Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel

Marry a boutique hotel with a resort, and you get the Luxe Sunset Boulevard Hotel in Bel Air. On an out-of-the-way stretch of Sunset Boulevard off Highway 405, this luxury boutique has just 160 rooms, but they're spread over a seven-acre, two-building property with a pool. A white van shuttles guests between the main building (which houses the lobby, the restaurant, and some rooms) to the uphill building (more rooms, plus the pool and fitness center). Travelers who’ve visited the sister property in Beverly Hills, the Luxe Rodeo Drive, may recognize the tastefully comfortable lobby decor -- all muted, warm shades of chocolate brown, beige, and cream. The big difference between this hotel and the Beverly Hills location is the amount of space: The entry-level room size here (525 square feet) is over twice as large.With its expansive, landscaped outdoor patio area, as well as three conference rooms and a 4,500-square-foot ballroom, the Luxe is a popular spot for weddings and conferences. Wedding parties and business travelers take over the hotel almost every weekend, along with college parents in town to visit their kids at nearby UCLA. For vacationers planning to explore the city, the Luxe Sunset’s location in the tony but very residential Bel Air neighborhood renders it a less appealing choice than hotels in livelier areas such as Santa Monica, downtown, or West Hollywood. Hotels in Westwood (Kimpton Hotel Palomar, W Los Angeles) face the same problem, but they have the advantage of being within walking distance of UCLA and Westwood Village.Travelers who do book here will find they get more than their money’s worth, from the huge rooms with flat-screen TVs, cotton bathrobes, and free Wi-Fi to the heated outdoor pool, free business center, and free fitness center. There's nightly turndown service and free local shuttle service (mostly used for visits to Westwood Village and UCLA or the J. Paul Getty Museum). Services like these, as well as a daily concierge, overnight valet parking (fee), luggage porters, 24-hour room service, and seasonal food and drink service at the pool, are on par with what you'd expect from a five-pearl Beverly Hills hotel.

The Luxe Sunset’s out-of-the-way location off a residential stretch of Sunset Boulevard, in the tony neighborhood of Bel Air, means visitors don't have easy access to the city's dining, nightlife, and shopping hubs -- especially as compared to hotels in downtown L.A., Santa Monica, and West Hollywood. Other than proximity to UCLA and a handful of cultural institutions like the J. Paul Getty Museum, there are not many attractions here -- but the relative calm does provide a nice sense of escape.- The Getty Museum, L.A.'s free, gigantic art museum with a large pre-20th century European collection and impressive photography exhibits, is a 10-minute drive

• UCLA and the surrounding Westwood Village, a college-focused hub of shops, restaurants, and movie theaters (including the Geffen Playhouse), are under a 10-minute drive away
• The luxury designer boutiques of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills are a 15-minute drive away
• Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is a 30- to 25-minute drive away

With rooms starting at 525 square feet, Luxe Sunset Boulevard offers larger accommodations than either the W Los Angeles or Kimpton Hotel Palomar in Westwood. The restrained interior design, with framed illustrations of seashells and furniture in muted shades of beige and chocolate brown, lends the rooms a relaxing and sophisticated feel. The entry-level Superior Rooms have either a single king or two full-size beds; all other rooms come with a single king-sized bed. Deluxe Rooms have 60 more square feet of space than the Superiors, plus a wet bar, and Executive Suites tack on even more space (totaling 700 square feet), which includes an additional sitting area and an oversize bathroom.The spaciousness of the rooms make Luxe Sunset Boulevard a good choice for families (parents should note that rooms in the uphill building tend to be quieter). Even the hotel's entry-level rooms have more than enough space for rollaway beds (which cost a daily fee) or cribs (which are free). The Superior Room with two full-size beds can sleep up to six people with rollaways. All rooms feature an impressive assortment of extras. Flat-screen TVs with on-demand movies, tablets, stocked minibars, coffeemakers with free coffee and tea, and safes all come standard. There are even yoga mats in the rooms for guests to use. On the beds, there are pillow-topped mattresses, soft Fili D'oro Italian linens, duvets, and down comforters, as well as poly-filled and throw pillows. Bathrooms are adequate and clean but nothing special -- no rainfall showerhead in the shower/tub combos, no name-brand toiletries (though a nice set of products is available). Cotton bathrobes and slippers are a nice touch.Only about a third of the rooms have balconies, most of which overlook the pool. Balconies are not limited to the higher-end rooms; to get one, simply request a balcony room when booking. Wi-Fi is free in the rooms and throughout the resort.

Like a mini-resort, Luxe Sunset Boulevard has space enough over its seven acres for a pool and fitness center. The similarly priced W and Hotel Palomar, in nearby Westwood, don't have the space to offer as many features -- although the W does have a spa, Bliss.Just beside the uphill building, the small heated outdoor pool is large enough -- and at the end of the day, empty enough -- for swimming laps. There are four cabanas for rent, plus free fruit-infused water and free use of lounge chairs and towels. During the summer, the hotel's room service will deliver food and drink orders to the pool area. Flooded with light from double-height floor-to-ceilings windows, the fitness center includes a multipurpose strength-training machine, two bench presses, three treadmills, an elliptical, two exercise bikes, and a full set of free weights. In one corner of the gym, guests can pick up fresh towels, refrigerated bottled water, and a piece of fruit.There are three attractive meeting rooms which can be set up in different seating configurations, as well as a 4,500-square-foot ballroom. The free business center is open 24 hours, and offers two computers (a Mac and a PC) and a laser printer. Wi-Fi is free throughout the resort.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served daily at On Sunset, Luxe's California-inspired restaurant. The breakfast menu includes a goat cheese/egg white frittata and lemon-ricotta pancakes with creme fraiche and lunch entrees include seared Scottish salmon and spaghetti with Manila clams and white wine. For dinner, items like braised lamb shank and filet mignon are offered. The weekly Sunday brunch buffet features build-your-own Bloody Marys and mimosas, as well as antipasto and salad bars; omelet, carved meat, and entree stations; crepes and waffles with a variety of jams and toppings; and a Viennese pastry display with sweets and baked goods.Luxe Lounge, the lobby bar, offers a full list of spirits, wines, beers, and cocktails, plus a snack menu of charcuterie, cheese plates, salads, and sandwiches.