniture and carpeting, and tiled bathrooms that are a bit more about charm than function. And, ultimately, that’s what the Chateau is all about: charm. Yes, it can be a bit wonky, and maybe the service isn’t always exactly snap-to-attention Four Seasons caliber. But hotelier André Balazs has artfully found a way to make this relic as vital, fun, and one of a kind as any hotel in the country.   PRO MOVE: Will you see celebrities when you’re at the Chateau? Yes. So when you do, just like it's no big deal. Even if it is. THE DETAILS: Rooms from $435" - Condé Nast

"Chateau Marmont, California has been awarded two keys." - Stacey Lastoe

"Chateau Marmont — Two Keys West Hollywood The building is pure movie set. Constructed along the specifications of the Loire Chateau Amboise, it is a perfect eighteenth-century replica, fluted pillars graced by ivy and untouched by mold, with a swimming pool to boot. The lobby is dramatic, with gothic vaulted ceilings and dark wood. The restaurant is the perfect refuge from the cutthroat LA world outside; it seats about twelve, serves upscale gastro-pub fare from the new version of the Bar Marmont next door, and is always quiet and never rushed." - The MICHELIN Guide

"The building is pure movie set. Constructed along the specifications of the Loire Chateau Amboise, it is a perfect eighteenth-century replica, fluted pillars graced by ivy and untouched by mold, with a swimming pool to boot. The lobby is dramatic, with gothic vaulted ceilings and dark wood. The restaurant is the perfect refuge from the cutthroat LA world outside; it seats about twelve, serves upscale gastro-pub fare from the new version of the Bar Marmont next door, and is always quiet and never rushed." - The MICHELIN Guide

"This hotel is set up to make you feel like a somebody. Whether you’re peeking over your sunglasses at the infamous palm-shrouded pool or sipping bubbly at the moody lobby bar, you’ll find reminders on menus stating that photos are not allowed in public spaces. The design, with 1920s tiles, a full kitchen, and a pink Deco-era bathroom that made me think of the one at my grandparents’ house in Pasadena, explained how so many celebrities have been able to make the Chateau their home for weeks, months, even years. In my room I also found a room-service menu that said “No Smoking” beside an ashtray. What you need to understand is that when you’re a guest here, you have free rein. You get priority for reservations in the restaurant’s garden (unless Sofia Coppola books it out for the night), and if you want to enjoy the pool after checking out, the staff will gladly give you access. So maybe I didn’t swing from a chandelier at some party hosted by Leonardo DiCaprio. But when old friends stopped by for fried artichokes and wine one night, we all got to pretend we didn’t notice Fred Armisen at the next table. By the time I rolled my suitcase out the front door, I understood that Eagles’ lyric: “You can check out any-time you like, but you can never leave.” Fine by me. From $595. —Megan Spurrell" - CNT Editors