Petit Ermitage Rating: 4.0 Pearls

West Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

The hotel's signature crawling vines

The Petit Ermitage isn't for everyone. The reason is summed up on the hotel's homepage: "Bohemianism is a way of life," it declares at the top, quoting the supposed Bohemian Manifesto, and thereby capturing the essence of the hotel with the very first word. Bohemian -- that is the Ermitage.

That said, you don't have to be an affirmed bohemian to enjoy the Ermitage. But be forewarned: This is not your typical sleek, sexy SoCal property. There's an inviting rooftop pool, but it's surrounded by a fireplace and a bench shaped like a mythical creature of some sort, not celebrities or cosmo-toting scenesters. The clientele tilts strongly toward the hipsterish; you see a lot of skinny jeans during your stay. Finally -- most crucially -- there's the design, which is very, well, bohemian. The hotel was fully renovated in 2009, but because of the decor -- antiquish furniture, faded floral carpeting, distressed fireplaces -- it often looks like it hasn't been updated in years. Some -- proud bohemians, perhaps -- would call it shabby-chic; others would just say dowdy.

Your trusty reviewer's take? It didn't quite work for me in the rooms (dowdy), but I totally dug the atmospheric public spaces like the hallways and Masters Lounge: tres (shabby-)chic. Note the vines that crawl from the hallway carpets up onto the walls, and up the telephone pole in front of the entrance; check out this painted piano in the Masters' Lounge. And just when you think the Ermitage only does quirky, it throws in some sexy, too. The extensive and eclectic art collection features originals by Dali and Miro. Just stepping out of the elevator on the 4th floor -- look at this 4 -- is enough to put you in the mood.

Mostly, though, the Ermitage meets its goal of feeling like a home away from home. It calls itself an all-suites hotel because even though most rooms don't actually feature a separate bedroom, they're all quite large, and many boast well-stocked kitchens or kitchenettes. Even my demi-suite (aka "The Little Lovely"), the lowest-level room, featured a kitchen, complete with dining table. The intimate public spaces, tiny lobby, and multitasking staff add to the homeyness; in many ways, the Ermitage resembles a bed-and-breakfast.

Formerly known as Hotel Le Petit, the newly renamed Ermitage is marketing itself as the "fashionable alternative to the Chateau Marmont and the Sunset Marquis," which are also in West Hollywood. That's a bold statement: The Chateau and Marquis aren't exactly known as slouches, style-wise. Still, unless the goal of your vacation is celebrity-spotting, the Ermitage is superior to the Chateau, and often half the price. As for the rest of the competition? It's really a matter of taste. The Ermitage is one of a kind. The question is, Are you bohemian enough?

One of the friendly doormen

Some elements of the service are excellent for the price (24-hour room service; bellmen who open the front door); others don't measure up to what you'd find at a luxury boutique or even a larger midrange chain (no concierge, no express checkout). In keeping with the laid-back mentality, the Ermitage is staffed almost entirely with young people; in keeping with its bed-and-breakfast feel, staffers sort of mill about, handling whatever needs to be taken care of. After breakfast, for instance, a waiter who had poured guests coffee downstairs in the lobby was helping out one of the front desk staffers. Whether this quasi-tag-team method is intentional or not is hard to say, but it certainly contributes to the hotel's bohemian vibe.

• Friendly service at the Butterfly Bar. Waiters offer to cook guests waffles at the (supposedly) do-it-yourself buffet.
• 24-hour room service
• In-room spa, salon, yoga, or fitness services offered 24 hours; requires an appointment
• Drink service at the pool and in the garden daily
• Website mentions turndown service.
• No concierge

View on a Larger Map

The Petit Ermitage sits in the heart of West Hollywood, three blocks off the Sunset Strip, the mile-and-a-half stretch of Sunset Boulevard known for its cutting-edge rock clubs and night spots and its collection of premier boutiques and restaurants. Because the immediate area feels so suburban, however -- even the hotel itself resembles a condo complex -- the location is as quiet and peaceful as it is central and convenient.

The Strip has long been known for music clubs like the House of Blues, the Roxy, Whisky A Go-Go, and the Viper Room (where River Phoenix famously overdosed), which is just down the street, but it has gotten significantly more upscale than it was in its strip-club-and-head-shop days in the '70s and '80s. It looks like the A-list designer boutiques and restaurants are here to stay.

• Touristy Hollywood Boulevard, the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the celebrity footsteps at the Grauman's Chinese Theatre are 10 minutes away by car.
• Universal Studios Hollywood is a 20-minute drive.
• Rodeo Drive and Beverly Hills are 10 minutes away.
• At least a 30-minute drive to Santa Monica and L.A.'s beaches
• Depending on traffic, the drive to Los Angeles International (LAX), can take up to 90 minutes. Avoid a pricey cab from the airport by opting for a shuttle bus like SuperShuttle, which costs about one-third as much.

