After a four-month shut down, Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills re-opened in early August, boasting a top-to-toe revamp. The luxury boutique hotel might be in the same vicinity as the far more imposing Peninsula and Beverly Wilshire hotels, but is distinctive for its intimate, almost-residential sensibility, set on a quiet street off busy Wilshire Boulevard.
"We are not trying to emulate the big hotels nearby," said Tim King, principal designer at London-based firm Luxlo, which made its US debut with the renovation of Mosaic. "This hotel has more of a homely, friendly feel." Indeed, stepping into the lobby feels like walking into a design-savvy friend’s home. The hotel has eschewed the typical reception counter in favor of a sleek curved desk with a couple of high-backed armchairs in front of it. This allows arriving guests to sit down, dip into the candy bowl and talk to the person checking them in. It's a modern space featuring black-and-white marble floors punctuated with color. A panel behind the reception desk is painted with small Los Angeles-centric icons such as a pair of sunglasses, a martini glass and the famous Beverly Hills sign.
The compact bar and seating area is a draw for fashion industry guests who are regulars at Mosaic, typically in town to do business at Saks Fifth Avenue or Neiman Marcus nearby. A cozy restaurant rendered in neutral shades opens out onto the revamped pool area, into which King and his team have incorporated clusters of seating, an outdoor bar and a fire pit. "We wanted to make the outdoors more lively at night," said King.
The 49 rooms are an ode to luxe minimalism with white walls, wood furniture, faux leather headboards and stonework surfaces. "We wanted it to be not too opulent or fussy, but with simple, clean lines, and where every surface and element is quite luxurious," remarked King. The hotel has also added on new tech touches like flat screen TVs that are configured to allow for a guest to stream their own content from their digital devices.
Bathrooms offer a flourish of whimsy and portray the palm trees of Beverly hills. "A lot of hotel room bathrooms look like they could be anywhere else in the world," said King. "This reminds guests of where they are." There are also the inevitable winks to the design firm's British origins. Artwork throughout the hotel conveys a David Hockney-esque flamboyance, and guests arriving at the hotel will be greeted by a doorman in a bowler hat. You're not going to find that at the Beverly Wilshire. Rates begin at around $350 per night on weekdays.
