Well Intentioned: A Chilled-Out Guide to Los Angeles

The retro rooftop pool is the crowning glory of this glitzy hotel – extra refreshing after a yoga class or Peloton workout at the swanky fitness center. The next priority should be the spa. The turmeric enzyme facial and essential oil-infused clay body wrap will leave you looking and feeling like a Hollywood superstar. Show off your new-found glow at the Comedy Store just opposite on Sunset Boulevard for a laughter-induced endorphin kick.

Despite the gimmicky name, this Santa Monica boutique is the real deal when it comes to planet-friendly, body-loving beauty products. All their wares have been through a rigorous testing process – so there’s not a paraben, sulfate or any other nasties to be found. Treat yourself to a scented candle, some organic tea or pillow mist. Your purchase will fund the owners’ eco-friendly efforts – they’ve planted over 600,000 trees and plan to reach 2.5 million by 2025.

With regular rooftop yoga classes, plenty of Peloton kit and a poolside smoothie bar, a stay at Santa Monica Proper Hotel is the ultimate wellness retreat. Spend the morning surfing off Santa Monica’s broad sandy beach before heading to the Surya Spa, where you can enjoy a private, chakra-balancing sound bath followed by a four-hand massage and Shirodara – an Ayurvedic practice where oil is poured continuously onto your third eye (forehead) to soothe your nervous system.

Run by husband-and-wife team, Mollie and Elias, this microchain of plant-based restaurants celebrates local, seasonal produce, with most of it coming from their own organic farm, Sow a Heart. The Echo Park outlet is also home to an all female-run craft brewery – so you can enjoy a beer with your cauliflower buffalo wings and eggplant tacos. If your immune system needs some love, try the miso rainbow bowl, packed with feel-good ingredients such as seaweed, steamed kale and edamame.

One of the USA’s largest urban green spaces, Griffith Park is home to an expansive network of view-blessed hillside hiking trails. The Mount Hollywood trail rewards those willing to sweat with particularly good snapshots of the Hollywood sign. Don’t miss Griffith Observatory: its popular rooftop viewing platform gives you an impressive bird’s-eye view of LA, but you can also look skywards at the planetarium, using the free public telescopes to see the stars at night – a surefire way to put your everyday stresses into perspective.

These aren’t just any fruit smoothies. Yes, some of the colors are a little odd – think jet black and baby blue – but the real magic behind these concoctions comes from the adaptogens within them. Ingredients such as goji berry, licorice root, turmeric and various species of mushroom help relieve stress, boost your mood and reduce fatigue. Already sold? Swing by the West Hollywood store to stock up on custom blends to take home.

Meghan Markle is said to be a fan of this sweaty, music-driven yoga style, where you’ll do your chaturangas to the likes of Lizzo and Lil Wayne in an infrared-heated studio, reaching up to 90F (32C). There are no mirrors, and lighting is limited to candles in order to minimize self-consciousness and encourage you to focus on the practice – which tends to be intense Vinyasa flow. Don’t forget your towel.