Hotel-O-Rama
Had a chance to check out the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and The Crescent recently and both seem to be at the cusp of something big.
The Hollywood Roosevelt is undergoing renovations, and being there feels like you're in between two worlds. The first Academy Award was held there and you can see its history posted along the walls on the second floor. There's a distinct odor around the hotel, that old smell you can't quite put your finger on. Lit up, the big ballroom feels like a Las Vegas lounge with no windows and some faux exterior finish; but when the lights are low, the place takes you back in time. The reservation/front desk was relocated to the back of the building and is nicely decorated, it almost feels like you are in a W Hotel -- but only if the lights were dim.
I didn't stick around for the lunch they were offering: the combination of Mexican buffet and a sandwich & cold cut spread was a weird one, and was enough to send me off to Hollywood & Highland to safely eat a salad at CPK.
The Crescent is a very modern hotel off Burton Way in Beverly Hills. The front desk is similar to a ticket booth or that of a hostess station at a restaurant. The lobby is small but littered with comfortable seating areas and shares a fireplace with the outdoor patio in front. If you want food with your drink, you have a three choices: seating outside, at the lobby, or -- if you have a crowd and it's available -- at the big table with a very modern crystal light fixture by the lobby.
We chose to eat at the lobby and wound up sitting on the most comfortable shag carpet as we enjoyed tapas-style cuisine. The tapas were a variety of street food from around the world and they were all surprisingly tasty. Sharing is a must, so you can try as many things on the menu as you can.
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