Hotel Angeleno Rating: 3.5 Pearls

West LA, Los Angeles, California

The building's curves show in the lobby.

Thanks to its distinctive 17-story spindle-shaped building, the Hotel Angeleno has been familiar site to anyone passing through Bel-Air and Brentwood on the 405 freeway since 1970. Originally a Holiday Inn, it's now an immaculate 209-room hotel owned by Joie de Vivre, the largest boutique chain in California (Hotel Erwin in Venice Beach is part of the same chain).

Its cylindrical shape translates to relatively small 300-square-foot, pie-shaped rooms. Décor is nondescript, and despite soundproofing noise can be a problem in some rooms facing the 405 (rooms 01 to 08 on all floors tend to be the quietest). But with balconies, pillow-topped beds with 300 threadcount sheets, 30-inch flat-screen TVs, no cleanliness problems, and views of either the Santa Monica Mountains or the city, the rooms are a great value.

What makes them an even better value is free Wi-Fi and a heated pool with ample lounge chairs and even a fireplace. Plus, there's a small fitness center and a free shuttle to anywhere within three miles of the hotel, including to UCLA (just 10 minutes away) and the Getty Museum. The 17th floor penthouse restaurant draws both locals and guests for its panoramic views, though the view is better than the pricey food.

The significant downside to the hotel is the lack of restaurants, shops, or a neighborhood with character within immediate walking distance. All in all, though, the Angeleno earns top honors for one of the best all-around value in Los Angeles.

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The Hotel Angeleno is located on the border of Brentwood and Bel Air, just off the 405 freeway. No restaurants or shopping areas are within walking distance -- you really need a car here -- but don't let that discourage you. Affordable room rates make up for the less than ideal location. That said, UCLA and a handful of cultural institutions like the J. Paul Getty Museum are no more than 10 minutes away.

• Five- to 10-minute drive to the Getty Museum, L.A.'s free art museum with a large pre-20th century European collection and impressive photography exhibits
• UCLA and the surrounding Westwood Village, a college-focused hub of shops, restaurants, and movie theaters (including the Geffen Playhouse), are also a five- to 10-minute drive.
• The luxury designer boutiques of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills are 15 minutes away by car.
• Depending on traffic, it's a 20- to 40-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
• Universal Studios is a 15- to 30-minute drive.
• Hollywood Boulevard and Grauman's Theatre are a 20- to 40-minute drive.
• 15- to 30-minute drive to Santa Monica and the beach