 |
|
The Raleigh Hotel has been dubbed the "It" hotel of the moment. Andre Balazs, known for his New York celebrity hang out, the Mercer, and Los Angeles' Standard, is now waving his magic wand over the Raleigh. And his focus, to our delight, is service. In the romantically lit lobby restaurant chef Keith Harry of NYC's Butter will be cooking up hearty fare like chicken stuffed with chorizo and truffle fries. Before, or after, dinner you can relax at the Oasis Lounge or grab a sunset drink at Legendary martini bar. But forget about trendy restaurants and lounges, the pool is the Raleigh's hottest spot. The scallop-shaped pool was once graced by Ester Williams and now draws fashion photographers and party-goers alike. The Sunday afternoon pool party known as Soiree Sunday takes place from noon until 10 pm weekly and has seen the likes of many Hollywood A-listers as well as the who's who of the sports and music worlds. The hotel itself has quite the Deco allure with polished wood, original terrazzo floors and the deliberate Victorian accents (hallway chandeliers and in-room oil paintings). The rooms are effortlessly chic and come standard with stereos, DVD players, twice daily maid service, linen duvets, 400 thread count sheets, complimentary wireless Internet connection and newspaper as well as Kiehl's toiletries. We definitely recommend requesting a room overlooking the stunning pool area (with ocean views!) - you won't be disappointed. If you want to splurge the 6,000-square-foot, three-bedroom penthouse with a nearly 2,000-square-foot terrace is the ticket. One look at the Raleigh and there will be no doubt as to how this hotel made its way onto the Conde Nast Hot List for 2005. |
|
 |
 |
