Palihouse Holloway

Paris loft meets Hollywood haute: 36 boho-chic suites and residences with courtyard brasserie, espresso bar tabac, montage lounge and funky roof

Tucked discreetly off Sunset Boulevard with the hills at its back, Palihouse Holloway is a few clicks off the radar and 180º from the stereotypical Hollywood scene. No front desk, no lurking paparazzi, few pretensions - just 36 super-sharp and spacious suites and residences with all the comforts of home and all the perks of a luxury hotel, fully equipped for stays of a few days to several months.

The brainchild of real estate and hospitality tastemaker Avi Brosh, the Palihouse brand creates an urban pied-a-terre for cosmopolitan creatives. Living rooms are a sharp blend of contemporary, vintage and Bloomsbury boho. It’s a neighbourhood gathering place where you don’t have to be 'on the list' to get in. Showbiz moguls take up residence for months; A-list actors drop in for meetings next to writers nursing the signature Writer’s Block cocktail as they click away on their laptops. There are picnic tables on the roof and bikes to borrow. And the courtyard brasserie is one of the few places in LA you can enjoy steak frites under the stars.

Highs

• A fresh take on Hollywood - swapping ego for cultural cool; a short strut from trendy Melrose shops and Sunset Strip clubs and in easy reach of Beverly Hills’ iconic Rodeo Drive
• Off-beat and urbane: a fascinating mélange of repurposed antiques, classic furnishings, elegant period pieces and found items
• Close-knit staff, dedicated to personal service for long-stay guests; if a housekeeper notices you’re running low on a favourite kind of cookie, she’ll likely buy it herself
• Extended stays are encouraged - perks pile up: personal shopper and stylist, discounts and champagne at select shops and salons
• Egalitarian-neighbourhood vibe; celebs, sans the posturing
• The authentic brasserie courtyard, Raw Bar, espresso bar and tabac are destinations in themselves

Lows

• Breakfast not included and no room service until 10 am; brew coffee in your Italian percolator or order your eggs alfresco in the courtyard
• The eccentric décor is not for everyone; some guests simply don’t get it
• No pool or spa; the roof sundeck is carpeted in Astroturf with strange, lumpy mounds (it’s much prettier after dark, strung with white bulbs and surrounded by the city glitter)
• May be too laidback and off-the-party-grid for club hounds or too familiar for Europeans who came for classic Hollywood culture
• No service after 11pm