The Rose Hotel, Venice Beach, California

The Rose Hotel is located at 15 Rose Avenue and it’s the next era of Venice Beach.

Purchased and redesigned from top to bottom by photographer and cultural visionary, Glen Luchford, along with his business partner Doug Bruce, the once hang space of Abbott Kinney / run-down hostel / flophouse is now elegant, yet pragmatic; careful, yet exciting; daring and at times, simply gorgeous with a minimalist feel and fantastic artwork on the walls by photographer Dick Jewell.

The property is still under construction in a lot of ways, and once it’s complete, there will be the sort of amenities and extras that you’d expect from any wonderful boutique hotel: Blue Bottle coffee, full service bar, breakfast on the patio, etc etc. But for the moment, what the hotel lacks as it’s being developed, it makes up for with kindness from its staff and ownership, and attention given at all times, day or night.

Staying here isn’t supposed to be like staying at a Best Western, or even a Four Seasons. It’s supposed to be a little off-center, and it demands a sense of adventure on the part of the traveler. Isn’t that all the more interesting? After all, this is Venice Beach; the city of Los Angeles deliberately allows the element of surprise and crazy to roam relatively unchecked because without it, there’d be nothing to see, or no appeal to the masses. As one of the biggest tourist attractions in all of the United States of America, the beach community and its denizens know all too well that presenting anything that isn’t authentic isn’t worth anyone’s time.

But there’s no reason to have to stay in squalor simply because others around you might feel comfortable with it. No, the Rose Hotel offers the comforts you need, and the freedom to live outside of them.

We stayed for four nights ($155 a night in the shared queen bath), and enjoyed our time in the communal lobby with the staff just as much as we loved the scene that surrounds it. Thank you again to Glen, Doug, Amber, Leigh, Alex, and Eric for all of your help with our little one and for making our stay in L.A. the best one yet. We’re looking forward to returning!