PARK Magazine

ESCAPES
AS SLASH SO SUCCINCTLY
FRAMED IT, ‘‘IT’S THE
ONLY HOTEL AROUND L.A.
THAT’S MAINTAINED ITS
COOL FACTOR SINCE 1963.’’
Pasta and jotting and reminiscing. I giggled to myself
as I thought about the last time I stayed in a Villa at
the Sunset Marquis for an Oscar week in the early
2000s and going to party at Paris Hilton’s bachelorette
pad overlooking Sunset Boulevard and practically
being molested by James Brown’s widow in
the kitchen. True story! James Brown’s widow wanted
me to mount her. Suffice to say - that never happened.
But such is the mood of creative fecund that
sweeps the sense from my perch in the groovy communal
dining al fresco scene of the in-house Cavatina
restaurant. It’s easy to feel and understand
mentally why this place has been so integral to
writing and creating.
And then there is its one-a-kind locale. It is no
cliche to say that the best way to discover any city
is by walking the city you visit. But how to do that
in a city like Los Angeles where you look like the
only loser by wanting to stroll around? Taking up
residence at the Sunset Marquis is the truly exceptional
way to quash that worry.
Just a brisk stroll up the hill to Sunset Boulevard
and you can quickly become the cool Los Angelenos,
so sit and order a latte at the Coffee Bean or the
Starbucks and people watch. And there is nowhere
to people watch the most beautiful folk in L.A. than
in West Hollywood. So, feel no shame in holding
court by that still au courant coffee spot, or maybe
it’s lunch at still popular eateries all along Sunset
Plaza like the Chin Chin or Le Petit Four where you
can ogle the Lululemon beauties strutting in and
out of the vast Equinox complex next door.
On your Day 3 perhaps, one could go about shopping
and power walking at the same time with a
visit to start the afternoon at the coolest boutique
on Sunset Plaza in H. Lorenzo and then stroll to the
iconic Dries Van Noten boutique on famous La
Cienega Boulevard before strolling onwards to the
Beverly Center a mile or so away from where it is a
must to first stop by the Concierge Desk to L.A.’s
most famous shopping mecca to find out which
stores have special discounts for visitors to the city.
On your Night 4 perhaps, you will want to just stroll
the most famous movie billboard corridor in the
world! At night the twinkle and sparkle of the lights
of Hollywood and the huge, glorious billboards of all
the latest movie stars truly throttle the senses. You
stroll it to feel it -- yes baby, you are truly in Hollywood.
It is the most intoxicating rush ever. And time to show
off the fruits of the shopping spree by getting glammed
up for dinner at the most craved sushi restaurant in
town called Sushi Park, a five-minute walk once
again to Sunset Blvd. Do not be surprised at all if you
find yourself at Sushi Park seated next to Angelina
Jolie picking over sea bass nigiri whilst batting her
eyelashes at her new friend The Weeknd.
On your Day 5 after the morning latte, a visit to
one of the world’s most famous bookstores in the
Book Soup is a must to, not only pick up the morning
Los Angeles Times or New York Times, but a few
hardcovers for reading and sunning by either of the
two pools at your disposal when you get back to the
hotel. You could even do the macabre Hollywood
tribute before all that and lay a rose by the Viper
Room where to this day fans still leave wreaths and
such at the site where River Phoenix overdosed
decades ago. And you can then stroll by the most
fabulous art gallery devoted to all things Andy Warhol
at The Revolver Gallery. Later, an early evening
drink or meal is a five-minute cab ride or Uber to
the Polo Lounge of the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel,
where the perfect Instagram moment awaits. And
end the day with another round of shopping at the
iconic L.A. boutique Fred Segal which has brand
new headquarters just up the hill from your hotel
room. Wear that perfect hoodie to the Abbey before
The current face, literally, of the hotel is
the current modern myth figure of the
Sunset Strip definition of cool is the rocker
Dave Grohl who actually met his wife at
the famous Whiskey Bar now revived postpandemic
as Bar 1200. This Foo Fighters
face is on every hotel room key card.