Downtown Los Angeles gaining 727 hotel rooms

i By April 4, 2023 No Comments

Downtown Los Angeles will welcome 727 hotel guestrooms this month when Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles open on April 12.

The two Yabu Pushelberg-designed hotels include the first Moxy property in Los Angeles and feature 12 dining and entertainment concepts and 13,000 square feet of meeting and events space.

The dual-branded hotel is positioned on the corner of South Figueroa and Pico streets in Downtown Los Angeles, directly across from the Crypto.com Arena and Los Angeles Convention Center.

The properties were brought to life by Gensler, one of the world’s leading architecture firms, and global design studio Yabu Pushelberg.

Gensler’s 37-storey structure consists of an L-shaped tower, one side for Moxy and the other for AC Hotel, sitting atop an eight-storey podium. The podium itself is wrapped in a 15,000-square-foot live LED screen – the largest 3D billboard on the west coast.

The 1969 cult film Easy Rider was part of the inspiration for the interiors at Moxy Downtown LA. Sexy, irreverent and playful, they feature references to biker culture, desert reptiles, and the romance of the open road.

Design details at the 380-key hotel include a retro-style motorcycle and sidecar in the lobby; the use of organic materials, such as rammed-earth walls, referencing the desert landscape; a snake motif on the lobby carpet that connects to the snakeskin-clad bar in the adjacent Bar Moxy; and a mezzanine level that is home to two Meeting Studios as well as vintage arcade games, an armadillo-shaped LED neon sculpture, and a DJ booth.

Guestrooms have floor-to-ceiling windows, adaptable space-saving furniture, and industrial-chic bathrooms, lined in copper tile and featuring a rain shower and an elongated sink carved from lava stone. The Easy Rider-vibe is reflected in distressed leather headboards, which evoke a well-worn motorcycle jacket, cryptic “hobo hieroglyphics” on the wall, and a sculpture consisting of chrome motorcycle handlebars mounted on a taxidermy-style plaque.

In contrast, Yabu Pushelberg imagined the interiors for AC Hotel Downtown LA as an artist’s loft, combining the brand’s Spanish roots with Los Angeles’ Latin heritage.

The hotel’s 34th-floor Sky Lobby delivers panoramic views extending from Downtown Los Angeles to the iconic Hollywood Hills. Its design is reminiscent of the foyer of a gracious Spanish hacienda, with textured plaster walls, box beam ceilings, a sculptural redwood reception table, and striking artwork.

The property’s 357 guestrooms have an open-plan design. Furnishings include a platform bed with leather headboard; an integrated bench, closet and oversized desk along one wall; a tufted, geometric rug; and artwork depicting swimming pools and iconic Los Angeles buildings. A full-height mirror and integrated stone sink/vanity separates the living area from the bathroom.

Drink and dine options at the properties include Bar Moxy (lobby bar and all-day café); Bluestone Lane Coffee Shop (Aussie-inspired coffee, brekkie sandwiches, etc.); AC Bar & Lounge (34th floor venue serving breakfast, dinner and drinks); and La Lo La Rooftop (Spanish-style tapas).

However, the heart of the properties F&B venues is Level 8, Houston Hospitality’s multi-dimensional dining, drinking and entertainment concept of the eighth floor, which will open later this spring.

The 30,000-square-foot space will feature eight venues. These include Mr. Wanderlust (globally-inspired cocktail lounge); Qué Barbaro (South American live fire grill); Golden Hour (poolside dining and carousel bar); Maison Kasai (French-Japanese teppanyaki cuisine); Lucky Mizu (traditional seiro mushi and hot pot dishes); Sinners y Santos (cathedral-inspired nightclub with a speakeasy entrance); Mother of Pearl (al fresco oyster and ceviche bar); and Brown Sheep Taqueria.

New MICE Space in Downtown Los Angeles

Created by San Diego-based Basile Studios, the 13,000-square-foot meetings and events space on the seventh floor was envisioned as the former headquarters of a fictional furniture factory. Rooms include the 600-capacity Main Events Space, which is surrounded by 16-foot panels of steel and frosted glass; The Fig Boardroom, featuring floor-to-ceiling walnut panels and cabinetry that exude a 1960’s-era Mad Men-inspired sophistication; and The Pico Boardroom, a sleek, sophisticated space inspired by a historic factory “paint booth.”

“For today’s traveler, memorable hospitality means great design combined with the ability to choose from an abundance of experiences,” said Mitchell Hochberg, president of real estate developer Lightstone, the company that has brought Moxy properties to New York City and South Beach as well as to Downtown Los Angeles. “By integrating the two hotels, plus Level 8, into a single building, we’re creating a myriad of experiences never before offered in Los Angeles – and keeping it all affordable. It’s a multilayered, endlessly fascinating destination for both locals and visitors.”