Le Parc Suites Hotel Rating: 3.5 Pearls

West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

The lobby

Much like its sister property, Le Montrose, the 154-room Le Parc is south of the Sunset Strip, in a quiet residential West Hollywood neighborhood. There's no scene to speak of, like you'd find at the Sunset Marquis or the Mondrain, and large suites with kitchens, living rooms, and balconies make it easy to shut yourself in against the clamor of West Hollywood. A rooftop pool and tennis court have nice views of the Hollywood Hills -- as well as cabanas and a courtside dining area.

The decor of both rooms and public spaces is unremarkable, though the property is well maintained. Similarly, service, while perfectly adequate, doesn't compare with what you'll find at other hotels in the neighborhood, where 24-hour concierges and highly trained restaurant staff are the norm.

The occasional business sit-down happens at the mediocre hotel restaurant but most guests looked to be on vacation, from younger singles and couples to families watching their kids splash in the pool.

Guests looking for more inspired design in the price range would be happier at the Mondrian or Maison 140, though the later lacks the pool and business center of Le Parc.

Service, though friendly, can be a bit slow at the on-site restaurant and at the pool -- and lacks the polish of what you'll find at places like the pricier London or even the more affordable Standard Hollywood. Dirty dishes at the pool needed to be bused and two women had to wait far too long for their drinks at the bar. Room service on the other hand, perhaps as a nod to the hotel's emphasis on ensconcing guests in their suites, arrives quickly, whether its a request for ice or delivery of breakfast in the morning.

Thanks to Le Parc's smaller size, just 154 rooms, valets bring around cars quickly. The hotel staff keeps an eye on the water dishes at the entrance for guests' dogs, which are welcome with a $75 nonrefundable deposit.

View on a Larger Map

A few blocks south of Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, the hotel sits one block west of La Cienega Boulevard, a north-south thoroughfare. It's a short drive to Hollywood attractions, and Rodeo Drive is 10 minutes away by car. The hotel's sister property, Le Montrose, is a five-minute drive away.

The Sunset Strip, which has long been known for its music clubs like the House of Blues, the Roxy, Viper Room, and Whisky a Go Go, has gotten significantly more upscale than its strip club and head shop days in the '70s and '80s -- though some seediness remains.

• Sunset Plaza, a walkable half-mile stretch of upscale boutiques and restaurants like BLT Steak, Roberto Cavalli, and Catherine Maladrino, is a five-minute drive from the hotel.
• The heart of the Hollywood Walk of Fame is three miles away; the Hollywood Bowl concert venue and Universal Studios are both about a 15-minute drive distant.
• A drive to Santa Monica and L.A.'s beaches will take at least 30 minutes.
• Bob Hope Airport in Burbank is about 15 miles away from the hotel, which can translate to a 45 minute drive in traffic, but it's still a better option than Los Angeles International, as much as a 90 minute drive from the Sunset Strip.
• Avoid a pricey cab from the airport (typically $50 to the hotel), by opting for a shared-ride van with a service like SuperShuttle, which costs about one-third as much.

Studio suite

Suites at the hotel start at 650 square feet, larger than the basic units at the similarly priced Le Montrose yet smaller than the rooms at the more expensive London. Laid out in railroad fashion with unremarkable decor, Studio Suites, like mine, open into a living-and-dining area, while the bed and bathroom are stepped up behind a blackout shade. Bathrooms are large, with vanities, and are stocked with Gilchrist & Soames shampoo, conditioner, and soap.

While my suite had two TVs, a full kitchen, and a walk-in closet, it also strangely had only one phone, necessitating walks across the room to place a room service order or answer a wake-up call.

• Two TVs, including one 42-inch LG plasma screen
• RCA DVD/VHS player
• DVD lending library
• CD/clock radio
• Full kitchens that the hotel will stock with cooking utensils on request
• Balconies with two plastic Adirondack chairs
• Some rooms have walk-in closets; all have vanities.
• Gas fireplaces
• Free Wi-Fi
• In-room safe is big enough for a laptop.

The pool

The amenities here are identical to those at Le Montrose, including an on-site restaurant, rooftop pool and tennis court, fitness center, and business center.

• Average breakfast, lunch, and dinner at Knoll restaurant, open from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Room service 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
• Rooftop pool with food and beverage service and cabanas with plasma TVs
• Rooftop tennis court
• Modern fitness center, with two treadmills, two stair machines, weight machines and free weights, and sauna
• Business center with two computers, two laser printers, and a scanner-copier.
• Valet parking costs a nightly fee
• Free drop-off-only town-car service within a three-mile radius of the hotel from

Water dishes by the entrance

The hotel welcomes pets, something most guests first notice in the form of water dishes at the entrance.

• One-time $75 nonrefundable deposit required for pet stays
• In-room food and water dishes provided
• Dog treats serve as a welcome amenity.
• The hotel has a dog walker on call.

Large suites and the pool draw families to Le Parc.

• All rooms have queen-size sleeper sofas.
• Rollaways, which are also available, cost $35 a day.

My suite was perfectly clean, though my balcony overlooked dumpsters -- and a trash strewn trellis. At the pool, dirty dishes from long-ago lunches hung around. Other public spaces, though, sparkled.

Knoll restaurant

The hotel's third-floor restaurant, Knoll, has menu items like burgers, salads, and pastas that are perfectly adequate for the price, but better West Hollywood restaurants are a short drive away. The restaurant, which is open 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., also caters to pool-goers, with waitstaff running food and drinks up from the kitchen.

• Knoll also doubles as the hotel's bar, with six stools and a nice selection of beer, wine, and liquor.
• Room service is available 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.