September 18, 2018
LIVING THE DREAM: THE DREAM HOTEL IN HOLLYWOOD
The Dream Hotel is a dream of a destination, and it’s right here in Hollywood. With exciting dining options from the elegant Asian cuisine at Tao to the rooftop experience of the Highlight Room, this is a staycation waiting to happen.
Dream Hotels are located around the world and throughout the U.S., including New York City and Thailand. But the Hollywood iteration, which opened in July, is both welcoming and sleek, a true urban resort containing all the glamour of Hollywood itself. Guests enjoy a rooftop pool, an exciting exterior profile with color changing lights, and modernist interior design. The hotel’s 178 rooms are spacious at 300-500-square-feet, airy, and many feature balconies, and all have luxurious king beds. Suite options range from the expansive 1750-square-foot Presidential to ample King Studio Suites. From the bedside-iPad to C.O. Bigelow soaps and shampoos, guests have every feature they could want in a stellar location that’s a destination in and of itself. Other luxury touches include free high-speed Wi-fi, a trainer-designed 24-hour gym, house cars, and on-demand hair and makeup services.
Even if you don’t stay the night, you can get your gourmet-on here. The casual but cool Luchini is a pizza parlor and brew pub in one. Enjoy a perfect slice of cheese, pepperoni, or white pizza, or try the perfect-for-Hollywood Dr. Mona, a vegan dish that features a cauliflower-chia seed crust, hand-crushed tomato sauce, fresh dairy-free pesto, veggies, and vegan cheese. Serving ‘til late at night, it’s the perfect spot for a post-club bite.
Beauty & Essex, from chef Chris Santos is entered through an actual but highly upscale pawn shop, giving a taste of old-school Hollywood flavor to this vast and elegant dining spot that sparkles with golden color. Guests enjoy an extensive raw bar with favorites such as salmon and avocado ceviche; toast dishes, indulgent sliders such as a lobster BLT, and main dishes such as chili-dusted scallops, and grilled double cut lamb chop. The lush chocolate pot de crème is a must-have dessert.
When diners step into Tao, they’ll find they’ve entered a temple of both food and design. The design elements include stone columns and a 20-foot statue of goddess Quan-Yin with tables placed on wide steps that dramatically lead to it. Soft red lights arch from the ceiling; the many-armed goddess is a vision in blue, set as if up on a stage – a perfect metaphor for the Hollywood experience. Dim sum, poke, sushi, and rice and noodle dishes are joined by main courses divided into categories of The Sea, The Land, and The Sky. The Sea is deep with delightful dishes such as black pepper efu lobster noodles; The Land features beef dishes among its selections, such as filet mignon “Tokyo style;” Szechuan crispy duck is among the offerings from The Sky.
The pool is a great place for breakfast and a swim or craft cocktails at night. The rooftop Highlight Room has it all, including a stunning view of LA that stretches from Hollywood to downtown. By day, the pool area is an enclave for hotel guests only, and the Highlight Room is busy serving up dishes such as acai bowls and a rich croquet madame with gruyere cheese. But from 6 pm on, it’s open to the public to enjoy dishes such as Hamachi crudo while sipping the aptly named View to a Chill – Ketel One vodka, Giffard Apricot Liqueur, Campo Viejo Cava, and fresh orange juice – served up with an actual view.
In short, the Hollywood Dream Hotel is a true taste of elegance, fantasy, glamour, and excitement – everything that Hollywood is all about – served up in a setting where relaxation and luxury converge in style. Now there’s something to dream about.
