5 star hotels in Los Angeles

The ultra-modern (and ultra-pricey), SLS Beverly Hills is a design dream where visual (over) stimulation abounds and your eyes are blinded by so many white leather sofas. Aside from the ultra-modern décor, SLS has two restaurants, a fitness center, a spa and salon, and complementary BMW house cars. But the true gem of the hotel is the “Altitude,” a rooftop pool complete with pool concierge. Weekends during “pool season” from 2-6pm “Altitude” transforms into poolside lounge featuring a live DF, VIP bottle service, and various summer events such as fashion shows and poolside salon services. Fergie had her baby shower there—just sayin’.

Steps from Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive shopping, this boutique West Hollywood hotel features a rooftop pool with cabanas and a restaurant that serves a daily complimentary table-style breakfast. Standard suites include an open floor plan with plenty of living space, and the hotel also offers 1 to 3-bedroom specialty suites if you're arriving with a l arge group or planning to stay a while. Two restaurants feature California cuisine with a menu that includes seasonal, fresh local produce and small plates. Guests have a choice of both indoor and outdoor workout facilities, including an outdoor yoga area. 

You don't need to be fluent in French to understand the level of seclusion implied by this Viceroy hotel's name. Unassuming from the outside, this property has the feel of a private club or residence with all of the amenities of a luxury hotel, from rooftop cabanas to a complimentary car service (in a Maserati, of course). Sure, there are plenty of sights to see in the area, but once you set foot inside the spacious, stunning suites you probably won't want to budge.

The ornate detailing on this Four Seasons-operated gem, famous for its role in Pretty Woman, recalls 19th-century French splendor, but contemporary additions such as a Richard Meier-designed restaurant add 21st-century sophistication. The spa is worth a peek: the staff are gracious and the treatment rooms are blissful. The proximity to Rodeo Drive ensures a wealthy and occasionally sniffy crowd, but there's still something warm about the place. If the room rates are out of your range, stop by and relax with a coffee or a cocktail at the Blvd, a lovely sidewalk café.

From the tiny bowties on the toiletries to the cocktail shakers in each room, Mr. C has a genuine old-world Hollywood vibe going for it, but remains firmly in the present with up-to-date amenities like 42" flat screns TVs, free WiFi, and a fully-equipped fitness center. Private balconies in all the rooms look out onto gardens brimming with California citrus and English roses, while a particularly inviting outdoor pool is supplemented with cabanas, a pristine teak deck, and poolside bar.

The famous pink stucco façade, the manicured grounds and the sumptuous rooms of the Beverly Hills Hotel look as fresh and fanciful as they did on opening day 100 years ago. It oozes exclusivity: every screen legend from Valentino to Arnie has slept in this fabled hideaway or held court in its still-popular Polo Lounge. The biggest draw are the bungalows, where Liz Taylor spent six of her honey-moons: No.5 has its own pool; No.7 is decorated to Marilyn's taste. These now almost pale compared to the two new Presidential Bungalows—the epitome of lavishness, and yours for a cool $9,000 (minimum).

Oceana’s plush lobby lounge, with its sleek midcentury furniture and a gleaming white tile fireplace, makes a cozy first impression—they’ll even have a glass of bubbly waiting for you when you check-in. A well-equipped gym, palm tree-lined pool (with cabanas and a fireplace), and seasonal juice bar mean you can stay on top of your health routine while still feeling pampered. Across the street, there’s free yoga on the beach every morning, as well as a fleet of Priority Bike beach cruisers (both perks are complimentary for all guests). Best of all are the suites with ocean-facing balconies—slide open the glass door, and you’re immediately surrounded in a private Eden of exotic flowers and thick hanging vines, with nothing but the crashing waves to lull you to sleep.

It may have been daring for the Montage to unveil a temple to extravangance during the depths of the recession in November 2008, but if it can be pulled off anywere, it's Beverly Hills. The rooms don't quite have the wow factor of the public areas, but they're luxurious, with plush furnishings and marble and mosaic-tiled bathrooms. Further reasons to stay here include the lovely heated rooftop pool, with sweeping city views and the award-winning spa, a destination in itself. If a night here is beyond your budget, consider stopping by for afternoon tea in the soothing Lobby Lounge, dinner at Georgie or a drink at the Garden Bar.

