Ahhh, Los Angeles. The City of Angels. La-La Land.
If you have a friend or relative who’s recently made a trip to ol’ Tinseltown, you’ll know just how much people froth over it. Apparently, once you visit LA there’s just no other place in comparison.
When you’re not strolling along Rodeo Drive or attempting to hunt down Nicholas Cage to give him a piece of your mind (Ghost Rider 2? He had it coming), you’ll understandably spend your time scoping out cool places to take shelter from that Californian heat.
The answer? Pools. Be sure to add the following rooftop bars to your own pool crawl. Oh, you haven’t heard of a pool crawl before? You clearly aren’t from LA.
Skybar
Skybar at Mondrian is as quaint as it is balls-to-the-wall lavish. Just check out that lush garden seemingly growing directly out of the walls. Skybar also comes equipped with underwater music so you can jam out to Little Mermaid tracks while pretending to be a legit Disney icon.
It really kicks off after dark when hundreds of strategically placed lanterns turn the entire vicinity into arguably the most romantic rooftop on earth.
Petit Ermitage
Don’t let the name fool you, Petit Ermitage is LA through and through. Boasting 360-degree views, this rooftop is strictly over-18s only which means you can get up to your usual shenanigans without having to keep an eye out for impressionable youngsters. That’s a win/win right there.
If you visit at the right time, the pool is occasionally scented with the essence of Damask rose (a fancy type of rose, I had to Google it) which, honestly, is peak lux.
Andaz West Hollywood
Andaz West Hollywood has a strict “residents only” rule, but it’s not difficult to see why. One of Los Angeles’ most popular destinations, the Andaz maintains consistently high reviews and offers A-grade service to its guests.
Bang on Sunset Strip, the venue is home to the iconic red cabanas which are undoubtedly scattered across the Instagram feeds of every person of note worldwide. Get in on the action.
Ace Hotel
While admittedly not an architecture buff, even an absolute novice like myself can appreciate that the backdrop is mint. I’d take a stab at suggesting a church or a century that the carvings are reminiscent of but I’d merely embarrass everyone involved.
Ace Hotel hosts parties and events on the reg, and if you’re feeling sorry for yourself the next morning or if you’re a bit of a fitness fanatic, they also conduct yoga classes because wellness is priority number one.
Roosevelt
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bg335xegzLH/?taken-by=thehollywoodroosevelt
If you were called into an interrogation room by the po-po and you were asked to describe LA to a sketch artist (Highly unlikely, but not impossible), this view is exactly what you’d expect the artist to produce.
Srsly, The Hollywood Roosevelt oozes California. I suspect they’ve filmed every pool scene in every studio-backed movie ever at this very location. Let’s just go ahead and pretend that’s true.
Kimpton hotel
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bft15wxBzSW/?taken-by=hotelwilshire
I sense that the Kimpton Hotel Wilshire would constantly have influencers sniffing around its entrance, eager to get up to the roof to obtain a much sought after snap of its panoramic views for their millions of followers.
It genuinely looks like the front cover of every lifestyle magazine in circulation. If Lifestyle Digest is a legitimate publication, I suggest a petition is started to get the Kimpton some front page real estate pronto.
W Hollywood
https://www.instagram.com/p/BhuymKshqpr/?taken-by=whollywoodhotel
Would it be a proper pool crawl without a hectic pool party? Don’t be daft, clearly it wouldn’t be. W Hollywood promises to give everyone wet deck with its shindigs, however it’s so much more than one constant sesh.
You can relax in the cabanas or strive to get fit with one of their relaxing workout classes that’ll make you feel productive as hell.
If LA has nudged its way to the top of your must-see list, hit up Student Flights for discount trips, including current sales on flights to the USA, Europe & Asia. If you’re more into travelling with new people, you can get up to 30% off their Topdeck Trips.
Like myself, if you have severe travel FOMO but you’re also broke as a joke, Student Flights also offer Book Now, Pay Later. Dangerous, but oh so worth it. Check ’em out here.
