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ABH? It’s more like OMG at the Thompson Beverly Hills' gorgeous bi-level rooftop bar. My jaw nearly hits the floor when I step out of the elevator, inhaling the fresh air high above the city streets and taking in the quintessential L.A. skyline of palm trees, skyscrapers and the hills.
Even if our city were the ugliest place on earth, ABH would still be a stunner. Imagine a midcentury modern mansion in the middle of Bel Air. Now picture that mansion morphing into a yacht and floating out into the sea. That should give a sense of the feel of ABH, designed by Christian Schulz of Dodd Mitchell Designs with input from hotel owner Jason Pomeranc (who also presides over the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, home to Teddy's, Tropicana Bar, 25 Degrees and Dakota).
The Design: The entire place is decked out in ipe wood, from the slatted floors to the railing on the stairs, which lead up to a sun deck and the buzzed-about pool decorated with Swarovski-encrusted tiles. The earthy feel of the wood and the abundant greenery (sage-colored plants, a Sabal blackburniana palm tree, magenta bougainvillea) are offset by a creamy beige color scheme that extends from the curtained cabanas to the handsome marble bar area. Add in stark white towels on the recliners and crisp black-and-white cushions in the lounge area and, well, if there’s a heaven, I hope it looks like this.
The cocktails: Admittedly, I have a thing for basil cocktails, but I've never had one made with gin, a liquor I’m not too fond of. But I’ll tell you what: The bar’s Gin Basil—made with Hendrick's gin, sweetened aloe juice and Bacardi Coco and garnished with an orange slice and Thai basil leaf—is subtle and delightful rather than choke-it-down strong. If not for the $16 price tag, it'd be easy to order a few more and pass out on a chaise lounge watching TV in one of the cabanas.
The only bummer: You must be thinking the hotel paid me to write all these lovely things. How could a place be that great? The truth is, I didn’t want to like it here. With our economy in the crapper, I don’t think too many people are eager to spend what they make in one or two hours on a cocktail. And that’s not all that’s pricey. In order to get access to the roof, which only fits 92 people, you must book a hotel room—a cost in the neighborhood of $350 a night. That certainly makes it one of the most expensive places to drink in the city!
On the plus side: You can save the money you’d have spent on dinner and get a hotel room instead. The extrodinarily expensive Bond Street serves an abridged sushi menu up here.
Is it worth it? If you ask me: Yeah, totally, even if it means having to turn to freeganism (aka hipster dumpster diving) afterward.
Alexandra Le Tellier is Bars & Clubs editor for Metromix Los Angeles.
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