The Sunset Strip, a stretch of Sunset Boulevard between Crescent Heights Boulevard and Doheny Drive, is one of LA’s most iconic neighborhoods. It was the setting for counterculture protests in the 1960s, rock and roll decadence in the ‘70s and ‘80s, and it exists today as a showcase for the good life, providing elegant hotel rooms, live music venues, fine restaurants and a number of boutique shopping options.
In 2009, the former "Riot Hyatt" emerged from extensive renovations as the Andaz West Hollywood and took its place among the Strip's top hotels. Rooms with floor-to-ceiling windows, linens by Frette and complimentary minibars make the $48 million project anything but a hardcore rock and roll experience.
Another hotel that got a new lease on life is the London West Hollywood, located in the former site of the Wyndham Bel-Age hotel. The London opened in 2008 to critical acclaim, featuring rooms that are mini suites with Waterworks bath products and design elements assembled by David Collins Studio. The hotel features a rooftop pool deck and most rooms provide views of LA or the Hollywood Hills.
The Sunset Strip has been a destination for music fans for more than four decades, boasting some of the area’s most well-known venues: House of Blues Sunset Strip, Viper Room, The Roxy, Key Club, and the legendary Whisky A Go-Go. For the last few summers, these venues have participated in the Sunset Strip Music Festival, which also features outdoor stages and tens of thousands of music fans rocking on Sunset Boulevard. Rock legends Ozzy Osbourne, Slash and Motley Crue have been honored at previous festivals.
BLT Steak is the West Coast outpost of acclaimed chef Laurent Tourondel. The menu features only the finest cuts of meat, including certified black angus, American Wagyu and Japanese Kobe beef. To the west, BOA Steakhouse is a modern American steakhouse that serves beautiful cuts of prime, aged beef in a spectacular indoor/outdoor setting. If you’re looking for more of a high energy experience to go with that steak, head to the Saddle Ranch Chop House, where “Rock Meets Western” in a rustic setting complete with oversize bar, outdoor fire pit, and mechanical bull.
House of Blues Sunset Strip Photo by flickr/©paul giunta (http://prgphotography.com/)
