.Anthea Gerrie Revels In Moody Decor Fit For A Rock Star At The Stylish Whisky Hotel In Hollywood
You can’t help wondering how many guests check into the new Whisky Hotel in Hollywood, entertainment hub of Los Angeles, asking when the live music will start.
It’s not just the rock’n’roll decor – dark, moody tones perfect for soothing a hangover, a guitar against the wall just waiting to be picked up and strummed, a distinct cinematic edge – but the name, associated for more than half a century with the famous Whisky A Go Go club down the road. But that’s 3 1/2 miles and a world away in gentrified West Hollywood, while this hotel is in the heart of Hollywood proper – and despite its website banner asking “Who doesn’t love a classic?” there’s no connection between the two.
The Whisky Hotel is named for the spirit, a favourite of Adolfo Suaya, founder of that other highly successful Argentinian hospitality initiative, Gaucho Grills, and guests are offered a tot of the brand of the day at check-in. The property has been Suaya’s dream since land was secured to build the hotel a decade ago, with ground being struck before Covid changed the world as travellers knew it.
An enviable position on a quiet stretch of Wilcox Avenue offers proximity to both key attractions like the Hollywood Walk of Fame and Chinese Theatre within walking distance and bus routes, although the hotel does have on-site parking and a manned entrance. This is a bonus not offered by all competitors in a neighbourhood still in the process of gentrification where streets vibrant and bohemian by day can feel a tad edgy at night.
The hotel itself offers 132 rooms furnished in bold style and colour which is a welcome antidote to the bland decor of other digs in the neighbourhood. No beige here – expect the kind of deep shades popular in the 70s. My own room, painted a matt navy blue, opened off a corridor cloaked in forest green and hung with intriguing, carefully curated art.
I particularly enjoyed my burnt orange velvet banquette, in-room Nespresso machine, marble cafe table at which to sip coffee while watching the news or streaming on the giant LED TV, and particularly the cocktail cabinet echoing the art deco vibe of the neighbourhood. The king bed was supremely comfortable, while the expansiveness of the walk-in shower with room for a marble bench, the size and fluffiness of towels and the rich gold of taps rather than the usual chrome fixturing lent the bathroom a feel of real luxury. A fluffy bathrobe and turndown service, not often seen in a hotel this affordable, were provided as standard.
The hotel offers not only a rooftop bar, de rigeur for taking in views of the hills and the iconic Hollywood sign, but that rarely-included perk, a free breakfast. A hot one if you like breakfast burritos, but there are continental offerings too – good croissants, bread for toasting, sliced cheeses and meats – and unlimited coffee.
Later in the day bites both local – shrimp tacos – and those more BA than LA – empanadas and choripan – are served with wine or cocktails under the stars. A second bar at ground-floor level offers snacks and a selection of the Argentinian wines which are also the owner’s passion, but it would be a shame not to splurge the savings on such reasonably-priced accommodation on at least one dinner at the most iconic of all Old Hollywood restaurants, Musso & Frank round the corner,
A walk after breakfast is a must; within a block are some of the city’s most engaging street art, including the large mural on Wilcox itself depicting dozens of Hollywood’s most famous faces. There are wonderful art deco buildings like the Hollywood post office and former Hollywood News building, and intriguing vintage shops, and plenty of local bars offering everything from jazz to honkytonk and Indie bands when the lights come on in the brightest, busiest corner of La-la-land.
It may not be Sunset Strip, but those who came for the music will not be disappointed.
Tell Me More About Staying At The Whisky Hotel
The Whisky Hotel. 1717 N. Wilcox Avenue Los Angeles, California 90028
T: (+1) 323-432-8282
Rooms from around £135
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