Culver Hotel, Los Angeles

I don't know how we did it but on our recent LA trip we managed to book in to the oldest building in the district - well not old by European standards but 1924 is going some in California. The Culver Hotel (west L.A.) was built by the founder of Culver City, Harry Culver, and his pal Charlie Chaplin - so straight in at the deep end of movie history for us! Actually though it was the architecture and interiors which appealed. The building is being very sympathetically restored following years of mouldering away in a variety of non-hotel guises.

There's something about a white table cloth and folded napkin - pure sculpture actually.



The hotel is the local 'flat iron' building but it's also a bit ship-like, proudly towering over everthin surrounding it.


Culver City has undergone a big transformation it seems in the last decade - previously run-down and a bit of a no-go area, now the core of LA's contemporary art scene have moved in, converting industrial buildings to galleries and attracting cool design companies and restaurants.


Entrance to the breakfast room/lounge. I thought they were brave with the colour scheme, the black, white and kingfisher so cool together.





Of course, being America, the ceilings are massively high so plenty of space for this unbelievably amazing row of chandeliers.













Nothing makes you want to sit down more at a restaurant table than a starched white tablecloth and glittering cutlery - to my mind anyway. Not really a typical American hotel breakfast scene above, which is what made the experience so enjoyable every morning





A peek through to the lobby corridor - note all the original (or at least, period) tiles and furniture.



I really was transfixed by these tables. Make you imagine a scene from a 1940s Hollywood film, a pair of lovers just about to take a seat and have a very intense exchange!


Something poignant about the single chair and the finished meal.........












More sculpture!







The lobby/ restaurant/lounge. This room is massive! a double height room with huge windows on two sides. A fantastic space.






The pillars are very high but have still been given the treatment - love the colours.







Breakfast room serving table - look at the fresh melon and pineapple. The breakfasts were FANTASTIC!


The Ladies' restroom. Not sure if the taps are original 30s - but wow.





So glam n'est ce pas?





A lovely terrace too for an evening beer.



And this was the view from our 4th floor room! An original 1930s Movie Palace.


...................with a few palm trees behind it - of course (this being LA!)

We LOVED the Culver Hotel - so atmospheric and the staff couldn't be more friendly and helpful -go there!

See my previous post on Los Angeles