California Dreaming: Los Angeles x Faber Sett

Being the world capital of film and entertainment, you turn a corner and recognise yet another palm-tree lined boulevard, an iconic road sign or even a shop front from a movie. Everyone you encounter, from the lady in the coffee shop to the man hiding behind a baseball cap and sunglasses, everyone looks like someone. You can’t quite place them, but you are certain you have seen them before. 

There is, too, a contagious magic that permeates the city. Perhaps it is Walt’s unmistakable imprint, the endless blue skies and golden sunsets or simply the magnetic land steeped in fame and excitement. And yet, for all its allure, Los Angeles is constantly overlooked as the ideal destination for family fun. Look past the traffic and the surface-level narratives and you are rewarded with an experience that delivers far more depth, variety and comfort than expected.

The US leads the world in many things and while military spending and car parking spaces per capita may not be metrics to plan a journey around, their attitude to fun is. For the more adrenaline inclined, Six Flags Magic Mountain in Santa Clarita will test your ability to appear calm in front of your children. Universal Studios offers a more immersive mix of film and amusement, while VIP behind-the-scenes tours at Warner Bros, Paramount and Sony give a glimpse into how blockbuster films are actually made. Disneyland, a destination in its own right, transports children into the worlds they know so well because no one understands the concept of magic like Disney does. 

By virtue of being in California, one of the more naturally dramatic of the 50 states, the landscape wants you to hike its numerous canyons and parks, ideally at sunrise. From the popular Runyon Canyon, a very manageable loop with Hollywood views of the aforementioned sign to the Griffith Observatory for more expansive, varied trails and spectacular vistas of the city sprawling towards the ocean. 

Although the Pacific can be seen from almost anywhere with elevation in the city, its western edge feels worlds apart from Beverly Hills and West Hollywood. That, in many ways, is Los Angeles’ greatest strength. Much like any great metropolis, it’s a collection of vastly different attitudes, scenes, shops, restaurants and cultures co-existing. 

By mid-afternoon, Santa Monica beach is awash with volleyball games, public workouts and sun bathers. The neighbouring Venice Beach strikes an obvious contrast and if you are perhaps more familiar with London than LA, this is the California equivalent of Camden – the resemblance is scarily uncanny.

While Los Angeles will leave you pleasantly surprised, a cruise down Hollywood Boulevard may ultimately be more of a quick interlude. In what is possibly the only place on Earth where you look down to see the stars, after 5 minutes of avoiding tour sellers and tat you will be looking up to find your driver to facilitate your escape. 

Where you stay in Los Angeles matters more than in most cities. Distances may look manageable on a map, but traffic, particularly at peak times, can be brutal to say the least. Choosing the right base is as much about where you plan to spend your time as it is about the hotel itself.

If the focus is beach and relaxation, Shutters on the Beach in Santa Monica is a natural choice. Sitting directly on the sand, it offers an easy, self-contained feel for families. The heated outdoor pool, lined with sunloungers, cabanas and a hot tub, is a highlight, while the interiors lean towards a New England sensibility; classic and understated, punctuated by subtle touches of contemporary LA.

For those drawn to Beverly Hills, Hotel Bel-Air and the iconic Beverly Hills Hotel, both part of the Dorchester Collection, offer two distinct interpretations of the city’s glamour. Hotel Bel-Air is the more secluded of the two, tucked into the hills and better suited to families seeking privacy. The Beverly Hills Hotel, by contrast, places you firmly in the centre of it all – more social, more recognisable, with its red-carpet arrival and pool you will happily melt by.

Nearby, the Beverly Wilshire (Four Seasons) offers a more traditional luxury experience, with a Mediterranean-style pool framed by cabanas, an extensive spa, and the polished, detail-driven service the brand is known for; particularly attentive to younger guests. For something more discreet, L’Ermitage provides a quieter, residential feel, ideal for families wanting space without stepping away from Beverly Hills. Its rooftop pool remains one of the city’s more understated secrets.

If milkshakes and burgers hold any kind of currency in your family, Los Angeles delivers. In-N-Out’s pillowy cheeseburgers, crisp fries and thick shakes are revered worldwide for good reason. The gleaming white tiles, neatly uniformed staff and effortless efficiency feel lifted straight from a film set. Should you wish to fully commit to a calorific adventure, start the day at The Griddle Cafe on Sunset Boulevard, where pancake stacks reach near-comical proportions which will leave you with a smile (and maple syrup) on your face. 

For all the clichés that surround American dining, Los Angeles has ripped up the script. Yes, milkshakes and fries remain within easy reach, but they exist alongside a city-wide obsession with wellness where juice bars, organic markets and nutrient-led menus are to be expected.

Erewhon’s 11 outposts capture this perfectly: part grocery store, part cultural statement, fully Los Angeles, where celebrity-endorsed smoothies and meticulously sourced ingredients represent a city that treats food as both fuel and identity. 

Yet it is the city’s cultural depth, and its refusal to be defined by any single identity, that truly sets it apart. Shaped by strong Hispanic and Far Eastern influences, Los Angeles offers a spectrum of flavours and techniques both authentic and constantly evolving. Take Melrose Avenue as a microcosm of this. Michelin-starred seafood at Providence alongside neighbourhood favourite Zira Uzbek, with Argentinian steak at Carlitos Gardel just moments from Crossroads, its plant-based counterpart.