- The brand new West Hollywood Edition hotel opened in November 2019, debuting a highly-styled property that’s a design lover’s dream, with chic, modern finishes and a stunning rooftop pool.
- Part of the Marriott Bonvoy portfolio, the Edition brand is a favorite among those who revere luxury and boutique style, with the added opportunity to earn and redeem points.
- The centrally located Los Angeles hotel is certainly a splurge, with rooms starting just under $400 nightly. The sophisticated grownup vibe is not a fit for families, but rather couples, Hollywood types, and tourists looking for a design-forward luxury property in the middle of everything cool.
- Read all Insider Picks hotel reviews here.
As a Los Angeles-based journalist covering travel and entertainment, I’m a frequent visitor to hotels around town. I typically check out these properties’ restaurants and public spaces when I’m on-site to cover an event, but on other occasions, I get the chance to stay in one of the rooms.
Such was the case on a recent visit to the West Hollywood Edition when I turned up to cover the press tour for a new TV show. I was struck right away by the stark, modern appearance of the property’s main spaces and knew I wanted to come back to check out the rooms after it opened in November. I did just that.
For the uninitiated, the Edition hotel group – a partnership between Marriott International and hotelier Ian Schrager – has nine locations around the world. West Hollywood marks the 10th and the first outpost on the U.S. West Coast. Other locations include New York, London, Miami, Barcelona, Shanghai, Sanya, China, Abu Dhabi, and Bodrum, Turkey.
The brand is majorly design-minded and the West Hollywood Edition is no exception to that ethos. The hotel also has a visually arresting rooftop pool and downright dreamy spa. As such, it attracts a well-heeled set loyal to the Edition lifestyle, and those eager to test out a brand new property in an equally sophisticated neighborhood.
I stayed in a spendier Superior Suite, but you can snag a Standard room starting in the high $300s or low $400s, which is on par with other luxury hotels in the area. It's fairly reasonable given the buzz earned so far, five-star style and modern design, and the cool clout for which West Hollywood is known. Better yet, as part of Marriott Bonvoy, it's a great place to earn and redeem points.
- The first impression
- The room
- On-site amenities
- What's nearby
- What others say
- What you need to know
- The bottom line
- Book the West Hollywood Edition starting at $396 per night
Keep reading to see why I was so impressed by the West Hollywood Edition.
Located on bustling Sunset Boulevard, the West Hollywood Edition valet is tucked in, away from the street. I found it easier than expected to navigate my arrival in traffic, which is always a factor I'm fast to register in this maddeningly congested town. It also made for a great first introduction to the hotel, given experiences I've had elsewhere.
The property prizes design most of all, sometimes to its own detriment. I found it a bit of a challenge to find the right door to enter. Pro tip: It's the human-scale door for function, not the massive center doors for form.
The lobby was expansive, minimalist, and of course, design-forward. It made a rather striking first impression, almost like opening up an impressive spread in Architectural Digest. I found it just as wow-worthy as I did when I first saw it during my previous work commitment on-site.
Lounge seating dots the lobby space, flanked by a bar and pool table. Visible from every angle was a back garden with a fire pit as its centerpiece.
I made my way to the back of the main floor where I found a reception desk, and no one in line ahead of me. I retrieved my room keys without any delay and headed to the adjacent elevators.
I found my way to my Superior Suite, which was more room than I needed as a party of one. At 650 square feet, it was plenty spacious but not ostentatious, with a separate living space, king bedroom, and floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city. Most noticeable was not the opulence, but rather a sense of calm thanks to a light neutral palette and whitewashed wood details.
The bed was unfussy but exceedingly comfortable. Surprisingly, the mirror inside my vanity featured an altogether unflattering funhouse effect.
But the standout feature was my natural stone bathroom with rainforest shower and stand-alone soaking tub.
The suite was plush and inviting, but quite pricey and would have booked for $925. A spot check online revealed entry-level Standard rooms to be much more reasonably priced at $396 as of publication, for what is truly a similar experience.
Those rooms feature many of the same enviable amenities of the suites, such as the soothing color scheme and natural stone bathroom with enclosed rainforest shower and Le Labo bath amenities.
