Fresh off a large-scale redesign at the hands of the designer Benjamin Noriega Ortiz, the updated Mondrian has done well to keep pace with the times. The intensely avant-garde interiors from the Starck days are all grown up now, the Mondrian adapted for a more refined taste.

Now it’s a little less glam, less Hollywood, and more a tranquil California coastal vibe. But this is still the Sunset Strip, and the Mondrian is still one of its most exclusive spots: the Skybar’s door is notoriously strict, and if you’re in, you’re either a hotel guest, or a star.

It’s not all about buzz either. The rooms are surprisingly accessible in their comfort, and they’re quite large, in classic boutique white-on-white but with living rooms and kitchens to boot. The views from this twelve-story tower, through floor-to-ceiling windows, are phenomenal, and the service, and while the service is a bit more hands-off than the luxury standard, it only contributes to the guests’ privacy and independence.

That said, it’s not the place to stay if you want to be left totally alone. Whether you’re dining at Asia de Cuba, drinking at the Skybar, or just hanging out in ADCB, the lobby lounge, the Mondrian is about being seen. Even the smallish pool, with its oversized deck of mattresses and loungers, is meant less for swimming than for self-display. In a way the Mondrian is LA in a nutshell — no hotel better sums up today’s Strip.

How to get there: Mondian Los Angeles is a 30-minute drive from Los Angeles International Airport but the trip can take up to an hour depending on traffic. Valet parking is available for $32 USD per night.

Style: Cutting-Edge

Atmosphere: Happening

200 Rooms - Rates start at US$ 206

The Spa

Featured in Los Angeles’ Spa Week, Agua Spa really hits the mark with attention to detail in each and every treatment. Gentleman can rejuvenate with a facial created for the man, beginning with a deep cleansing and extractions followed by a neck, shoulder, hand and arm massage. Should you want a general cleansing of the soul, Agua’s ‘Soothe Your Soul’ treatment focuses on the nerve endings in your feet that correlate to all of the organs in your body; embrace this cleansing and exfoliating process followed by hand and foot reflexology. Make sure to squeeze time between the hotel’s popular Skybar and Asia de Cuba restaurant to get pampered in this pristine spa.

• Treatment: Holistic
• Massage Types: Custom, Deep tissue, Shiatsu, Prenatal
• Open to Public: Yes
• Offers in-room services: Yes
• Prices: High-End
• Products: Luciferm; Aromatherapy Associates
• Hair Services: Yes. In-room.
• Other Spa Features: Steam Room, Sauna, Pool, Fitness Center