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STAY
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DISPATCHES
HEMISPHERESMAGAZINE.COM
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AUGUST 2012
39
DESIGN NOTES:
Opened in late 2011, this boutique hotel is sleek, stylish
and relentlessly green. Everything from the showers to the bedding was
set up with an eye to both comfort and the preservation of the planet.
ROOMWITH A VIEW:
The Wilshire’s four Hollywood Hills Suites all
look out onto
that
sign and, at night, the constellation of lights from
homes that dot the hills.
HOT PLATE:
Chef Eric Greenspan, famous for his “Iron Chef” exploits,
does not traffic in light fare. Among the standouts at his al fresco eatery,
The Roof onWilshire: crispy pork belly with a side of fried Brussels
sprouts, sprinkled with bacon.
IDEAL GUEST:
Situated near a clutch of talent agencies, the Wilshire
a racts Tinseltown types who sip exotic bo led water and seal the
kinds of deals that seemunfathomable to the rest of us.
BEST PLACE TO HANG OUT:
The hotel roof. By day, crowds come for the
pool, the cabanas (great spots to enjoy Greenspan’s grilled Gruyère on
sourdough) and the views. At night, there’s a cozy fire pit and, again,
those breathtaking views.
WHAT’S NEW:
Now part of the Thompson
Hotels collection, this former Sheraton
property opened earlier this year a er an
extreme makeover. Keeping only the build-
ing’s skeleton and reworking the rest, Tara
Bernerd’s free-spirited design melds down-
home ease with high-culture eclecticism.
WHAT YOU’LL FIND JUST OUTSIDE:
The
Belgravia district—very posh, very exclusive,
very easy on the eye and packed with very
expensive retailers.
HOT PLATE:
At Hix Belgravia, overseen by
chef Mark Hix, try the De Beauvoir smoked
salmon “Hix Cure” with Corrigan’s soda bread.
The molasses-and-salt-cured fish is smoked
with oak and apple chips, producing a salty
melt-in-your-mouth concoction with subtle
apple undertones.
SIGNATURE COCKTAIL:
Enjoy a post-
sightseeing pick-me-up in the Hix Fix, a crisp,
sweet and bubbly blend of Julian Temperley’s
morello cherries in Somerset apple eau de vie
and a generous splash of prosecco.
UNEXPECTED TREAT:
While there are fresh
flowers and Rococo chocolates at hand, the
built-in international power
outlets are most likely to
inspire tearful appre-
ciation among
world travelers.
Hotel Wilshire
LOS ANGELES
BELGRAVES
LONDON