Short Stories Hotel: An Urban Oasis Amid the Bustle of L.A.
If the art director for The New Yorker magazine designed a hotel in Los Angeles, it might look like the Short Stories Hotel. With a nod to the magazine’s erudite sensibility and style, the boutique hotel combines sophisticated tastes with a bright, airy design to create a tranquil urban retreat. Set on the edge of West Hollywood, the hotel is located directly across from The Grove shopping center, the Original Farmer’s Market, and CBS Studios. It’s also within an easy stroll of Museum Row, which is home to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Peterson Automotive Museum, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.
Originally built in 1962, the hotel was completely reimagined by the Grifka Group in collaboration with Kevin Klein Design and reopened as the Short Stories Hotel in May 2022. Behind the ivy clad walls, the new hotel retains its midcentury architecture, but inside, it curates a modern, cultured vibe with clever allusions to earlier design movements.
In the center of the black-and-white-marble-tiled lobby, a pale blue serpentine sofa and Saarinen tulip table welcomes guests. Just beyond the lobby, an airy courtyard lounge lined with cozy banquette seating offers intimate places to work or meet up with friends amid the trickling fountains and lush foliage. Lights suspended overhead cast a warm, inviting glow at night.
Next to the courtyard, the hotel bar is a discreet gathering spot for locals and guests alike. The menu features playful, craft cocktails and a refined selection of small plates highlighting fresh, locally sourced produce. It’s a chill space to enjoy drinks and a bite while eavesdropping on the whispered conversations of Hollywood writers and producers.
A small, heated pool tucked into the courtyard’s back corner offers a refreshing dip while lounge seating around the pool and on the second-floor sundeck provide more spaces to relax.
The spacious, light-filled guest rooms are well-appointed and thoughtfully designed with custom-built armoires, Carrera marble tables, stained woods, brass accents, and terrazzo tiles. Playful touches include the cheetah-print banquettes and pale pink paper lanterns. Each of the rooms also feature the artwork of local painter Kenton Nelson, whose light-bathed figures and landscapes draw inspiration from the work of W.P.A. artists of the 1930s. In addition, the rooms offer cozy robes and slippers, well-curated mini-bars, and notable collections of books on art, architecture, fashion, and more.
Directly across from the hotel, The Grove and the Original Farmers Market are year-round shopping destinations, but during the holidays, they transform into magical wonderlands. The Grove pulls out all the stops with a dazzling 100-foot Christmas tree, thousands of twinkling lights, a vintage trolley trimmed with holiday decorations, festive music, nightly “snowfall,” and visits from Santa. It’s the perfect place to embrace the holiday spirit while checking off your gift list. Just steps away, the Original Farmers Market offers a nostalgic counterpoint to The Grove’s glitz. Established in 1934, this historic market brings a cozy, old-fashioned feel with its array of food vendors, handmade goods, and festive treats. Enjoy a hot cocoa and Yuletide caroling while picking out unique stocking stuffers for loved ones. Together, The Grove and Farmers Market offer a blend of modern sparkle and timeless tradition that captures the magic of the holidays in L.A.
Many more holiday lights, events, concerts, film screenings, and even outdoor ice-skating make balmy Los Angeles an unexpectedly festive destination for the holidays. For more details, visit Discover Los Angeles’ website.