Ranging in size from 291 to 371 square feet, you'll forego some extra space and a living area and soaking tub, but enjoy the same amenities such as a Nespresso machine, minibar, down bedding, plush robes, and Hollywood Hills views.
Compare room types and prices on Marriott's website
Yes, there's a fitness center on-site, but you'd be far wiser to skip that and head upstairs to get your cardio in the form of swimming laps instead, weather permitting (and usually, it does permit). The rooftop pool has incredible views of the city.
Lounge seating surrounds the pool, and there's also an adjacent rooftop bar and lounge for snacks and drinks with an epic Instagrammable backdrop.
For a heartier meal, the main on-site restaurant is downstairs at Ardor, from Michelin-starred chef John Fraser. Off the bat, you'll notice that the dining room feels almost like a rainforest, lush with greenery.
The significantly plant-based menu worked great for me as a vegetarian, but it's a pricey menu if you're not on an expense account or celebrating a special occasion.
After dinner, I took my car out for the evening and found the process of retrieving it from valet rather slow. I waited about 15 minutes for the staff to bring the car around and there were surprisingly few places to sit and wait for it out front. This area might be improved with more staffing (and seating) as the property gets further away from its opening learning curve.
Nevertheless, I found my zen fully restored the next day, when I visited the on-site spa. I started with steam and sauna on the main level. Due to a miscommunication among the staff - the hotel was brand new after all, and perhaps working out small kinks - I remained there while I was directed to wait for my treatment instead of heading to the lounge.
Beyond this space, six treatment rooms offer a wide range of holistic offerings with CBD oils and high-tech massage gadgets used in equal measures.
The West Hollywood Edition is located on the border of West Hollywood and Beverly Hills, which is not only prime real estate, but a quite central launch point to many other locations around L.A., including Hollywood and the studios.
Overall, Trip Advisor gives the hotel a walkability rating of 92 out of 100. It's right on the Sunset Strip, which is a boon if live music is your thing. You can get to the Roxy or the Whiskey-a-Go-Go in a few minutes' walk.
You're also not far from Robertson Boulevard or Melrose Avenue with their many famous shops and restaurants. And you're right near the Pacific Design Center, if you've come to town for business there. Of course, it's Los Angeles, and you will need a car to get to most places.
Given how new it is, West Hollywood Edition had yet to crack 40 reviews on Trip Advisor as of the time of publication, but those available tallied up to an "Excellent" 4.5 out of 5 ranking on the site.
One reviewer noted the "amazing service at Ardor restaurant," and called the rooftop pool "the best in West Hollywood."
Among the array of neutral to negative reviews, were those noting what reviewers described as lackluster service and not as much personal attention as they expected from a luxury hotel on this level.
Others also noted the value for price: "Breakfast at Ador was questionable value for money," and "Mandatory valet parking at $49 is downright silly, but there is alternative third-party parking on the same block for $25 overnight."
Read reviews for the West Hollywood Edition on Trip Advisor
Who stays here: The hotel feels completely sophisticated and chic with more of a grownup vibe than a place for families. The range of visitors include an array of well-heeled professionals, including plenty of Hollywood types talking big business within earshot. It also attracts tourists looking for a design-forward luxury property in the middle of everything cool.
We like: The spa is divine, even for the relaxing atmosphere (and delicious snacks) in the co-ed lounge alone.
We love (don't miss this feature!): The rooftop pool is the hotel's defining feature. Even if it's not swimming weather, head to the rooftop at sunset to watch the colors pop around the water.
We think you should know: Pricing around the hotel can feel quite extravagant. Not just the room rates, but the high-end dining price tag, too.
We'd do this differently next time: I might ride share to avoid delays at valet and would book a Standard room for the best value.
The West Hollywood Edition is brand new, and well located in prime L.A., just at the intersection of Beverly Hills and West Hollywood.
The luxury property focuses on design for an overall sleek, airy, and sophisticated feel. Its Ardor restaurant is delicious and gorgeous - if pricey. And the hotel's spa and rooftop pool are among its true standout features.
It doesn't come cheap, with the best room prices hovering just under $400, and only go up from there. But it's just right for luxury-minded tourists, and certainly, business travelers expensing the whole deal.