Retro doesn’t come any more cozy and chic than at this six-decade old hotel (Marilyn Monroe lived here in her starlet days) nestled off the Beverly Hills beaten path. Designer Kelly Wearstler gave the mid-century property a modernist makeover with Asian accents alongside Eames chairs, George Nelson bubble lamps, Noguchi glass-topped tables, and a gorgeous copper-encased elevator. The rooms are appropriately posh, and the stunning centerpiece is the idyllic figure eight pool that’s oh-so Melrose Place. The hotel’s relaxed Italian poolside bar Oliverio, equipped with private cabanas for the more intimate occasions, transforms itself at night into an ideal venue to enjoy drinks and fine dining for both guests and residences of Los Angeles. Hotels like the Avalon certainly make for a hedonist’s haven.