Walter Macalma

Review of Mondrian Hotel West Hollywood

West Hollywood has no shortage of beautiful people...

West Hollywood has no shortage of beautiful people and to me Skybar is one of the few places that's view actually matches the crowd. You can have all the decorations and interior design in the world, but a view in something that to me sets them apart. The pool is nice and quaint and exactly where you would imagine a fashion show runway to be set up. Actually I'm pretty sure this has happened here.

I've been here for weeknight caps, and on the weekends, but my preference is weeknights. People aren't so amped to rage and it's pretty popular with the locals versus myself an out of Towner.

I was told it was guest list only from 8pm to 2am, but I never once called ahead and never really waited in line too much or was hassled. A nominal tip and I was in, but keeping the ratio right is always a plus so I usually roll solo or +2 females, though I have heard of tight bouncers enforcing the rule. Attempt to bypass the guest list rule at your own risk.

For a bar with club hours they have some pretty impressive wine's, but in the preferred drink of choice is Champagne and they are all pricey. I tend to stick with beer or Whiskey as Makers, Jameson are their bottom shelf stuff. I really like how they've stepped up their craft cocktail game with The Pedigree (salty dog with basil), Acai lemonade (lemonade, cranberry juice and veev acai). A few others use champagne like the Fluer-de-l' citrus and the French pear martini. Though I only tried these, I never drank them they were orders for my guests I can say their construction was excellent and though too fruity for me (except the Pedigree) I would highly recommend going with a cocktail versus a 2 ingredient drink.

Staff are pretty pro, it's not that they are nice, but they are tip hungry, heck the whole pool lounge/bar industry seems to expect bottle service to be the norm and black cards a plenty. I am not baller, but you must come prepared to drop a pretty penny on a night out here whether a round for you and your posse or the lovelies across the way. Security is pretty laxed as long as you're having good clean fun. I've been able to vape, but I've also been asked not to, so the rules are mixed, but then again it's a matter of getting in with it as they do check cigarettes and I've seen people walk all the way back to their car. Prices are high, but it's LA, no it's West Hollywood with a view so look to double or triple your usual pricing. It's surprisingly warm from what I think are thermals because usually balcony's or rooftop pools are cooler than below, but not here. Parking sucks.

Too many variables could ruin your night out here like parking, guest list, drink prices, so I can't give it 5 stars, but it's a solid 4+ if you do get in and can skirt the typical LA-ness.