This retro motel, unwittingly hip (compared to, say, the wittingly hip retro Avalon Hotel) has been a well-kept secret among hipsters on a budget. Uh, until now.

Magazine journalists, indie film directors and fashion designers have all stayed at the Beverly Laurel; it puts them in a convenient West Hollywood location at a fraction of the cost they'd incur up on the nearby Sunset Strip. There's a swimming pool, the trendy, inexpensive Swingers diner on the ground floor, and plenty of fun boutiques within walking distance. In short, it's a home away from home that won't leave you feeling adrift in a city that can often do that. The rooms are perfectly serviceable. Let us pray Ian Schrager or Andre Balazs don't buy this and redo it. Some things are best left as they are.