The New Los Angeles Boutique Hotel to Put on Your Radar

Whether you’re a fan of the city or not, almost everyone can agree on this opinion about Los Angeles: the boutique hotel scene here never disappoints. And the West Coast metropolis’ newest 66-key boutique outpost Short Stories is no exception.

Ranking high amongst our favorite LA hotels, Short Stories is situated in the city’s buzzy West Hollywood neighborhood: the Melrose Shopping District, Los Angeles Contemporary Art Museum, and La Brea Tar Pits are a stone’s throw away.

The story starts when you enter the hotel’s 1960s-built edifice via an ivy-covered entrance. The aesthetic imbues “cultured California-contemporary” and classic European design, courtesy of illustrious architecture firm Kevin Klein Design.

As with most hotels, guests’ first foray into the interior is when entering the lobby; the one here catches eyes with its chromatically-checkered floors, Venetian-plastered walls, and large glass windows bringing in sunlight. But for us, it’s the charming adjacent courtyard that steals the show: a secret garden sanctuary where three beautiful Rhus Lancea trees canopy trendy furniture, an artisanal stone fountain, plus pink & marble flooring (if you ask us, it’s an optimal respite from LA’s quintessential traffic-heavy streets). Bordering the courtyard is the hotel’s pool, which serves an indelible purpose on hot Southern Californian summer days.

Also within the courtyard is Short Stories Restaurant, the hotel’s dining enclave serving a medley of dishes that celebrate Los Angeles’ melting pot of residents — in true California fashion, ingredients are sourced from local butchers, farms, and dairies. If you want to have a cocktail or two (or three), you’ll love Short Stories Bar and its menu full of creative libations.

Rooms-wise, the guestrooms & suites surround the courtyard and boast fittingly-designed interiors — expect herringbone hardwood floors, art from local painter Kenton Nelson, custom-built rounded armoires, plus guest baths with top-line terrazzo flooring and sinks.

If you’re heading to LA and in the mood for a cool boutique hotel, definitely check this place out — rates start at $300/night.

Need more inspiration for your Southern California trip? Check out our Palm Springs Destination Guide.