CARA HOTEL
Location: Los Angeles
Designer: Bishop Pass
On offer: Conjuring a blissful Mediterranean vibe, the new arrival to East L.A.’s Los Feliz neighborhood is an intimate refuge just steps from Hollywood Blvd. Sheltered by soaring hedges at the entrance, the shell of a seedy 1950s-era motel has undergone a tasteful rehabilitation and now houses 60 light-filled rooms kitted out in oak herringbone floors, sun-splashed balconies, and photography of Los Feliz by California natives Natalie Obradovich and Isabelle Aubin. A neutral palette prevails throughout the property, enhanced by ornate details: walkways draped in billowing creamed linens and lined with glowing pillar candles, immaculate crown moldings from original 1800s casts and soaring arched ceilings in the lobby, and sumptuous hand-painted wallpaper in the bar.
Standout features: The atmospheric open-air courtyard is the place to lounge on daybeds fringing a tranquility pool shaded by 100-year-old olive trees or nosh on executive chef Michael Patria’s hyper-local dishes at one of the bistro tables. The Four Seasons Biltmore alum hand-selects ingredients during sourcing trips to sustainable, small-batch farms up and down the state to shape a knockout menu: creamy burrata produced in NorCal, charcoal-grilled heirloom carrots, and smoked trout salad with grapefruit, avocado, and red onion. Cocktails showcase spirits from local distilleries like Amass gin—who also makes an effervescent botanical hand sanitizer, placed throughout the property—and the wine list features interesting biodynamic and organic varieties.
