Casetta Hotel Lucile

Originally designed by architect Scott Quintin, the reimagined 1931 church preserves its defining stained-glass windows, soaring arches, and former chapel, alongside a sun-soaked pool and rooftop deck. Interiors by Electric Bowery layer custom furnishings and collected antiques alongside a living art gallery curated by Rhett Baruch Gallery and Uprise Art, reflecting Silver Lake’s creative spirit and Casetta’s thoughtful approach to preservation.

At the heart of the property is Sous Sous, a vibrant New American French restaurant and bar set beneath the soaring ceilings of the former chapel, serving a wonderfully unexpected marriage of the South of France and the American South. Executive Chef Patrick Costa effortlessly connects Marseille and Nice with Charleston and New Orleans through port-city culture, coastal flavors of citrus, herbs, and spice, with local fish and market produce, handled with a French hand and the warmth of Southern hospitality.

A Landmark, Reborn

Originally constructed in 1931 as Bethany Presbyterian Church, the building has evolved alongside Silver Lake for nearly a century. Beyond serving successive congregations, it became an early home to East West Players, one of the nation’s first Asian American theater companies, before later transforming into a beloved neighborhood antique market. Through each chapter, the building’s distinctive architecture, soaring sanctuary, stained-glass windows, and original cross remained enduring fixtures within one of Los Angeles’ most beloved neighborhoods. 

Hotel Lucile takes its name from the avenue it calls home and its rumored literary namesake, Lucile, the celebrated 1860 poem by Owen Meredith. Throughout the poem, themes of identity, transformation, and becoming echo the continual evolution shared between both the historic building and the neighborhood itself. Like Silver Lake, Hotel Lucile is shaped by a simple belief: enduring places never stop evolving.

Silver Lake’s New Sanctuary: A Design Shaped by Art, Light & History

Conceived by Venice Beach-based architecture and interiors studio Electric Bowery, led by Lucia Bartholomew and Cayley Lambur, Hotel Lucile’s design balances careful preservation of the building’s original architecture and historic interiors with the warmth and intimacy of a contemporary boutique hotel. The building’s original stained-glass windows, soaring arches and former chapel remain its defining features, while layered interiors integrate custom touches by Electric Bowery, contemporary artwork and an assortment of collected antiques inspired by Silver Lake’s creative spirit. The interiors also draw on European influences woven into Silver Lake’s own history, with several neighborhood streets named for works and figures of classic literature. This sensibility is incorporated through the project’s eclectic palette, including their bespoke furniture in mossy greens and velvet jewel tones alongside a layered, down to earth, residential approach reflective of the neighborhood’s distinctive character today.

At the center of the property, the former chapel retains its monumental scale, with restored stained glass and soaring ceilings framing a grand central bar beneath oversized arches. Twenty-five-foot curtains allow the room to shift from intimate to expansive with custom banquettes and local artworks that add dimension and character to the storied space. The building’s soaring chapel is crowned by two hand-painted textural murals by Erin Lynn Welsh of Uprise Art, inspired by the landscapes and native flora of Los Angeles’ East Side. Eaton looks toward Altadena and the San Gabriel Mountains, while Elysian draws from the gardens and native plantings of Elysian Park. A work by Shaskia Cuaspa at the hostess stand introduces the property’s broader art program from the moment guests arrive. Beyond, the original stage serves as a striking artistic focal point that can be transformed into a private dining space, anchored by three original artworks from Thai Mainhard, Harlan Hue, and Thomas Linder, while a custom elevator mural captures the surrounding neighborhood of Silver Lake. 

Arranged around a tranquil, sun-drenched interior courtyard, Hotel Lucile’s 25 guest rooms range from intimate Petit and Signature Kings to Loft layouts and the expansive 536-square-foot Lucile Suite. Original wood flooring, steel-framed windows, and vintage furnishings are complemented by handcrafted fixtures and original artwork, while abundant natural light reflects the sun-drenched serenity of Los Angeles. Spacious bathrooms with stained glass windows feature intricate detailing alongside Parachute linens and Aesop bath amenities, while select rooms offer high ceilings, private outdoor courtyards, and sweeping city views.

Hotel Lucile also offers a collection of distinctive spaces for gatherings, private events, meetings, and celebrations, led by the guest-only Rooftop Deck offering sweeping views of Los Angeles and a lush courtyard oasis centered around a quaint cocktail pool, framed by Business & Pleasure Co. cabanas. Perched above Sous Sous and framed by original stained-glass windows, the mezzanine-level Choir Loft is a warm, wood-lined lounge filled with natural light and vintage charm—an intimate place for guests to read, work and gather. The flexible space can also accommodate artist talks, salon dinners, dressing rooms and creative events, while a roving martini cart makes its rounds each evening. More private settings include the Chapter Meeting Room and Organ Loft, which overlooks the former sanctuary. 

Sous Sous: A New Culinary Gathering Place for Silver Lake

At the heart of Hotel Lucile is Sous Sous, a vibrant New American French restaurant and bar inspired by the coastal traditions of Southern France and the American South, from Marseilles to Atlanta and New Orleans.  Developed in collaboration with the talented team behind Los Angeles’ lively market-driven pizza restaurant, De La Nonna, Sous Sous is led by Executive Chef Patrick Costa and Operations and Beverage Director Lee Zaremba. 

