Every time I drive down to the West Los Angeles area, I pass by this landmark but most often take it for granted.
The Hotel Angeleno right off the freeway at Sunset has actually gone through quite a transformation in recent years. With these upgrades and its fantastic location, it is a great choice for a trip to The Getty Museum or whatever else might take you to this upscale part of Los Angeles.
The location
The Hotel Angeleno is the closest property to the Getty and a good spot to start for all West L.A. ventures. If you were headed to Beverly Hills or Hollywood, you will find that going east on Sunset Drive is much quicker than other routes. This will take you past Bel Air and the campus at UCLA.A drive to the west on Sunset takes you into Brentwood, Santa Monica and Pacific Palisades.
Westwood is just an exit or two down the 405 and is home to UCLA. The college atmosphere gives it a year-long vibrancy and makes it the perfect “date night” town. UCLA Bruin basketball fans are eagerly awaiting the reopening of Pauley Pavilion, which should put added spark in the town. Until then, you will just have to settle with the countless restaurant and movie choices.
Bel Air, Brentwood and the Palisades are well-known for their opulent mansions often occupied by Hollywood celebs. If you want to see some jaw-dropping estates, just take Sunset east to Bellagio Road and make a left into the Bel Air gate. Or you could head west on Sunset and pick any number of streets to see what success in the entertainment field can buy.
The hotel
Joie de Vivre is a San Francisco-based boutique hotel company with more than 30 hotels to choose from. Other properties that you might know include the Carmel Valley Ranch and Ventana Inn & Spa in the Monterey/Carmel area. They also have a number of properties in San Francisco and the Silicon Valley. Last fall, they opened The Saguaro in Scottsdale and will follow that with The Saguaro in Palm Springs this year.This Joie de Vivre property is an ultra-modern boutique hotel featuring spectacular views from the higher floors. Our room looked out over Brentwood and one could clearly see the Pacific Ocean and even Catalina in the distance. Although adjacent to the freeway the double-paned windows make traffic noise negligible. The rooms are elegant with soft down bedding with the highest thread counts. Flat-screen TVs, iPod docking stations and complimentary Internet access come in each unit.
The hotel’s signature restaurant West is an Italian steakhouse that also has a great selection of fresh seafood. Located on the penthouse level, its views are well worth the visit, as is the food. West is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The hotel also features a complimentary wine hour each evening from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Daytime relaxation can be found at the day spa or the private and enclosed pool area. For further details, visit JDVhotels.com.
The museum
The Getty Center Los Angeles is home to an extensive presentation of pre 20th century European paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculpture and decorative arts. The setting is equal to the collection with its hilltop location in the Santa Monica Mountains overlooking much of the coastal Los Angeles area. The modernistic buildings have been positioned along a natural ridge, and feature numerous courtyards and terraces to take advantage of the surroundings. They were constructed of travertine stone brought in from Italy totaling 16,000 tons.The art is certainly captivating and the main draw, but most visitors will be equally drawn to the Central Garden. Designed by Robert Irwin, this 134,000 square-foot design features a natural ravine and tree-lined walkway that runs along a stream. The variety of plants changes as you head toward a waterfall and reflection pool. That is a relaxing spot to take a break.
Exhibitions currently on focus are the “New Galleries for Medieval and Renaissance Sculpture and Decorative Arts,” as well as “Greetings from L.A.: Artists and Publics, 1950-1980.”
The Getty also features daily tours devoted to the architecture and the gardens. Go to Getty.edu for complete information.