I was trawling through my “to-do” lists and found these photos that I hadn’t published. They were all taken at The Standard Hotel in Hollywood, L.A. As you can probably tell from the above photograph, it’s quite a lively place – the pool area was absolutely rammed full of gorgeous people as soon as the sun came out! Which was often.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay in L.A. that’s not ridiculously expensive then The Standard could be a good, fun option. However, I make that statement with a few little sidenotes. Firstly, this is not a quiet hotel. It’s not for the shy or retiring (and definitely not the retired!) – there’s a full-on nightclub somewhere in the heart of the hotel and you can hear it until the early hours unless you are a room in the far wing. Tip: ask for the quietest room they have available when you book. Then ask again – ask if it’s really their quietest. The staff are well-accustomed to people being a little shocked by the noise when they arrive, but often they are fully-booked and it’s too late to change the room. So, ask in advance! If you end up sleeping on top of a club then you’ll really know about it! (On the flip-side, this is a club frequented by some of Hollywood’s most outrageous celebs, so if you’re in L.A. to par-tay and people-watch then you’ll be in your element!)
Secondly, this hotel is cool, but it’s not luxurious. Everything has been done stylishly, but you’ll probably find your room reasonably basic. The air-con works very well, and there’s everything you need entertainment-wise, but it’s not the kind of place you’ll find deep-pile silk carpets and fluffy slippers! The cool location and the buzzy vibe are what The Standard is all about – you wouldn’t book in here to sit and have a bubble-bath and read Jane Austen.
The food is excellent and available in-room, pool-side or in the restaurant. There’s also a brilliant Diner that (I think?) is open twenty-four hours. I must check that, but I’m fairly sure, as jet-lagged companions visited it for coffee at 5am and I know that I was in there at 2am having a Mojito. Just the one. Ahem.
If you’re packing for a stay at The Standard then make sure you remember a huge pair of sunglasses (for pretending you’re famous, obviously!) and a hot swimsuit. It’s a bit of a flesh-parade outside at the pool, so you don’t want to be donning something that has seen better days! A bit of gradual tanner before you set off wouldn’t do any harm, either!
Complimentary toiletries are by “Kiss My Face”, which will amuse any Alan Partridge fans. Stupidly, I forgot to test them and then also left them in the hotel room, so I have NO idea how good this brand is! Anyone have any experience with “Kiss My Face”? Let me know in the comments…
You can find out more about the Standard at Mr & Mrs Smith – rooms start from $199 for the smallest, plus 14% tax. If you join the BlackSmith club (it’s free) then you get free cocktails on arrival!
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