L.A. hoteliers open doors, cross fingers

— -- With the current economy, could there be a worse time to open a hotel? Hoteliers in Los Angeles, where a passel of new hotels have recently opened or are soon going to, don't have the luxury of pondering that question. These hotel projects, initiated in rosier times, are, as they say in Hollywood, a wrap. Now all they need are guests.

The city's tourism marketers are putting a positive spin on the hotel boom. "Compared to other cities, there hasn't been much new inventory in the last four to five years, so we've needed this," says Mark Liberman, president of LA Inc.

Hollywood Heights Hotel

Status:Opened in July

Specs:The 160-room hotel, a block from the heart of Hollywood, has been spruced up, but shades of its incarnation as a Holiday Inn (fake wood paneling in the elevators) survive.

The vibe:Midrange chain hotel upgrades the amenities (32-inch flat-screen TVs, upgraded triple sheeting and iPod docking stations) and gets a boutique sensibility.

The deal:From $129 through Jan. 4; regular rates from $169

Information:323-876-8600; hollywoodheightshotel.com

Montage Beverly Hills

Status:Opened in November

Specs:The first new hotel in Beverly Hills in 16 years, this 201-room Spanish Colonial Revival beauty occupies a prime slice of this tony burg, with three restaurants, a rooftop pool, luxurious 20,000-foot spa and garden.

The vibe:The $238 pink mink shoe trees in the gift shop are a sign that some guests have money to burn. Elegant public rooms have the aura of a 1930s Hollywood estate — china is custom-designed, ceilings are hand-painted.

The deal:From $395 through Dec. 30; regular rates from $495

Information:888-860-0788; montagebeverlyhills.com

Hotel Palomar Los Angeles-Westwood

Status:Opened in May

Specs:The 264-room lodging, in a former Doubletree Inn in the Wilshire Corridor area, features a comfortable lobby with double-sided fireplace, a bar/restaurant and secluded pool area with outdoor fireplace. Its Tall Rooms have extra long beds.