The Miramar has been pampering the glamorous and the powerful in California for nearly a century: past guests have included everyone from Greta Garbo to Bill Clinton. Built in 1924, the hotel has undergone several tasteful renovations; the most recent encompassed a remodel of the lobby and the Grille. Families clamor for the 32 bungalows with private patios surrounded by lush tropical landscaping, the other guest rooms boast ocean and city views. Fig restaurant gets rave reviews for its seasonal cuisine, while Exhale Spa focuses on mind-body treatments. See also: Exhale at the Fairmont Miramar and Fig

Following a $33 million renovation, the Four Seasons continues to pamper its guests something silly. From the fragrant, flower-filled lobby to the immaculate rooms, which come with chinoiserie headboards and Frette linens, every detail is calculated to spoil visitors. Limos to Rodeo Drive or anywhere within three miles are available; the revamped pool area features a state-of-the-art gym and the lovely shaded Cabana café. Other major draws include the superb spa and Culina, the ground-floor modern Italian restaurant and crudo bar.

Designed to look and feel like a private estate, the Peninsula exudes opulence. There are 193 rooms and suites—all recently renovated in 2011—and 16 detached private villas situated on the lushly landscaped grounds. There's also a fitness center, a world-class spa, a rooftop garden and a lap pool. Just off the lobby, the gorgeous Club Bar offers entertainment on most nights. The Belvedere, which serves classic American cuisine such as macaroni and cheese with a gourmet twist, is considered one of LA's favorite top-class restaurants. White-glove service throughout only adds to the high-end appeal.

Marina del Rey's best hotel is every bit as smart as you'd hope a Ritz-Carlton to be. The rooms are traditional without being stuffy; many have views over the marina. Downstairs, it's a little more modern but still ritzy, with an excellent take on Californian food served in the Jer-Ne restaurant and some indulgent treatments offered in the spa.

This elite and quietly decadent Mission-style '20s hotel, a deamy getaway on 12 fairytale acres of lush landscaping, reopened in 2011 after a major two-year overhaul. The additions—which include new lofts and hillside suites, a La Prairie spa and fitness center, plus upgraded room features—are impressive, but thankfully the overall vibe hasn't changed much: Guests still enjoy spending long afternoons by the pool, meandering through the gardens or subtly trying to spot which Hollywood player is sitting at the next table in the Wolfgang Puck restaurant.

Located in downtown Los Angeles, just a block away from the Staples Center, the Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles offers luxurious rooms with marble bathrooms, flat-screen TVs, and iPod docks.The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles has a rooftop heated swimming pool & hot tub with panoramic city and mountain views. Guest can also rejuvenate in the Ritz-Carlton Spa which has 9 luxurious treatment rooms.The Ritz Carlton LA’s WP24 Restaurant and Lounge offers chef Wolfgang Puck’s modern interpretation of traditional Chinese cuisine and provides spectacular panoramic views of Los Angeles. There are also a number of cafes and bars for guests to enjoy on site.Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles offers easy access to the business, financial, law, cultural and fashion districts of Los Angeles. The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles is less than 2 miles from Disney Concert Hall and 2 miles from Dodger Stadium.

Located on the sand, close to Santa Monica's shops and restaurants, this elegant and architecturally significant hotel is a local landmark. Most of the plush rooms and suites offer ocean and coastline views; for a really opulent stay, reserve one of the two-story penthouse suites or the super-deluxe presidential suite. An afternoon at the spa is a vacation in itself; salon services can be enjoyed in one of five Mediterranean-style treatment rooms or, better yet, under a cabana on the fifth-floor pool deck. The bar in the ornate and well-furnished lobby is a popular meeting spot for the bronzed and beautiful locals.

Formerly a cool retreat for hot Hollywood stars and now a sister to Casa del Mar, Shutters has a relaxed but decidedly upscale style. Filled with comfortable sofas, club chairs and prints by modern masters such as David Hockney, the lobby mirrors the beach-cottage ambience of the rooms and suites, which in turn feature lovely, dark hardwood floors and the hotel's signature white shutters. Guests who prefer gentle pampering to the myriad outdoor beach activities can spend a day at the spa or sit poolside sipping wine and taking in the ocean views. The luxury is low-key, but it's luxury all the same.

Situated in Los Angeles, close to LACMA, the Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills is a luxurious property featuring a restaurant, fancy bar, sauna and fitness center, plus free WiFi throughout the property. Private parking is available on site. The rooms are superbly comfortable; each has a flat-screen TV, and some units come with a terrace or balcony and separated seating area. As far as extras go, the desk is 24-hours, there's a babysitting service, business center and sparkly gift shop. 

One of the many beautiful things about this Hollywood Hills fixture is that it's barely changed over the decades. The hotel still attracts the brazen and the beautiful (everyone from Led Zeppelin to Lindsay Lohan has stayed here; John Belushi OD-ed in bungalow 3); it still offers a quintessentially glamorous LA experience; and it still promises its guests absolute discretion.