This weekend my friend flew to LA and was staying at a hotel. This was the perfect chance for me to have a real staycation. Most of my staycations exist in my mind - I go to the nail salon and close my eyes during the two minute arm rub, and try to forget about the alcoholic smells, constant chatter, and the intermittent pandering: "only $5 more for...". Sometimes, I try to convince my friends to join in on a massage train (similar to what we did on the rug in Mrs. Klapper's third grade class), other times I savor a delectable dessert. But these moments of sanctuary are clearly not as relaxing as a full blown - get out of your house, sleep in a hotel, pretend you are somewhere else Staycation.
For the weekend, my friend chose to reside at the Petit L'Ermitage, a small hotel tucked away on a quiet street in West Hollywood. The building is surrounded by apartments and residences, nothing commercial - though it is walking distance from restaurants, coffee shops, and stores. The place is pretty much unnoticed unless you've done some internet research. The hotel's decor is very stimulating - boho chic, 40's hipster, mixed with a hint of foreign exotic flavor. The entrance smells of light incense, the room contains hardwood floors and furnishings, and an empty brown bird cage dangles from the ceiling. Old music resonates from a repurposed vitrola (using it's beautifully elegant, flower-like horn as a speaker to play tunes from modern equipment).
After checking in, we headed up the elevator. A man dressed in Sikh attire (turban and robe) greeted us and made sure we were guests of the hotel. I felt like little orphan Annie entering Daddy Warbuck's grand mansion, or the Little Princess after her cold attic room had been lavishly decorated by her kind Indian neighbor. We traveled up the elevator (which was not forgotten in the decoration process - wooden walls, ornate mirrors) to the third floor. The hotel has 4 floors, and on the rooftop there is a heated pool (which lights up at night), cabanas, interesting wicker chairs, a restaurant (outdoor and indoor seating), city view, and a fireplace. Pretty cool.
Our room was wonderful. The interior decoration was perfect - clean and simple, but colorful and memorable. The room had a queen sized bed, a bathroom with tub and shower (amazing water pressure), a little living area with couch, chair, dresser, fireplace, air conditioning, and a small patio/balcony. The bed was incredibly comfortable - the sheets were a ridiculously high thread count, and the hotel provided for quiet days and nights. The curtains were as good as my blackout curtains - they truly hid the light, allowing us to sleep in. Since we were on the third floor we heard a lot of footsteps and movements coming from the restaurant above us, but it was nothing to complain about. NOTE: Free wifi provided, as well as most cable channels (including HBO).
Some of my most staycation worthy moments:
1) Breakfast in bed - delectable, creamy french toast on brioche and a refreshing strawberry banana smoothie
2) A bath with lavender peppermint body wash
3) Robes and slippers - provided
4) Lounging and sipping iced tea at the rooftop pool on a large bed-type chair, with a warm, furry blanket given to me by the server when it got chilly.
I would highly highly recommend a staycation. I truly felt like I had escaped LA for a weekend. Because my car was in valet, I walked to restaurants - which I tend not to do too often here, lounged in a clutter-free room that wasn't full of dirty clothes and endless amounts of paper I have yet to file, and allowed myself to relax and be served. I would especially recommend staying at a hotel like Petit l'Ermitage. The staff was friendly, but not overly intrusive, and accommodating. The layout, services, and design have been thoroughly thought out to provide for a wonderful stay. And most importantly it's somewhat hidden from the outside world - a gem amidst the hustle and bustle of LA city life. I believe the dining is only for in-hotel customers, but you can give them a call and find out. If you are able to eat at the rooftop restaurant, I would recommend it - the food was very tasty and the view was sigh-worthy.
Learn more about it here: http://www.petitermitage.com/
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