I popped my Los Angeles cherry last weekend for the first time in my life. I’ve been to California several times in the past, notably up north in San Francisco, but never made my way to La La Land.
I was fortunate enough to be invited to a 3-day experience in the heart of Los Angeles which included a fabulous stay at the W Los Angeles – West Beverly Hills. I responded “Yes” or in gay terms, “YASSSSSS”, immediately after I saw the words “Beverly Hills” as I naturally wanted to live my most (faux) expensive life to the fullest even though I’m a broke b**ch living in New York City.
There are key elements to doing trips like this. You want to experience the city as much as you can while also enjoying the amenities provided at the place you are staying. Furthermore, the hotel you have booked should be so fantastic enough that you want to stay on their property for a good portion of your time there as opposed to going out given all that they can provide for you.
The W Los Angeles – West Beverly Hills did that and then some. I was weary about going to Los Angeles only because it’s so drastically different from New York City. The concrete jungle that I grew up in is nothing like Los Angeles minus the traffic and somewhat overcrowded streets.
My hesitation about LA quieted down the instant I hopped into the car that whisked me away to the stunning location that is the W. This hotel is very close to the UCLA campus, so much so that it used to be dorms for the students to sleep in.
You would never guess that this place used to be dorms given just how sophisticated and stunning it is! I was blown away the minute I got there because the steps leading to the entry had an underwater theme to them that was beautiful to look at. Visuals are key for hotels like this, and this little amenity was a great way to start my stay there.
The colors and design inside The W Los Angeles – Beverly Hills are bright and work well with the Los Angeles scene. Lush oranges, blues and more adorn its walls, giving an inviting vibe to each guest that checks in. They also have a wonderful space in the middle of the lobby for you and your friends to chill in before heading out for the evening.
Like I mentioned before, a good hotel gives you a reason to stay in as opposed to braving the LA traffic that this city is known for (I’m still hyperventilating about one of my dreaded Uber experiences). They have a fantastic bar setting located to the left of its already beautiful entry way. Here you can mingle with your friends while sipping on some unbelievably tasty drinks in a setting that is one again brightly colored in gold and more.
The rooms inside are spacious and comfortable with a great view of Los Angeles for you to enjoy while relaxing after a busy day.
Are you hungry? I’m always hungry. The W Los Angeles – Beverly Hills has a wonderful restaurant on premise called STK. STK, which provides a bevy of top of the line surf and turf options, is a place that I’m already familiar with as they have another location in New York City. I wasn’t surprised that the food, drink and décor were bomb given the standards this place upholds to. Every cut of meat we tried, salad we devoured, side dish we ate and fish we enjoyed were deliciously amazing from first bite to last.
The best part of my stay, hands down, was their Wet Deck. Once again, this was a space that made me go “YAS!” the minute I saw how lush and lovely it was. It has a enormous pool in the middle and several cabanas surrounding it. Here you can catch some rays while sipping on a variety of yummy drinks provided by their handsome staff.
I got to experience a party they were having during LA Pride that brought out LA’s most beautiful (myself included) for some fun in the sun. There’s a restaurant steps away from the Wet Deck that has some scrumptious brunch, lunch and dinner options for you to enjoy as well.
The W Los Angeles – Beverly Hills provided a wonderful time that helped make my first trip to Los Angeles that much better. If you are heading to LA this summer and beyond you should check into this hotel for all these reasons provided.
More information here.