One Night in a 1950s Motor Lodge Turned Los Angeles Hot Spot

Welcome to One Night In, a series about staying in the most unparalleled places available to rest your head.

There’s no shortage of hotels in L.A. that scream "Cali vibes"—the slickness of the Ace, the celebrity history of Chateau Marmont, or the simply iconic Beverly Hills Hotel—it just depends on which ones you want. Another part of the equation is where you want to be located (as I like to say, thank god everyone in L.A. has the traffic to talk about, since the weather is always the same). I’ve been visiting family there since I was born, so usually don’t get to avail myself of the options. But on a recent trip, I wanted a taste of what a true visitor might get. So I arranged a stay at the new Palihotel Hollywood.

Right on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, the 74-room hotel is the latest in a string of West Coast Palisociety properties (several of which are also in L.A.), founded by Avi Brosh. ("What we like to say is that Palihouse is not a boutique hotel and not a stylish residence, it’s the very best of both," Brosh has said of the brand’s residential-style properties.) The hotel markets itself pointedly as paying homage to Old Hollywood and vintage L.A., describing itself as having "a spirited aesthetic that nods to Los Angeles’ storied irreverence and Hollywood’s one-of-a-kind personality." Particularly appealing to me is that it’s a former 1950s motor lodge—too many viewings of Grease have done nothing to dampen my affection for that period of time. So I reached out to the team about setting up a visit, in the hopes that I would find out whether my stay there would feel retro in a nostalgic way, or just kitschy.

Wednesday

3 p.m.: My partner and I check in, and immediately recognize that this place is as it seems—perfect for Instagram (that’s a compliment!). Most recently a Days Inn, the current iteration of the Spanish-style building is nearly unrecognizable, a testament to what some good decor and a coat of paint can do, the new Palihotel lettering on the facade a seeming nod to its midcentury history. After dropping your car with valet (the parking lot is under the hotel, we later learn) you’re greeted by reception, which is also a bar, featuring arched openings, light woods, and floral wallpaper—retro with a nod to current trends, and the ever-popular Beverly Hills Hotel wallpaper. 

Gingham curtains across the room mark the opening to the indoor/outdoor café Benny’s on the Blvd., which continues the Bradbury ceramic tile (inspired by L.A.’s landmark 1892 Bradbury Building) in Spice from Waterworks. Overall, the interiors scream Palm Springs, a mix of peachy pinks and greens, which feel like a modern homage to the, yes, Beverly Hills Hotel. Notably, the team does all the design for their hotels in-house.