In short… Hôtel Lili is a neighborhood jewel-box of a hotel that’s walking distance to Rodeo Drive, but feels like a quiet residential counterpoint (and good value) compared to Beverly Hills’ grander stays.
The surroundings… Located on Lasky Drive just south of the intersection of Wiltshire and Santa Monaca, Hôtel Lili is around the corner from the much larger Waldorf Astoria, a 10-minute walk to the heart of Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive, and an easy stroll to shopping and restaurants—from Frankie’s and Johnny’s Pizza to the OG Beverly Hills bistro, The Grill on the Alley. I liked the location as it was quiet, residential, and a real walkable neighborhood of relatively modest (for Beverly Hills!) homes and small apartment buildings.
The vibe… This is a boutique-style hotel in every sense of the word: a small bijou white building that was originally designed in 1939 as a private residence for silent film star Lillian Gish. Later a series of hotels (including the Kelly Wearsterl-designed Maison 140), it was most recently renovated by the Palisociety hospitality group and opened as a hotel (their ninth in LA) in April ’26. Its 44 rooms feel more motel than hotel and are mostly small but well appointed. The overall decoration vibe is jeweled tones, mauve and gold with stripes and velvet drapery… a bit more Parisian than Cali, but it works in this location.
The guests seemed to be largely young urban professionals coming and going for short-term stays, so the vibe felt young and transient. I did not run into many people in residence, but the ones I did were definitely under 35.
It has a modest, somewhat hidden (not in a good way) lobby bar, which was minimally staffed—while nice, they were minimally helpful as well. Come cocktail hour, it was filled with the buzz of locals—a few neighborhood residents said they’ve been coming to the bar for years since it was Maison 140, mainly turning up for the bartender, who they love. They complained about the re-designed bar space (not conducive for gathering) and the looped music, saying they preferred the bartender’s old playlist (I would agree on the looped music…). There also was no doorman, which meant no help out front with bags (though they offered complimentary bubbles on arrival).
The rooms… The 44 guest rooms are decorated with Bemelmans paintings and appointed with good bed linens and amenities (Diptyque) in the bath.
We had two rooms—one in the back of the hotel, which was small but well appointed, with nice tiles in the bath and good linens and towels. My room was bigger but not large by any means, and the A/C split unit was very loud. I had a shower with a tub (that would not drain…) and the other room had a walk-in shower.
The food & drink… I did not eat here, but the free lobby coffee in the AM was good and the barman made a very solid Negroni. I ate the popcorn from the mini bar…delish. For dinner, I walked to The Grill on the Alley myself, sat at the bar and people-watched, drank a martini, and ordered a shrimp cocktail with a side of fries…heaven.
The gym/spa/wellness… There was a small, decommissioned room as the gym with a Peloton bike and a weight rack… fine if you were desperate, but not inspiring for a visit. I read later there was a hotel pool visit available at the Hotel Mosaic nearby, but I was not informed of that on check-in.
Is it family-friendly? If you are a family with young kids, I would not recommend it, as I would rather not see or hear your kids—it’s close quarters.
Any other details to note? I did like the bartender, though I’ve forgotten his name. The manager was also very kind and helpful when needing to sort out some things that were delivered to the hotel for me.
Parting words… I liked that I did not need a car for my 24-hour trip to LA and I could Uber in and around town and walk to dinner in the evening, which for me is a treat (walking in LA that is). For a rack rate of around $325, I would recommend the hotel for sure, considering that the Waldorf is literally 10 steps away for at least 3x that rate. In general Pali offers good value, design, and location for a younger, more budget-minded traveler interested in good aesthetics.
Date of stay… 7/15/26
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