It was my first time in the metropolis of Los Angeles, and I was repeatedly informed that any assumptions I had of the city were flawed and it is nothing like what I could imagine. I passed by Mulholland Drive, a Paramount sign, The Comedy Store and the Chateau Marmont. You go down a steep road, make a left, and then make another sudden left. Drive all the way round the black-and-white tiles, to which the porter opens the car door for you and take your suitcases to check-in. My suitcases saw the vertiginous mirror kaleidoscope before I did (it’s also known as the Portal Ichosahedron by London artist Anthony James). Fun fact: it was featured in 2022’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery.

The entrance to the hotel is not only secluded, but it feels more like going into a European building than an American one: the design of the glass exterior is extremely cosmopolitan, contemporary, youthful and cooling. The deep blue walls in the interior cool you down from the humid Los Angeles heat. The bronze ceiling shimmers light like you’re in a swimming pool, even though you’re not. It’s an illusion, very art deco, very Lynch. 

I was too astounded by the Portal to locate the check-in, but I eventually found it timidly tucked in at the back of the entrance. The front-of-house team were incredibly welcoming and accommodating. I then carried my suitcases through the dimly lit corridors; I was located on the ninth floor.

The corridors on the seemingly never-ending ninth floor were also dimly lit. My room was spacious; the windows invited in the sunlight. The interior was a mix between contemporary and art-deco with the orb lamps and the cheetah print chair dazzling my room. The room service was impeccable: when I asked for more hangers, the room service brought them to me in under five minutes. 

I watched the fireworks from the rooftop bar that night. Everyone was celebrating July 4th, and I saw fireworks sparkle and glimmer from across the city. Unsurprisingly, I had time to talk about the World Cup: I was genuinely surprised at how popular the football was in America. Of course, if I wanted to watch the fireworks in private, I could have just watched it from my room, which also has a panoramic view of the Los Angeles skyline. And after a while, that is what I did: the celebrations were just starting with no plans to stop. 

I had the best sleep that night: the memory foam bed, the blackout curtains, the steaming hot shower with Molton Brown Cypress & Sea Fennel toiletries. Babies don’t sleep this well, I promise you.

I tried to make the most of my short stay in LA. After grabbing my complimentary coffee from the hotel lounge, I strolled around West Hollywood. After browsing through the thrift shops and eating a turkey burger at Irv’s burgers, I stumbled to a bar and spent my entire July 5th watching the World Cup games: Brazil v Norway and the legendary Mexico v England. The people in West Hollywood were friendly enough: I didn’t feel like a solo traveller. When I told my table that I was staying at The Sun Rose, they said they had never heard of that place. ‘It used to be The Pendry,’ I replied back. ‘Ohhh, they changed the name?’ It turns out the hotel officially rebranded back in 2025.

You can go to other places in Los Angeles such as the Canyon Walk, numerous art galleries, The Griffith Observatory, Farmers Markets and Beverley Hills. But there are a lot of places to visit and walk (yes, walk) in West Hollywood. 

After my trip out and now back at the hotel, I ordered pastries from The Sun Rose a la carte breakfast and saved it for the evening. I ate my pastries alongside some slices of pizza from a nearby pizzeria, got on a Waymo (which is extremely popular in LA) back to the hotel, and since smoking weed is legal in the state of California, I watched the news high as a kite while munching on my goodies. The Strawberry and Cream Danish was a standout.

The Sun Rose West Hollywood has a Swarovski tree: known as the Cao Perrot Studio’s Sunset Jewel, it is a 23-foot tree sculpture and its golden split trunk opens to reveal a geode accented with black Swarovski crystals, while its branches support a canopy of mother-of-pearl trees. Another guest and I admired the tree during the night, and we both went into a fit of laughter when I told him the only thing we could do was to admire it because we could not afford to build something like this. At least this tree is fire-proof. 

During another morning, I hit the gym and then relaxed to the sauna (which is sex-segregated). They also have a spa. If you don’t want to go to the gym, you can lounge by the rooftop heated-pool, which is big enough to swim. They have a cinema, bowling arena and finally, Live at The Sun Rose. The city mandate means that there has to be a music venue if the building is where the House of Blues used to be. Live at The Sun Rose is an intimate (hosts 100-150 people), premium listening room and is an integral component of the hotel’s identity, hosting performances by artists such as Stevie Wonder and John Legend. 

On my final day, I slightly panicked thinking that I gave the wrong entrance address to the Lyft driver. Thankfully, the Lyft driver is a human, and, unlike the Waymo, he knew which entrance to pick me up from. 

When I asked what makes The Sun Rose a 5* hotel rather than a 4* hotel, I was told this: 

“Combination of personalised hospitality with a distinctly Los Angeles sense of place. The hotel brings together design, dining, wellness, art and, most importantly, music in a way that feels deeply connected to the Sunset Strip. For example, the property is built on the former House of Blues site and continues that legacy through Live at The Sun Rose, an intimate music venue that has hosted major artists while remaining an integral part of the hotel experience.

“The Sun Rose is also designed as a destination in its own right—a place where guests can experience the culture and creative energy of LA without having to leave the property. The combination of personalised hospitality, distinctive design and authentic cultural programming is what we believe differentiates The Sun Rose from a more traditional four-star hotel.”

The Sun Rose earns its five stars by staying out of the way. It sits in the background of your LA trip, and the trip is smoother for it.

To find out more about The Sun Rose West Hollywood, visit thesunrosehotel.com/.

Review Sanem Alti