Experience the best of LA under one roof — TPG’s first look at the new Pendry West Hollywood

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 Editor’s note: The Pendry provided a complimentary stay to TPG to be among the first to experience the new property. The opinions expressed below are entirely from the author and weren’t subject to review by The Pendry or any external entity.

Los Angeles has seen many hotel openings over the last few years, including the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown and West Hollywood Edition, among others. And now, there’s yet another hotel to join the fray: The Pendry West Hollywood.

Pendry is a new line of design-forward luxury hotels that are part of the Montage Hotels and Resorts group. It has properties in Baltimore, Chicago and San Diego, with cities like New York, Park City and Washington, D.C. in the pipeline.

Knowing the high regard the Montage group has, I was curious to see how the new hotel would fare. So, when I was invited to check out the West Hollywood property, I jumped at the chance.

The Pendry West Hollywood is right on the Sunset Strip at the former site of the iconic House of Blues. It boasts 149 rooms, multiple Wolfgang Puck restaurants, a rooftop pool, full-service spa, 100-seat live-entertainment venue, screening room, bowling alley and an exclusive private social club.

Here’s what it was like to stay there. (Please note: This isn’t a full review of the hotel since the management knew we were coming. It’s TPG’s policy to travel incognito and pay for each stay when reviewing properties.) 

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The epitome of modern luxury

Stepping into the Pendry, I immediately knew that I wasn’t entering a typical luxury hotel. While classic elements like a warm welcome from the bell staff were there, the lobby didn’t have the usual neutral tones and ornate chandelier.

Instead, I was greeted by a metallic tree embellished with Swarovski crystals and mother of pearl leaves, teal lacquered walls, checkered marble floors, green and pink hues, neon lights and brass accents. The centerpiece of the lobby was Icosahedron, a 20-sided illuminated prism-like steel and glass sculpture by British/Los Angeles-based artist Anthony James. Everything felt luxe without being too ostentatious.

The celebration for art carried throughout the property. The hotel has a full in-house art collection curated by Lendrum Fine Art, featuring more than 20 local artists alongside internationally acclaimed names.

Vibrant yet sophisticated rooms

I was given a “Deluxe Skyline One Bedroom Suite,” and it was stunning, to say the least. The nearly 700-square-foot suite opened to a grand entryway with more art and — wait for it — a fresh bouquet of flowers, designed by Hollywood’s “florist to the stars,” Eric Buterbaugh. While a small detail, it attested that this was a five-star hotel.

The suite featured a well-sized living room complete with a large sofabed, chic dining table and recessed wet bar. The decor had a chic art deco vibe with nods to ocean waves and dusky skies.

The wet bar was complete with an espresso machine and some thoughtful touches like various house plants and custom santal and cypress-scented candle. Again, small details, but they’re calming and help evoke a homey-but-luxurious feel. After all, Pendry’s goal is to make guests feel like they’re staying at the best versions of their dream homes.

While most rooms don’t have this, my suite featured a balcony. It offered views from West Hollywood to Downtown Los Angeles and beyond.

Also unique to suites like mine: a half-bath separate from the master bathroom.

The bedroom itself maintained the same blue, dusty pink and green color palette and luxury aesthetic. It was also extremely quiet despite facing the busy Sunset Boulevard. And while I wasn’t traveling with a lot of luggage, I appreciated the walk-in closet, which came stocked with some of the comfiest bathrobes I’ve worn.

The en-suite bathroom felt nearly as large as the bedroom. It was decked out in white marble and featured a very Hollywood-esque mirror with exposed light bulbs along the sides.

But my favorite part was the deep soaking tub, which offered views of the Hollywood Hills and came stocked with Lola’s Apothecary bath salts. The stand-up shower was spacious and I was a big fan of the Min New York toiletries, which came in large-format bottles.

Related: The world’s most incredible hotel bathtubs

Standard rooms are around 332 to 368 square feet and are furnished similarly. The only difference was that there is no separate living room or half-bathroom. Also, there’s no bathtub in the standard bathrooms. Between the shapes, colors and pattern, the aesthetic of the rooms felt truly L.A.

For comparison’s sake, standard room rates currently start at $340 for a king room and $735 for the deluxe skyline one-bedroom suite I stayed in. That said, the rates could be much higher during busier periods. The hotel doesn’t participate in a major loyalty program, though it does participate in Chase’s Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection. This means that Chase Sapphire Reserve and other eligible cardholders can enjoy a host of extra perks with every booking, such as complimentary breakfast for two, upgrades and more.

