Branded as being situated “between Hollywood and the Hills”, the Kimpton Everly – which opened in August- is in an unbeatable location. A block away from Hollywood and Vine, the building sits right behind the classic Pantages Theatre (where Disney’s Aladdin is playing to March 31st) and the iconic Capitol Records building. Right next to a freeway overpass (don’t worry, the building has impeccable soundproofing), the hotel also boasts something few in the area can: perfectly unheeded views of the iconic Hollywood sign. And though it’s certainly selling itself on these priceless views, it has a lot more to offer than just the postcard-worthy view from your room’s window.
Before we enter the room, however, let’s start with the lobby. You are greeted by an incredible door; high ceilings and an easily accessible front desk. We were looked after in seconds and the staff could not have been more friendly or helpful. A short walk from the front desk will take you to the elevators to your rooms, but it’s hard not to want to explore the well designed ground floor. The “Ever Bar” sits there; a massive, spacious, relaxed bar and lounge, with a lot of seating options, and books splattered around the space. A great place to relax with a scotch. Feels private in spite of its size and location. I was told of a “wine tasting hour” between 5pm and 6pm, though didn’t partake in it myself. I think I may have been by the pool at that point.
Indeed, no modern Los Angeles hotel would be complete without a rooftop pool, and the Everly has you covered. A stunning pool sits overlooking Hollywood, accessible from 6am to 10pm, with poolside drink and food service. The food is delicious, and the cocktails are a must – whether you enjoy a meal by the pool, in bed or in their own site restaurant Jane Q, which is accessible from Ever Bar. If in a rush, the ham and cheese croissant in the restaurant is a safe choice. Even the items sitting in your room as “mini-bar stock” and waiting for you after turndown service is of high quality; look out for complimentary Dark Chocolate from Zenbunni (Topanga Canyon) sitting on your bed when you return in the evening, with 2 small bottles of water. And be sure to enjoy the dressing gowns; with ridiculously comfortable fabric and a beautiful design by FRETTE 1860.
You can tell they’ve put lots of thought into everything.
Unsurprisingly, the brand new hotel is filled with modern decor, but there’s nothing stuffy about it. There’s been a strong attention to detail to achieve this, with unique artworks throughout every room – even in the bathrooms – and the big, spacious and colourful lobby is matched within the rooms itself. They don’t try and squeeze more rooms into the building than they need to. There was the added bonus, too, of everything smelling fresh and new – thanks to the fact it had barely been open two months when we came to visit.
Our Queen Bed was of unquestionable comfort; I could have stayed under its sheets for days. A testament to its modernity, you’ll find USB plugs on both sides of the bed, with drawers on one side, and a small table with an alarm clock on the other. You’ll also find wall plugs on both sides, one on the drawers and another set on the wall – all of which makes your life that much easier.
You’ll get yourself free internet if you’re a Kimpton Karma member, which is easy to join if you’re not – and they make it easy to use multiple machines, with very fast speeds. Opposite the bed is a massive TV with Chromecast, giving you Netflix access. It required an app though so I didn’t play around with it, but the first time I’ve ever seen it integrated into a hotel room’s offering. Beyond that there’s movies for rent and tonnes of channels.
The bathrooms were rustic, and reminded me of the design and accessibility approach taken by the Ace Hotel. The soaps and shampoos from Atelier Bloem are a strong quality, and they encourage you to buy the product if you like it. These aren’t the usual take home containers; they’re provided in big pumps in the shower, with the exception of the body lotion, which is in the standard pocket hotel size. In addition, a sign in the bathroom indicates that pretty much anything else you might need – from shaving cream, hair bands, coffee maker, cell phone charger, tweezer, International plug adaptor and even TSA approved liquid bags – are available on request from reception.
It’s bigger than most hotel bathrooms, but not unnecessarily large, and there’s some great lighting from the mirrors for those who need it – this is LA after all. Speaking of – I don’t think there’s anything more “LA” than the fact there’s a Yoga mat in the cupboard. Indeed, you can relax here… there’s a (luxurious) home away from home feeling; a perfect mix of class, comfort and “cool” factor – it’s the perfect Los Angeles hotel. And a standard Noon checkout is an absolute blessing.
About the Area & Getting Around
There’s a tonne of great options within walking distance. Walk 10 minutes on the other side of the freeway and you’ll find a great strip of bars, restaurants and boutique stores (as well as a supermarket). Among them you’ll find Franklin and Company – a highly recommended bar and restaurant. Walk ten minutes south and you’ll come to the famous Ameoba Music record store, and the Arclight Cinemas. It’s about the same distance to get to the Chinese cinemas and a number of iconic Hollywood destinations.
But what about the places you can’t walk to? Obviously renting a car comes recommended in LA, but it’s no longer the only option. Los Angeles may have never been a city where public transport is an attractive option (since the 1920’s anyway), but this is fast changing, and between new train lines and the affordability of Uber (especially the UberPool service, which allows you to share rides with automatically matched passengers going to a similar destination, all for a drastically reduced rate), hotels like the Everly find themselves well positioned in the modern transport economy of the city.
The hotel sits right on the Red Line (minutes walk from the Hollywood and Vine station, underneath the W Hotel), which takes you either Downtown to Union Station or to Universal Studios / North Hollywood. The line is safe, quick and affordable. Just grab a $1 tap card and then each ride will set you back $1.50, regardless of destination. There’s no better way to beat traffic. And trips both Downtown and to Universal Studios are essential during any trip to the city.
The Verdict
Kimpton Everly won’t be in everyone’s price range, but if it is, you’ll be hard pressed to find a hotel more comfortable than this one – so much so that it’s amazing views are only a bonus of what they offer. This is a hotel you actually want to spend time in, instead of just using it as a base, which is often the best compliment you can give to a “conveniently located” hotel. Kimpton simply haven’t fallen victim to the cardinal sin of so many other hotels which enjoy as good views and location: cutting corners. They’ve wasted no expense on delivering the best possible hotel experience in the heart of one of the world’s most iconic cities.
Kimpton Everly Hotel
Address: 1800 Argyle Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA
To book your night at the hotel, head to their official website or to booking.com
The author stayed as a guest of the hotel for two nights. Photos by the author unless mentioned.
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