WEHOonline speaks with Visit West Hollywood’s President/CEO Tom Kiely. Eat + Drink Week is one of West Hollywood’s feature events of the year. Eat + Drink Week 2023 continues through November 12th https://www.eatanddrinkweek.com/
WEHOonline: Tell us all about this year’s Eat + Drink Week
Tom Kiely: Visit West Hollywood is thrilled to bring back West Hollywood Eat + Drink Week this year from November 3 through November 12, 2023. We created Eat + Drink Week six years ago for customers to continue find value by dining out in West Hollywood.
Locals and visitors alike can expect specially curated menus, discounted prices and unique culinary creations are offered for a limited time. This is the perfect time to try out that restaurant you’ve always been curious about. Some restaurants will unveil limited-time, one-of-a-kind dishes that you will find only in West Hollywood.
WEHOonline: How many restaurants are participating?
TK: This year’s lineup of participating restaurants and bars – don’t forget our cocktail scene is what sets West Hollywood apart from other destinations — is shaping up to be an extraordinary culinary journey that showcases the creativity and talent of our local chefs and mixologists. We have over 40 participating venues this year! It’s the perfect opportunity to explore the diverse and eclectic food scene that has long made West Hollywood a foodie paradise.
Our growing list of Eat + Drink Week restaurants and bars can be found at eatanddrinkweek.com, where we are continuously adding new information and resources.
WV: Pick your question right here, what should we know?
TK: Eat + Drink Week isn’t just about great food; it’s about community. Join us in celebrating West Hollywood’s thriving culinary scene while supporting local businesses.
In tandem with this year’s Eat + Drink Week, we’re proud to coincide with the launch of an exclusive new cocktail book titled Once Upon a Cocktail – West Hollywood, featuring beverage creations unique to all of our 20 West Hollywood hotels. Head over to the WEHO Chamber’s website to purchase.
WV: You’re also the President and CEO of Visit West Hollywood. How are things? What is the current rate of occupancy, and the average room rate? What’s trending?
TK: Luxury is trending in West Hollywood. Just recently, our Travel + Tourism Board, together with many of our hotel properties welcomed the California Luxury Forum to West Hollywood, attended by over 40 luxury buyers from around the world and seven global luxury journalists. Additionally, over 40 California destinations and their CEOs attended various events throughout our great city to get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes West Hollywood so special. Host hotel, The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, was joined by other West Hollywood hotel properties like The West Hollywood EDITION, the Sunset Marquis, the Pendry West Hollywood, the Mondrian Los Angeles, the Kimpton La Peer Hotel, the 1 Hotel West Hollywood, to operate various events for the conference and media. Feedback from leadership for state tourism called our West Hollywood Luxury Forum (which is hosted in different regions throughout the state each year) their best conference to date.
As you know, occupancy was hit hard during the pandemic. We have been proud of the resiliency path West Hollywood has been on, thanks to our great amenities, welcoming hospitality and unique assets, which appeal to the world. Have you seen the new Rolling Stone music video, set on West Hollywood’s Sunset Strip?
West Hollywood is about 90% recovered from pre-pandemic levels as we are still not seeing international travel as high as it could be due to inflation and conversion rates, in addition to air service availability and a slower return to group/business travel. Metrics West Hollywood Travel + Tourism relies on show a full recovery towards Q4 of 2024, into 2025.
WV: Thanks for all you do for the City of West Hollywood. Your one of the special people who help make WeHo a city to celebrate!
TK: Thank you! West Hollywood is home for me and it’s a privilege to work alongside our community, lodging investors, city government and associations like the WEHO Chamber of Commerce and the Sunset Strip and Design District BIDs.
Luxury is trending in West Hollywood. That’s lovely, could Mr. Kiely tell us three primary reasons it is trending?
It can’t be due to the homeless, trash, pot, empty store fronts and the rise in crime.