Best Ultralounge, August 2007

A strange new animal is on the prowl in Hollywood clubs: snobby sophistication. The places may look inviting, but the door policy isn’t. Teddy’s, a tiny spot in the Hollywood Roosevelt hotel with brown leather couches on which the high-heeled may relax, kindled the trend in 2005. Then came M Lounge and Holly’s, cozy hangs for the Industry crowd. Impresario Rande Gerber, however, has polished the concept at  Stone Rose Lounge  at the Sofitel hotel. Decked out in burnt orange velvet couches and dark woods, the warm, elegant space lures a posh crowd. The music is never too loud and the lighting never too low, making it possible to have conversations over cocktails.