Blond ladies who lunch dripping in diamonds troll Rodeo Drive, but just a few blocks away are some of Beverly Hills’ more quaint and quiet tree-lined streets. The Crescent sits pretty on one such block. Once a residence for silent film stars such as John Barrymore, Clara Bow and Mary Pickford, the property feels more like a grandiose home. You’ll stroll between two palm trees up some steps, and past a boisterous but refined cocktail crowd chatting and snacking on delicious small bites on the left veranda and upon white leather couches and a shag rug inside. Boé Restaurant stretches outdoors to the right and just indoors, and is popular with local executives and guests, as great outdoor dining spaces are not always easy to find in L.A. (surprising, we know). Votives lead the way upstairs to minimal black-and-white guest rooms, where you can listen to the loaner iPod minis away from the hoity-toity hordes.

The Crescent Amenities:

• 35 rooms. Wireless Internet access. Restaurant, bar.