Though the reference is likely lost on some of its visitors, the Petit Ermitage isn’t named for just any old hermitage. Here in the heart of West Hollywood is a boutique hotel that doubles as a tribute to Catherine the Great’s Hermitage Museum in St. Petersburg (that’s the one in Russia, but you knew that). Come for the heavy atmosphere of Tsarist decadence, and stay for the poolside cabanas.

In actual fact it’s pitched at the neo-bohemian crowd, rather than the aristocracy, who’ll likely confine themselves to Beverly Hills. West Hollywood is for a more artistic crowd, one that’ll appreciate the layers of irony involved in a California hotel that’s an homage to a 19th-century Russian version of Venice (the one in Italy, but you knew that too). That’s not to say these suites aren’t comfortable, because they are; from the demi-suites on up to the Masters Quarters they’re spacious and plush, the latter serviced by personal butlers.

Diversions include yoga classes or spa treatments delivered en suite, and the jewel in the Petit Ermitage’s crown is the saltwater rooftop pool. By day it’s the place to catch a ray or two, but by night, in keeping with local custom, it turns into a lounges space full of nooks and crannies, from the private cabanas to the gardens, a haven for butterflies and hummingbirds. A typical Los Angeles hotel this most certainly isn’t.

Style: Contemporary Classic

Atmosphere: Lively

80 Rooms - Rates start at US$ 180