The Little Lovely (Demi Suite)

Even if you don't love the Ermitage's brand of bohemianism -- antiquish furniture, faded floral carpeting, distressed fireplaces -- there's a lot to like about the rooms. First and foremost, they've got the basics covered. They're big (375 to 650 square feet), clean (outward appearance notwithstanding), and high-tech, and they have comfy beds and nice bathrooms. And then the bonuses and little touches: a kitchen or wet bar in every room, balconies in some, boutique-brand bath products from the Dead Sea (yes, you read that right), and "Elephants on tricycles in every room" (yes, you read that right), as the website boasts. Hey, some hotels take pride in their three-star chefs and marble bathrooms; for others, it's elephants on tricycles. To each his own. Though there is a lot of good, there are some minor issues as well. Thin walls and/or ceilings mean some noisy nights. Balconies could be a bit cleaner.

The names of the four types of suites are as quirky as the hotel itself:

• "The Little Lovely" (Demi Suites)
• "The Lovely" (Junior Suites)
• "The Lovelier" (Executive Suites)
• "The Loveliest" (One Bedrooms / Open Studios)

They vary a bit by size, layout, bed size, and so on even across a single room type (my Little Lovely suite had a kitchen, for instance, but not all of them do), so you might want to discuss the details on the phone before you book.

Here's what they all have in common:

• Decent beds with Dormia Pure Bamboo Natural mattresses, "Gotcha Covered" 618(!)-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens, duvets, and nice soft pillows
• LG flat-screens -- 32 or 42 inches, depending on room type -- with about 75 channels, far more than my other hotels in L.A.
• iHome iPod docks
• Wi-Fi isn't particularly high speed, but hey, it's free, and still fast enough to stream most YouTube videos.
• Coffee machines and complimentary coffee and tea
• Niagara-like water pressure in the shower
• Boca Terry cotton bathrobes
• Free slippers
• LeliaSea ("Beauty from the Dead Sea") bath products

The view from the pool deck

Besides some fun little extras, the Ermitage doesn't offer much in the way of amenities. The highlight, to be sure, is the picturesque pool on the top floor, which boasts 360-degree views of the city. The pool itself is small, but it's heated and salty (the newest trend in hotel poolery), and the surrounding deck, with its hip design, makes it one of the Ermitage's main draws, especially in nice weather.

• Pool open daily
• In-room spa, salon, yoga, or fitness services offered 24 hours; requires an appointment
• Movie Night on the roof every Sunday evening, showing movies such as the originalPink Panther." It's projected onto a big screen and includes milk and cookies -- and popcorn too, of course.
• Free chocolate-chip cookies at the front desk
• Fee for parking -- typical for L.A.; includes in-and-out privileges.
• Fitness center with Techno Gym equipment
• No business center, but there is a computer in the lobby and free property-wide Wi-Fi
• Pets under 20 pounds welcome (nonrefundable deposit)

Kids will dig the pool

Because of its bohemian feel (quirky design, hipster clientele) and quiet, almost meditative atmosphere, the Petit Ermitage isn't ideal for families. Still, there's no reason in particular not to take the kids. At the least, they'll dig the pool, and some of the suites include well-stocked kitchens or kitchenettes, which allows you to save some dough by eating in.

• Kitchens/kitchenettes include ovens and two-burner stoves, sinks, silverware, dishware, and plenty of cooking utensils.
• Some suites include pullout sofas.
• Cribs available for free, but no rollaway beds
• Connecting rooms available
• For a room with a separate master bedroom, book a one-bedroom suite ("The Loveliest").
• For a roundup of L.A.'s more kid-friendly hotels, click here.

Don't worry, it's cleaner than it looks

Because of its quasi-shabby-chic decor, the Ermitage doesn't look very fresh or new, but it was fully renovated in 2009. Aside from the distressed furniture and outfittings, an intentional style choice, the only problems we noted were a few stains on the room's kitchen table and some serious grime on the balcony. (Apparently balconies aren't on the daily housekeeping checklist, at least in the winter.)

Butterfly Bar's beet salad

The Ermitage's restaurant, Butterfly Bar, is like the hotel itself: small but classy. You can eat indoors or outside in the rooftop garden amid not just flora but some fauna as well -- the flying kind. Originally conceived as a buttefly and hummingbird sanctuary (as it is recognized by the National Wildlife Federation), it's unsurprising that a hummingbird dined on a flower right beside guests in the garden. If it's too chilly for al fresco, you can also sit in the atmospheric Masters Lounge. Usually used for cocktail sipping (the space has hosted Scotch, Whiskey, Absinthe, and Mezcal tastings in the past), the Masters Lounge can also be reserved for private dining. Poolside, diners and drinkers can relax at the Firedeck, which can also be reserved for private events, or request bottle service at one of the cabanas.

• Californian-Mediterranean cuisine, made with local organic produce and herbs and vegetables from the garden. Check out my beet salad.
• Buffet breakfast includes French press coffee and fresh-squeezed OJ; breakfast is included in some rates
• Solid options at various prices three blocks over, on Sunset Boulevard