Raise the Roof at Kimpton Hotel Wilshire

It's been said that Wilshire Boulevard is the spine of Los Angeles. The roughly 16-mile thoroughfare spans from Downtown L.A. all the way to the ocean, and along the route is almost every example of 20th century architecture. Wilshire weaves through historic Los Angeles neighborhoods, including hip Koreatown, stately Hancock Park, and the Miracle Mile. Situated in the heart of the iconic boulevard is the Kimpton Hotel Wilshire, which makes it an ideal nightly retreat for an art and glamour-loving traveler like you.

You check into the stylish hotel at the stroke of sunset and head straight to The Roof on Wilshire, where A-listers, bronzed Beverly Hills locals, and sharply-attired barflies are admiring the sweeping views. You clutch a champagne-laced craft cocktail as you sup on Chef Eric Greenspan’s flakey homemade biscuits, fresh watercress salad and a superb herb-crusted halibut.

At the bar, you swap travel tales with your Spanish architect neighbor, and share jokes with a local film producer—and possible heiress—until it’s well past midnight. You finally head back to your luxe Hollywood Suite with sunshine-yellow accents and fall into your plush king-sized bed.

In the morning, you awake recharged. Located stumbling distance from the hotel, Demitasse Coffee roasts its own small-batch beans and specializes in pour-over coffee.

With your cup of joe in hand, you walk a few blocks to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Inside you get lost among more than 100,000 works of art, and make a point to find a David Hockney portrait, a large-scale work by Barbara Kruger, and pop art by Ed Ruscha. Lunch is a margherita pizza al fresco at the museum’s stylish Ray's and Stark Bar. Before you leave, you snap a selfie at Urban Light, Chris Burden's Instagram-famous outdoor art installation that's filled with more than 200 street lamps.

After a splash in the rooftop pool, you venture out to shop. You love seeking out high-end designers and local finds, so you stroll West 3rd Street and pop into local boutiques and cool design shops like Wittmore, Elaine Kim, Alexis Bittar, and Lot, Stock and Barrel.

You meet the Spanish architect for dinner at the swinging seafood joint on West 3rd, Son of A Gun. He tells you to not miss St. Basil Catholic Church, which has two towers that are entwined by artist Claire Falkenstein’s incredible stained-glass windows. He adds that the Marciano Art Foundation, housed in the refurbished Scottish Rite Masonic Temple, is a must-visit new museum with a 1,500-piece collection of mostly modern art.

As you two opt for a tequila nightcap at the cool Mexican cantina El Carmen, you know that back in bed tonight at the Hotel Wilshire you will dream of colorful Andy Warhol works, wild Willem de Kooning paintings, and surreal Cindy Sherman images. And tomorrow it will all come true.

Kimpton Hotel Wilshire
6317 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles 90048
(323) 852-6000