The name draws from the French word sous, meaning “under” or “below”—a playful nod to the restaurant’s dual Southern influences. Rooted in French technique and guided by the seasons, Costa’s locally-sourced seasonal menu takes a lighter, brighter approach to French cooking, drawing from the Mediterranean flavors and historic spice routes surrounding Marseille alongside the culinary traditions of the American South. Seasonal seafood, raw-bar offerings and market produce take center stage, layered with coastal flavors including citrus, herbs, spice and smoke. 

Standout dishes include fresh oysters finished with Espelette and served with a seasonally inspired farmer’s market mignonette; Hamachi Crudo with Virginia peanuts and chile; Polenta-Crusted Blackened Rainbow Trout dressed with white wine and chile-inflected oils; and a juicy Brick Chicken served with roasted Mary’s Organic chicken, jus, frisée, and lemon. At the heart of the dinner menu is Costa’s generous Bouillabaisse for Two, bringing together clams, mussels, shrimp, and seasonal fish in a fragrant saffron broth with peppers and spices, accompanied by toasted bread and aioli.

Behind the bar, Zaremba draws from New Orleans cocktail culture and its enduring influence, with classics reimagined with playful detail, from a unique absinthe-rinsed Sazerac with toasted coconut to a tequila-based Espresso Martini with chicory and an absinthe mist. An internationally curated wine list moves between established Old World producers and a new generation of natural winemakers, complemented by locally crafted beers and thoughtful non-alcoholic selections.

At its heart is a belief in the occasion of dining itself: the polish of European dining wrapped in the warmth and generosity of Southern hospitality, with a distinctly coastal feel. Designed to evolve from the ease of a neighborhood café by day to a more polished, celebratory experience by night, Sous Sous gives its two Southern influences a new Californian home—where an impromptu dinner becomes an occasion worth lingering over, oysters arrive for the table, another bottle is opened and a reservation for four naturally becomes six.

A Living Art Gallery and Social Hub Shaped Silver Lake’s Creative Spirit

Few neighborhoods capture the cultural soul of Los Angeles quite like Silver Lake, where history, creativity and contemporary life intersect. Long favored by artists, architects and tastemakers, the neighborhood continues to evolve, with Hotel Lucile emerging as a natural extension of its creative spirit. Through art, music, hospitality and thoughtful collaborations with Los Angeles-based partners, the property carries forward the building’s legacy as a neighborhood gathering place while celebrating the artistic energy and everyday rituals that define Silver Lake’s rich character.

Developed in partnership with Rhett Baruch and Patty Sanchez of Los Angeles-based Rhett Baruch Gallery and Uprise Art, Hotel Lucile’s evolving art program transforms the property into a living gallery through a rotating curation of site-specific installations and interactive works by local and regional artists, with select pieces available for purchase. Custom stained-glass coasters by L.A.-based artist Janel Foo pay homage to the building’s original stained-glass windows and historic church origins, appearing throughout Sous Sous and each guest room (available for purchase at the front desk), with pieces available for purchase alongside custom individual ceramics in each guest room by Tish Cyrus Purcell and her new namesake ceramics brand, Tish. A series of artist talks, literary gatherings, and live music will reinforce Hotel Lucile as a neighborhood gathering place shaped by the artists and community that surrounds it.

Through thoughtful collaborations with local partners, Hotel Lucile’s slate of programming and amenities bring a distinct sense of place into the broader guest experience from an Erewhon–curated minibar to an on-site library partnership with local bookstore, Skylight Books to community-forward wellness programming with Usal Project including neighborhood runs and field guides encourage guests to experience the neighborhood through a distinctly local lens, alongside that daily martini cart service introduces a convivial ritual to the tucked-away retreat. 

Thoughtful in-room details and “good luck charms” pay homage to the building’s history, including custom incense holders, stained-glass coasters by Janel Foo and brass “Solitude” do-not-disturb door tags inspired by the church’s original hardware. Guests can bring this sense of place home through Hotel Lucile’s custom retail collection, thoughtfully developed by Casetta. At its heart is the hotel’s signature scent—an evocative blend inspired by the historic church, Silver Lake and the rituals of incense and candlelight—captured in a hand-poured botanical candle crafted in Los Angeles from natural coconut wax. The collection for purchase also includes the “Solitude” door tag, a custom Hotel Lucile cap bearing “Silver Lake,” an everyday canvas tote, stained-glass suncatchers by Janel Foo, limited-run AKILA sunglasses, Cerato fragrance oils, Ziran silk eye masks, Good Weather Skin sunscreen and a selection of art and design books from TASCHEN.

A Defining New Era for Casetta Hotels

The opening of Hotel Lucile represents the latest expression of Casetta’s approach to breathing new life into buildings with distinct histories, in meaningful destinations. “Casetta,” Italian for “little house” reflects the brand’s guiding philosophy: fostering familiar spaces that feel like home while honoring the histories and character that make each property distinct. 

Hotel Lucile joins a growing portfolio that includes new additions Hotel Marina Riviera in Big Bear Lake, Hotel Willa in Taos alongside The Pearl Hotel in San Diego, Casa Cody in Palm Springs, and The Surfrider in Malibu. Whether drawn to surf, snow, or city energy, guests find a welcoming retreat with a sense of comfort and familiarity: a little house, close to home. 

Rooted in history and place, each Casetta property carries its own personality through thoughtful design, considered food and beverage, and authentic community connection, with a recognizable thread running throughout the collection. Spaces balance timeless design and thoughtful detail with an effortless sense of home, creating stays that feel both familiar and worth returning to. At Hotel Lucile, that philosophy finds one of its clearest expressions yet: a nearly century-old Silver Lake landmark thoughtfully reimagined as a gathering place, living gallery and culinary destination poised to shape its next chapter.