How to Spend a Weekend at Three Hotels From Our 2024 Hot List

06.08.2024 - 14:45 / cntraveler.com

Presented by Capital One

At these Hot List 2024 hotels, the stay is an experience in and of itself—but there's just as much to do once you venture out into the three iconic cities in which they reside. Here's how to make the most of your stay, complete with neighborhood to-dos and trip planning tips for Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and London.

The pool at Fontainebleau Las Vegas

Miami's iconic Fontainebleau is chock-full of return visitors, and its sister property, Fontainebleau Las Vegas, is gunning to create the same loyal fandom. A long-awaited addition to the Strip, the soaring 67-floor tower—the tallest hotel in the city—is home to a dizzying array of restaurants and bars, even for Vegas standards; among the most notable: a Vegas outpost of Hollywood favorite Mother Wolf, serving up handmade pasta and Roman pizza, and coming soon, the first Tequila Casa Dragones tasting room outside Mexico. And as is obligatory in a climate like Vegas's, there are plenty of spaces to cool off just outside. The lemonade yellow-striped pool deck boasts six distinct watering holes and the French Riviera–inspired LIV Dayclub where guests pop in and out of the water wearing barely-there bathing suits, sarongs, and mesh coverups. The outdoor area is a bright contrast to the moodier, glam-meets-minimalist interiors.

The location at the north end of the Strip means you're a bit removed from the busiest areas, a plus for travelers looking for a respite from the crowds, or attending an event at the nearby Convention Center. The Wynn and Encore are a 15-minute walk (or couple minute drive) down the road, should another beach club or golf course come calling.

The Art Deco bar at The Georgian

Whimsy and fun are the name of the game at The Georgian, a storied Santa Monica property that underwent an extensive remodel, reopening its doors in 2023. Craving bubbles? Suite guests need only push an antique-looking button marked “Champagne” to summon a fully stocked bar cart delivered by a bellhop who would look at home on a Wes Anderson set. Curious about the hotel's 1930s heyday? A rotary phone next to check-in plays a selection of vintage voicemails alluding to the property’s colorful history. Upstairs, rooms boast either Pacific Ocean or city views, and the decor is anything but staid—think orange crushed velvet headboards, scalloped sky blue window shades, and record players.

Outside the Art Deco building, you've got the Santa Monica Pier in one direction and Third Street Promenade in the other; properly hyped up restaurants like Elephante and Sugarfish are in walking distance. If you're visiting on a Sunday, though, you may want to stay in and enjoy Spaghetti Sundays, a veritable Italian feast prepared by chef David Almany.