Luxury Travel Advisor - September 2007 - (Page 36) THE SOFITEL’S VIP SUITE is outfitted with a working fireplace that adds warmth to an already sunny sitting room (right). Guest rooms’ oversize windows (sitting room shown below) afford beautiful city views. We also ambled over to Suite 921, a one-bedroom facility whose huge bathroom has a twoperson rainshower. The spa at the Sofitel Los Angeles is magical; in fact, it’s a destination unto itself. Of the eight treatment rooms, there are two suites with chromatherapy soaking tubs and one room just for couples. We loved checking into the locker room and wrapping ourselves in our black chenille robe. We then shuffled out to the Serenity Lounge, where our therapist, Vanessa, provided us with a warm foot soak as we discussed the facial we were about to enjoy (a high note was the use of La Carita products, which included an exfoliator with sunflower seeds and thyme ground into it; another perk was the neck and arm massage that came with the treatment). After the experience, we floated back to the Serenity Lounge for a soothing orange and mint beverage, but Luxury Travel Advisor felt even more pampered when we were offered a martini menu at check-out and asked to select a parting beverage. The biggest decision of the day suddenly became whether to enjoy our cocktail in the spa’s relaxation garden or up at the rooftop pool. Now that’s L.A. Contact Spa Manager Maureen Schumacher (maureen.schumacher@ accor.com; direct, 310-3583901; spa, 310-228-6777). Nighttime is a blast at the Sofitel Los Angeles. Rande Gerber has woven his magic with a great nightclub here; dining is also an event with Simon LA, the brainchild of celebrity chef Kerry Simon. Book clients in advance; most of the major awards shows take place in Los Angeles (the Oscars, Grammys, Emmys, Golden Globes, etc.), so depending on the time of year, hotel rooms in L.A. are a hot commodity. Awards season kicks off in January, so rooms are at a premium through early March. —Ruthanne Terrero 36 LUXURY TRAVEL ADVISOR | September 2007
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