Frommer's Review
A legend in her own time, H. H. Leonards Spero operates this Victorian property, made up of five interconnecting four- and five-story town houses, as a museum with rotating exhibits, an event space, a private club, an art gallery, an antiques emporium, and -- oh, yeah -- a B&B. The Mansion attracts a lot of celebrities and CEOs, mostly people who crave both luxury and privacy (H won't reveal her guests' names). If you stay here, you may find yourself buying a sweater, a painting, or maybe an antique bed. Everything's for sale.
Guest rooms are so creative they'll blow you away. Perhaps the most breathtaking is the two-level Log Cabin loft suite, with a bed whose headboard encases an aquarium, Remington bronze sculptures, and an eco-friendly bathroom outfitted with sauna, Jacuzzi, and whirlpool. The Art Deco-style penthouse takes up an entire floor, including a large living room, two bathrooms, a bedroom, and a kitchen, and has its own security cameras, elevator, 10 phones, and multiple televisions and DVD systems. The International Room (one room with a queen bed and sitting area) has a nonworking fireplace and four TVs, a combination of Victorian antiques and contemporary furnishings, a sunny sitting area, handmade prism-glass windows, and a bright bathroom with two-person Jacuzzi. The simplest of the bunch is the Country Room, decorated in blue and white, and with French doors leading to a porch overlooking O Street. Nearly all rooms have either king-size or queen-size beds, most have a whirlpool, and a few have kitchens. Elsewhere on the property, there are eight office/conference spaces, 32 far-out bathrooms, 18 fireplaces, art and antiques everywhere, and 20,000 or so books. It's possible to rent the entire mansion or a portion of it for your stay. Full business services are available. Don't miss the mansion's Sunday brunch, which is open to the public as well as guests; if you're lucky, you'll be here when an overnighting big-name musician, say Emmy Lou Harris, breaks into an impromptu jam session on a Sunday morning.
Facilities:
Free passes to Sports Club/LA health club at the nearby Ritz-Carlton; concierge; state-of-the-art business center; laundry service
Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without
notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before
planning your trip.
