Staycation Issue

IT’S EASY TO HAVE A STARRY-EYED STAYCAY IN WEHO
CHATEAU MARMONT
If you’re into cruising celebrities —
spotting in the flesh those folks you
see on the screen at the Arclight or
Regal Cinemas or on Bravo — the Sunset
Strip is the primary place to go
(but not the only one). One option is
a weekend at the Chateau Marmont,
which sits just east of the West Hollywood
border on Sunset Boulevard.
It’s a place where Robert Pattinson’s
comings and goings are the subjects
of almost-daily online gossip postings.
Lindsay Lohan was temporarily
banned from the Marmont after rack-
PHOTO COURTESY OF LE PARC SUITE HOTEL
ing up a $46,000 bill that she didn’t
A Celebrity Cruise
WITHOUT LEAVING TOWN
pay. But you might run into her there
now because Marmont owner Andre
Balazs lifted the ban in 2012. Also keep
your eyes open for the likes of Britney
Spears, Colin Farrell, Elijah Wood, Matt
Dillon, Christina Ricci, Tobey Maguire
and Jude Law. But remember, don’t ask
for autographs. You’re here to feel fabulous,
and groveling for an autograph
from an annoyed celeb is sure to set
the Marmont staff on edge.
Once your limo works its way past the
paparazzi and up Marmont Lane, the
bellboy will escort you to your room. A
standard room (about 300 square feet
with a courtyard view) will cost you
as little as $435 a night. But we suggest
you go for the “premier one bedroom
suite.” It will set you back $2,774 for
two nights, including taxes. But you’ll
get a kitchen and dining area and a
large terrace with sweeping views of
the city below. (On second thought,
who needs a kitchen in a city with such
fabulous restaurants?) That’s less
expensive that an 11-hour flight to Paris,
with you and your beloved crammed
into an economy seat, which is costing
around $2,000 at present.
THE SUNSET TOWER
The Marmont restaurant is another
place to celebrity cruise and dine, with
entrees in the $20 to $55 range (the latter
for the steak frites). But the joy of
West Hollywood and its environs (which
we call Greater WeHo) is that there are
many other celebrity cruising options.
We suggest that on Friday night you
summon your limo and head to the Sunset
Tower (ask the Marmont concierge
for help in securing a reservation).
Dimitri, the famed maitre ‘d, will seat
you in the Tower Bar, a restaurant
whose food hasn’t won a James Beard
prize, but Anjelica Huston, Bradley
Cooper, John Mayer, Jason Reitman,
Jason Sudeikis, Vince Vaughn and Barbara
Davis — to name a few of the
celebs likely dining near you — don’t
seem to mind. Dimitri is known for
his effusive welcome to celebrities and
regulars and also for not suffering arrogant
fools. Just ask that Arab sheik
whose demand for a table because he
was “royalty” sparked an invite from
Dimitri to dine elsewhere.
Saturday daytime? You can lounge by
the Marmont pool and see what those
stars look like without makeup artists
at hand. Or you can take a trip down
the dark side of Hollywood by signing
up for a Dearly Departed tour. Consider
it a way to say goodbye to celebrities
you haven’t met (and never will).
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