One of the Edison's roomier lounge areas.
Photo: la.eater.com

Every May, Condé Nast Traveler releases its Hot List, a collection of the best new hotels, spas, restaurants, and nightspots. Check the Daily Traveler every day for a new post from this year's list.

Downtown, in the bowels of the historic Higgins Building, this Roaring Twenties-era gin joint is housed in an old power plant. Waitresses in slinky flapper dresses serve decadent handcrafted cocktails: The Charlie Chaplin is a potent blend of apricot brandy, sloe gin, and lime. Sleek leather sofas encircle ancient artifacts and machinery. Old black-and-white films of shimmying beauties are projected on exposed brick walls, to the tune of live jazz or pleasantly scratched recordings of torch singers. Thursdays, classic gin martinis are just 35 cents, the price in 1910.

Address: 108 W. 2nd Street
Tel: 213-613-0000

Further reading:
* The Edison Web site
* Hot List 2008: best of the new
* The Los Angeles Guide
* Hot List on the DT