No need to leave the property

I have a confession to make: I went through my entire two-night stay without stepping foot off the property and I have no regrets. Between the great food-and-beverage outlets and plentiful amenities, there was more than enough for me to eat and do on-site. That said, had I wanted to venture off the property, I could have been chauffeured in or borrowed one of the hotel’s house Cadillacs, included in the $25 daily amenity fee.

My favorite amenity was the rooftop pool. It was stylishly furnished with pink, green and blue hues, playing on the old Hollywood glamour theme. It’s sure to become a favorite for tourists and locals in need of a staycation alike.

The photos really don’t do it justice, but the views of the Los Angeles skyline were spectacular.

Back on the ground floor, guests had access to a screening room and private bowling alley at the Britely Social Club (more on that later). Sticking to the property’s roots as the former site of the House of Blues, there’s also a 100-seat multipurpose live music venue that will open once COVID-19 restrictions are lifted.

As you might expect, the hotel also features a full-service spa. Due to the pandemic, I hadn’t had a massage in a while, so I jumped at the chance to book a 60-minute full-body massage and it was terrific. Although closed due to coronavirus-related restrictions, hotel guests can typically use the spa’s herbal steam rooms as a part of the amenity fee.

Right by the spa was the hotel’s fitness center. It was equipped with everything you’d need for a workout, including a Peloton and even a spinning/yoga studio. Fitting for L.A.’s fitness craze, guests also have access to virtual fitness classes powered by Health House.

Related: How to stay fit while traveling for business

Two Wolfgang Puck restaurants

The Pendry West Hollywood is a culinary destination with multiple food and beverage concepts, helmed by Wolfgang Puck. The two main restaurants are Merois and Ospero.

Merois was the hotel’s signature restaurant and is on the rooftop. It offered both indoor and alfresco dining and will likely become L.A.’s new place to see-and-be-seen. The menu was a fusion of Japanese and Southeast Asian cuisine with a French/Californian flair.

I ate here for dinner my first night. My meal started off with several amuse-bouches sent by the chef. I especially enjoyed the poke-style tacos.

As recommended by my server, I then sampled the colorful vegan crispy rice sushi and hamachi tartare, which was served with a squid ink cracker.

For my main, I had the crispy scale-fried black sea bass and the steamed Thai snapper filet with charred shishito peppers on the side. Whole fried fish usually isn’t my first choice, but I’m glad I got it because it was delicious. The snapper was delicate and extremely tasty as well.

I was thoroughly full at this point, but the server insisted I have dessert. Since I couldn’t resist, I ordered the baba au rhum. It came with sorbet inside and vanilla crème fraiche, and I definitely tasted the rum.

Ospero, the hotel’s all-day casual eatery, is on the street level. It offers a number of dishes cooked in a wood-burning oven, as well as grab-and-go items. This is also where hotel guests can pick up their morning coffee and tea included in the amenity fee.

Related: Why these 20 Los Angeles restaurants should be on your radar

For lunch, I had the wild mushroom pizza, wood oven-roasted branzino and asparagus, all of which were fresh and tasty. Although I didn’t have it on this visit, the menu also featured some of Puck’s signature dishes like the smoked salmon pizza with dill cream and caviar.

The ultra-chic Bar Pendry is just off the lobby. It had a bit of a speakeasy vibe, serving craft cocktails and small bites, also by Wolfgang Puck. It also offers an outdoor seating area complete with a Moët & Chandon Champagne vending machine.

Private Britely Social Club

Perhaps the most exciting addition for Angelenos is The Britely, a private membership social club in the basement of the hotel. It’s a truly whimsical space with lacquered walls, animal-print upholstery, pink ostrich feathers and a gold ceiling. It has an old cinema-like feel to it with some Jazz Age touches. When you first step in, you’d think the space has been around since the Golden Age of Hollywood — that is, assuming you’re even accepted as a member.

Amenities include a private dining area also run by Wolfgang Puck, an underground lounge with bowling lanes and a private rooftop bar. Of these, the bowling alley is the only area hotel guests can use. Britely members also have access to all hotel amenities, including the pool ang gym, as well as some unique programming focused on community, curiosity and celebration.

Bottom line

The Pendry is a terrific addition to the West Hollywood hotel scene. It seamlessly blends classic luxury service culture with a contemporary yet sophisticated design. Not only that, but I truly felt a sense of place here. While it doesn’t participate in a major hotel program and rooms here don’t come cheap, you can maximize your stay here by redeeming fixed-value points or booking through Chase’s Luxury Hotel and Resort Collection. Pendry has several more hotels in the pipeline, so I’m excited to see how the brand evolves.

All photos by Benji Stawski/The Points Guy.

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Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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