The retro chic décor is Moroccan and French inspired with crimson walls and paisley wallpaper, along with brightly coloured cushions and rugs. Decorative objects give the room a cosy homely feeling; we felt at home right away in this pleasant open space.

Every one of its 57 rooms has a balcony, some look out onto the street and others onto the small central courtyard that acts like a passage between restaurants. The courtyard tends to be calm, but if you like your privacy, then it is best to ask for a room as high up as possible.

The extremely well-appointed rooms look more like flats than like hotel rooms, which has something to do with the fact that the hotel was originally designed to be condos. Each flat has an open-plan kitchen with a long lean bar running towards the living area, which has a bohemian lived-in feel that puts guests at ease right away. The bedroom area is sectioned off by a large chest of drawers, where the television sits beside a retro-looking record player - each room also has a small selection of records. The bedroom area is just as cosy as the rest of the flat, with an extremely comfortable king size four-poster bed. The bathroom is located just off the bedroom area, and is equipped with a shower and separate loo (all rooms have showers instead of bath tubs). The bathroom products are not branded.

An extra bonus for guests needing to wash their clothes, is the washing machine/dryer hidden away in a full-length cupboard, which is free to use. The kitchen is fully-equipped with a four-hob stove, microwave, utensils, and a tea/coffee machine with capsules.

With regards to connectivity, Wi-Fi in the rooms was not working during our visit. Both Wi-Fi and Ethernet connections come at an extra charge.

Open in August 2011, the boutique hotel is the latest addition to the SBE group portfolio, which includes the upper-end SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills. The hotel was originally designed to be a condo tower, which would explain the pleasant surface of the flats. Owner, Sam Nazarian commissioned photographer Mathew Rolston to design the rooms, giving them a retro chic meets bohemia look.

The hotel is divided up between the restaurant on the ground floor and the hotel, which feel like two independent concepts as the rooms are all fitted with fully-equipped kitchens. There is no gym or spa here, although guests are welcome to use the facilities at the sister hotel, SLS, in Beverly Hills. Alternatively, guests can receive a free pass to LA Fitness just a mile away. Upon request, guests can also opt for an in-flat treatment from Ciel Spa, an outsourced service, or there is a house car that can take guests to the spa, which is a 5 minute drive away from the hotel.

Onsite, Cleo offers signature dining in equally as casual yet stylish surroundings as the rest of the hotel. It is also extremely popular with the locals. There is also the Library bar and Glade's in the courtyard for more casual and quick options.

There is one onsite restaurant, Cleo, which serves a range of Middle-Eastern/Mediterranean and American food by sbe Hotel Group executive chef, Danny Elmaleh. The surroundings are just as stylish as the rest of the hotel, but are still extremely welcoming and cosy. Popular with in-house guests, Cleo is also popular with locals looking for a casual yet pleasant place to have a spot of lunch or dinner. Alternatively, guests can also wander half a block away to the renowned Starck-designed Katsuya Restaurant, which serves excellent sushi - but the food here does not come cheap.

Otherwise there is the Library Bar, where guests are welcome to have drinks and snacks for the best part of the day and Glade, the courtyard, which is extremely pleasant in the summer.

The hotel has a car-park on the lobby floor (free for guests). There is Wi-Fi throughout the hotel but this comes at an extra cost, as does using the computer terminal in the hotel lobby.