Thompson Hollywood, USA Hotel

Los Angeles, United States

The Hollywood renaissance is in full swing, with the arrival of Thompson Hollywood signalling a mood change for this once-gritty neighbourhood. Just north of Sunset, it epitomises mid-century SoCal cool. The lobby is all sunken sofas and polished terrazzo with an elegant onyx bar presenting the perfect spot for a swift Sazerac.

Room design shows restraint and a lightness of touch – neutral, calm – but all that goes out of the window the higher you climb. By the rooftop pool it’s a riot of yellow-white striped parasols popping against the cloudless Californian sky. Bar Lis is a similarly sun-drenched rooftop spot furnished with fountains and ferns with views across the LA skyline from candy-striped sofas.It claims to ‘channel Côte d’Azur’ but the casual menu is definitely more Santa Monica than Saint Tropez: poached shrimp cocktails, smashed cheeseburgers and a strong cocktail menu – an enticing prospect when it comes to sundowners on Sunset.

Doubles from £230.

Words by Rachel Walker

This article was taken from the May 2024 issue of Food and Travel. To subscribe today, click here.