Hotel review of London West Hollywood hotel

British architecture and design firm David Collins Studio reinvented the hotel as a sophisticated, glamorous, comfortable space, appropriate for leisure and business travelers as well as visitors staging personal and professional events in the ballroom, private dining rooms and multiple garden terraces.

“It upset me to read about homes in the hills that were contemporary in the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s being demolished to make way for mega-mansions,” Collins says. “I wanted to pay homage to some of the styles that have gone before and make them relevant to today.” Here, marble tiles practically glitter in the lobby.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

For this 19th century-style English settee, designer David Collins chose metallic gold hides from Edelman Leather in the Pacific Design Center. “I do think it takes a sizable room to get away with gold leather,” he says.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

Another detail from London West Hollywood: moldings trimmed in crocodile-embossed leather.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

“At the end of the day, as everyone in Los Angeles knows, you’re only as good as your lighting,” designer David Collins says. Here, a chandelier coated in plaster and gesso on the outside has been leafed in gold on the inside. The result is a warm glow that falls to the marble floor.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

Guest rooms at the London West Hollywood are a case study for loft and apartment dwellers. To maximize views and improve traffic flow, designer David Collins created a built-in marble workstation along one wall with a bench that tucks away. Behind the living area and its sectional seating lies the bed; the headboard, about 5 feet high and 9 feet wide, creates a hallway between the front door and the bathroom. The bed’s wooden unit has attached night tables, plus a vanity table and storage area on the back side.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)

The mini-bar mirror at the London West Hollywood was overlaid with linen mesh and plate glass. The effect: a subdued reflection.  (Axel Koester / For The Times)