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The terrace pool at the Figueroa hotel is an urban oasis that shimmers in the early evening.

As I stepped into the cool, tile-clad lobby from the fountain-ringed patio bursting with bougainvillea and jasmine, it was like entering a Paul Bowles novel. Had I suddenly been transported from downtown Los Angeles into Tangier? For I was instantly enveloped in a stunning Morocco-by-way-of-Mexico-with-a-few-Asian-influences-tossed-in confection: Welcome to the Figueroa hotel.

But let’s step back a minute: Did I say that I was in downtown LA? Yes, indeed! My partner, John, and I stumbled upon the gorgeous Figueroa hotel a few months back when we were staying at the very glitzy Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles just across the street. We decided to walk around downtown and take a peek inside the Figueroa hotel with its 1920s-era architecture and casbah-influenced façade. The whimsical exterior intrigued us. What magic could be lurking within this hotel perched at the corner of Figueroa and Olympic smack in the heart of LA?

The Casablanca suite at the Fig has amazing Moroccan-inspired interiors and whimsical niches, perfect for holing up with a copy of The Sheltering Sky.

And, wow, we fell in love. Pure magic. From the gorgeous double-height lobby with its massive lanterns and palm trees to the glittering guest rooms, the aforementioned patio with its cerulean-hued swimming pool, and the kind and gracious staff, the Fig dazzles.

Plus, the Figueroa is deliciously inexpensive! Cheap and chic, that’s how we roll. And the décor is completely inspirational and evocative.

So next time you are in LA, beeline it to the Figueroa hotel—if only to sip a cool cocktail upon the gorgeous patio as fountains tinkle and stars twinkle overhead.

It’s a small slice of heaven.

Photos courtesy of the Figueroa hotel.