Tour and Review of the Carlyle Inn in Los Angeles

My daughter was on Winter Break last week which worked out great since Modernism Week in Palm Springs was kicking off at the same time. It's a good 8 hour drive to the desert so to break up the lengthy car ride, we decided to spend one night in Los Angeles. Since it was a last minute decision, I wanted a good deal. I tried booking.com but for decent hotels, the rates were high. I had a credit on my expedia.com account and attempted to cash in on it but I was having difficulty with the transaction and unfortunately, their customer service was not able to assist me. That was frustrating! I had heard about the app Hotel Tonight so I gave it a try.

I saw the Carlyle Inn which is near Beverly Hills and the photos were really nice. I was considering the Mondrian in West Hollywood through Expedia but their site wasn't cooperating, and upon comparison, the Carlyle was really more affordable. The stay included free wifi, a more reasonable parking fee at $18/night (The Mondrian was more than twice that!), and complimentary breakfast, so I booked the Carlyle Inn through Hotel Tonight.

We enjoyed our stay. The staff at check-in and check-out was very friendly and efficient. They did a great job with the lobby decor with a nod to Old Hollywood.The room was clean and well appointed. I opted for the studio because it was just the 2 of us so no need for a large space since we were just there for the night. The bed was comfortable. I liked the overall decor of the hotel and the room.The bathroom could use a little more style to be on par with the rest of the property but I did appreciate the LED lights on the mirror and the fact that there was an auto night light feature which is helpful when you're staying in an unfamiliar space. Stumbling into the bathroom can be an issue without it. There was even a bathroom fan which is rare but also appreciated since ventilation is not the best in a hotel room. I hate fixed shower heads in a shower but that's unfortunately pretty standard for most hotels. I invite all hotels to check out this inexpensive upgrade which will definitely impress your guests.Of course, I had to scope out the decor which was simple but very well executed. This is essentially a revamped motel. The decor made it look a lot more upscale and I'm sure it's what catches online researchers attention.  I applaud their choice of graphic tile in shades of white, gray and charcoal. The black and white stripe on the center of the building is striking along with the coordinating striped umbrellas on the sundeck and courtyard patio.  That made the green astro turf pop and the orange is also a nice punch of color.  My favorite feature was the vintage glass pendants in the restaurant. I would use those in a walk in closet or in a powder room in a heartbeat!The mural above the banquette in the restaurant also made a statement. My daughter and I both felt it reminded us of Paris. Tres chic!This hotel was a great example of decorating on a budget. The bold black and white stripes and orange pillars were achieved with paint. The minimal furnishings were relatively inexpensive. I'm pretty positive the decorative pillows on the sundeck were from IKEA.  The faux marble wall in the restaurant behind the the brass and glass lamps pictured above is wallpaper.  The TV console in the rooms can be easily replicated in a DIY project by gluing mirror and molding to create that hollywood regency aesthetic. Whoever designed or revamped this space did a great job. The workmanship has its flaws but that's me, I look for that because this is what I do and I can't help but pick things apart. Overall it's an adorable boutique hotel that I would recommend for a short stay.Stay tuned for a video tour coming soon.If you're interested in trying out hotel tonight, Get $25 off your booking by using my referral code: ALCHAN4. This was also what made my booking more attractive. I appreciate any and all savings available as I'm sure you do as well, enjoy!