The Ace Hotel chain is regarded in some circles as a hipster hotel. I can assure you that, at least in Los Angeles, it goes so far beyond that.
The Ace Los Angeles harkens back to the glory days of early Hollywood. Originally built in 1927 for the film studio United Artists, The Ace has been transformed into a marvel of post tech-boom aesthetic — a return to the simplicity and craftsmanship of past generations — tactile if you will.
Braided rope toilet paper roll hangers, brass fixings, apothecary style toiletries, and reclaimed blankets are a few of the touches that adorn the rooms and make for an interesting stay.
The rooftop bar is the rendezvous point for painfully fashionable, beyond trendy, young creatives to imbibe and presumably show off their wares, and maybe even get a little sloppy underneath their fedoras in the process. For me, it is a great place to people watch and gaze out over the hazy horizon of Downtown Los Angeles. It can be beautiful in its own right.
Once the sun goes down I prefer to eat in the lobby restaurant Best Girl, or in the Mezzanine Bar, the latter of which makes superlative cocktails.
The Ace Hotel makes for a great hopping off point to explore Los Angeles.
While far from the beaches, the scene in Downtown LA is ever changing for the better with an eclectic mix of food, drink and entertainment. Hollywood is close by if that’s your thing, and the once downtrodden neighbourhoods turned hipster enclaves of Echo Park and Silverlake are nearby.
If you end up overindulging or requiring a late night snack, there is a brilliant taco shack in the valet parking lot next to the hotel also that offers some of the best tacos I have ever had at a more than reasonable price.
If you work at a WeWork, shop at vintage thrift shops, and refuse to eat anything other than farm to table than this is your place — and then some.
