"You’ve got to love a place that offers five different Belgian beers on the room service menu. But that’s that Chamberlain, a hotel that goes out of its way – and then some – to march to the beat of a much different drummer than other LA sleeperies. Start with the location: tucked down a quite, jacaranda-shaded side street between the glitzy Sunset Strip and hardworking Santa Monica Blvd. So discreet you could easily drive past a dozen times without noticing a small hotel secreted amongst the condo blocks. As a child of the design-conscious Kor Group, the décor also stands apart: a blend of muted blues, greens and grays that infuse the converted 1970’s building with a hip, contemporary air. Low ceilings make the 112 guest rooms a bit claustrophobic, but a spacious sitting area with fireplace, work desk and large round wall mirror more than compensate for the lack of height. The biggest downside is the bathroom, not so much their small size but the unwelcome mementoes (like rust-stained sinks) of the disco era. The atrium restaurant offers a warm, sun-splashed venue for breakfast and lunch, then morphs after dark into an intimate bistro. Although the menu veers into offbeat treats like pappardelle pasta with duck sausage, its primary focus is fresh Southern California surf and turf. The Chamberlain’s coolest corner is a breezy rooftop terrace with swimming pool and billowy Arabian Nights cabanas that look out over the twinkling lights of Hollywood."
