First Class Foyers: The Haute 5 Hotel Lobbies in L.A.

Snoop Dogg said it best – after the party, obviously, it’s the after-party, and after that? Well, the hotel lobby.  Where else? Hotel lobbies are no longer just respites for weary travelers.  Locals have to like spending time there, too – a hotel lobby can play many roles.  Sure, you can conveniently check into your room and request the Wall St. Journal there, but without a hefty crowd of local denizens to drink your wine, munch on your snacks, and pick up foreigners at the bar, your lobby is practically social suicide.  As Angelenos, we’re picky about where we spend our time – why sit in traffic for some empty lobby, when you can read this list and make sure your drive is worth it?

Montage Beverly Hills

Whether it’s tea in the afternoon or a glass of wine after work, the still somewhat new Montage Hotel in Beverly Hills has hit the nail on the head with its bustling lobby.  The valet, friendly and incredibly accommodating, sets the tone.  When you walk in and turn right, you walk past the lobby shop that smells divine at all times.  Then you’ll be met with two fanciful and inviting options.  To your right, a tearoom with all the grandeur to make your high tea as luxurious as you’d expect.  To your left, enjoy a glass of Albarino at their darker and more seductive bar.

Montage Beverly Hills is located at 225 N. Canon Drive in Beverly Hills. (310) 860-7800

Palihouse Holloway

Nestled in a consistently happening part of West Hollywood, the Palihouse Holloway is a boutique hotel with character to spare. They offer an Espresso Bar, Oyster Bar and the Hall Courtyard Brasserie, with all the charm of an industrial Parisian eatery alongside a lounge outfitted with mismatched sofas, leather benches and eclectic decorative accents.  The secret of the Palihouse is their roof – rented out often for private parties, just head up to the roof to check out the view before tucking into a Champagne cocktail at the bar. The Hall Brasserie, with its bistro style and covetable courtyard location, also hosts a traditionally British Sunday Roast – Bloody Mary’s, Backgammon, and British Sunday Papers are all on offer.

Palihouse Holloway is located at 8465 Holloway Drive in West Hollywood. (310) 656-4100

Biltmore Hotel

For a taste of the glitz and glamour that downtown LA once enjoyed in the good old days of screen sirens and femmes fatales, the Biltmore is the ultimate destination.  One of LA’s most beautiful and iconic lobbies, the Biltmore’s adorned ceilings, old world luxury, and their Gallery Bar and Cognac Room all invite you to order one of their six signature Manhattans and pore over all the black and white photographs of fabulous people who enjoyed cocktails there in the hotel’s original heyday.  Enjoying a renaissance, the Biltmore plays host to a number of private events in their ballrooms and they’ve added Sai Sai restaurant offering sushi and Japanese food to guests and locals.

The Biltmore is located at 506 S. Grand Ave. in Downtown LA. (213) 624-1011

SLS Hotel

If you have yet to experience the lobby at the SLS Hotel – whether for drinks in their eclectic bar or for dinner at the Bazaar – you actually are missing something lovely.  Run by Jose Andres, The Bazaar has made quite a splash on LA’s restaurant scene with offerings like  Sea Urchin Pipiranna, Kumamoto Oysters, a small menu devoted to ham and one devoted to cheeses, and Catalan style Roasted Red Peppers with Onion and Eggplant.  The hotel bar greets you immediately as you walk in, you see their modern, funky, and vivacious style alongside the thorough bar menu, before you can even think of looking for the front desk.

The SLS Hotel is located at 465 S. La Cienega Blvd in Los Angeles. (310) 247-0400

Casa del Mar

Before you head west to Santa Monica’s Casa del Mar, the sun sets at around 5pm this time of year.  You’ll want to be there to take in all the beautiful colors of LA’s sunset while you’re sipping on a Caipirinha on their Veranda Lobby Lounge.  Set directly on the beach, with the Santa Monica Pier to your right, Casa del Mar has oversized windows overlooking the ocean that are more than covetable.  They’re irresistible!  With live music on certain evenings (like live jazz on Wednesdays), Happy Hour at the Sushi Bar, and their fine dining restaurant Catch, it’s almost like you have no reason not to venture west of the 405.

Casa del Mar is located at 1910 Ocean Way in Santa Monica. (310) 581-5533