Ace Hotel DTLA

Ace Hotel DTLA opened its doors for business in late January 2014, further igniting the renaissance going on along Downtown LA’s Southern Historic Core. Housed in the landmark United Artists office building—commissioned by early film pioneers Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks in 1927—the office was converted into its present form by Ace’s in-house design team, Atelier, together with LA design darlings, Commune. Their creation is part Moroccan tented camp, part LA punk rock and 100% Ace Hotel.

Ace has become the go-to hotel brand for global nomads, fashionistas and creative influencers—and a fair amount of bearded, skinny jean-wearing hipsters.

The best feature of Ace Hotel DTLA, however, is the staff, all of whom seem to be experts on the life and culture of LA and exude an authentic hospitality not seen in many hotels. They'll tell you where to find LA's best coffee, eclectic retail shops or even how to score box seats to a Dodger's game. No silly staff uniforms at Ace Hotel. That would be uncool.

Styling in the 166-room/16-suite Ace Hotel is on the minimal side, with exposed concrete ceilings, Ikea-inspired wardrobes and canvass shower curtains. Brightly colored blankets designed exclusively for Ace by Pendleton are our favorite room accents, followed by brass bathroom fixtures.

The hotel boasts one of LA’s hottest new restaurants, LA Chapter, from the guys behind Brooklyn’s popular Five Leaves restaurant. Classed as an American brasserie, LA Chapter focuses on fresh, locally sourced vegetables, meats and seafood. The signature Five Leaves' burger and Ricotta Pancakes are not to be missed.

Ace Hotel’s rooftop bar and pool, called simply Upstairs, is already one of the city’s most popular, but guests have priority access—which you will need on busy nights. The pool (which is more like a glorified jacuzzi) is a great place to soak up the scene and catch an LA sunset from the gorgeous rooftop.

Most guests don’t realize it, but Ace Hotel sits atop one of the city’s most historic and beautiful theaters, the 1600-seat United Artists Cinema, a Spanish Gothic-inspired masterpiece with murals depicting early Hollywood life and more spires than Spain’s Segovia Cathedral.

Some of the best shopping in Downtown LA can be found in the immediate area surrounding Ace Hotel, which has become a small enclave of cool shops, including a stunning flagship store from Sweden’s Acne Studios and cute outposts from Aesop and others.

This is an Ace Hotel, so expect the coffee to be good. Here the hotel uses Stumptown beans, but operates an independent cafe, a great place to grab a quick coffee and pastry.