As the first boutique hotel in Koreatown, the Line might have been able to get away with cutting a few corners while still attracting a cool clientele. It probably didn’t need to get the hottest young Korean-American chef in L.A. on board (to run one of the most comprehensive and exciting restaurant and bar networks yet seen, by the way), nor did the Sydell Group—the arbiters of cool behind the Nomad Hotel in New York—have to put their stamp on it. The hotel would have been nice enough had the concrete midcentury building not been entirely reimagined by designer Sean Knibb, known for designing half the cool spots in L.A. and more than a few celebrities’ homes. There didn’t need to be a desert greenhouse–inspired pool deck that’s become a hangout for beautiful people at all hours, nor did the famously trendy Houston Brothers (of no Vacancy and Harvard & Stone) have to throw in a midcentury-inspired cocktail bar. Nor did the typical hotel gift shop have to be reimagined as a design and lifestyle store curated by Poketo. The rooms and suites would have been just fine had they not been turned into artsy, industrial-style lofts, outfitted with original commissioned artwork, a minibar of Korean and Western snacks, and Baxter of California toiletries. Of course, all of this did happen, and now Koreatown is home to one of the hottest hotels in L.A.
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
The Line Hotel
More Recommendations
Stay Quirky at The Line Hotel
The location, right in the middle of Koreatown, is perfect, and the bar, run by chef Roy Choi, serves a roster of curious cocktails. I tried a kimchi soju concoction that was salty and savory and tart, as well as a riff on a White Russian with a cap of foam. Our room had the bed facing an entire wall of glass looking out on the Hollywood Hills. The hotel also has a Poketo store in the lobby, and many of the quirky decorative touches in the room can be puchased there. From $240.
Where to Stay in LA's Koreatown
The Line Hotel is a new property smack in the middle of Koreatown (Wilshire and Normandie). It’s from the Sydell Group, whose previous successes include the Ace and the NoMad. And they’ve picked amazing collaborators, including restaurateur Roy Choi, of Kogi fame. Loved the details in the rooms, including little objects on the shelves from the forthcoming Poketo collaboration. Floor-to-ceiling windows looked over into the Hollywood Hills. I didn’t get to experience the pool or the restaurants (a hot pot restaurant called Pot, a poolside option, a cafe, and take-out—all by Roy Choi), which are all opening soon. But the bar was open for business, and the creative house cocktails incorporating ingredients like kimchi and mushrooms as well as great versions of the standards (a white Russian topped with cream) were delicious.
