W Hollywood

Character and identity

Rising above Hollywood and Vine, this 319-room high-rise reopened after a 19-month, top-to-bottom refresh by Rockwell Group, the original design team. The previous hot-pink glam is gone, replaced by a moody mid-century palette of goldenrod and emerald, metallic accents and a recurring oculus motif keyed to the Hollywood Hills. The sunken Living Room anchors the property with a curved staircase, green velvet banquettes and a mirrored ceiling installation. There There serves Asian and Latin small plates on a palm-framed patio, while the Wet Deck, the largest rooftop pool patio in Hollywood, runs Sunrise and Sunset bars. Service skews hip and casual rather than white-glove.

Who's it for

Bottom line

The pull here is location and atmosphere: a fully redesigned Hollywood Boulevard flagship with genuine nightlife energy and a confident new look, paired with deliberately laid-back service. Book it if you want to be at the centre of the action, not cocooned away from it. Splurge on a high-floor west-facing room for the Hollywood Sign and Capitol Records views, or a suite for the wet bar and tub.