Ace is the Place

The super stylish Ace Hotel has finally opened its doors in downtown Los Angeles. Eclectic and vivid like LA itself, the latest branch of the boutique chain took over a historic 1920’s building originally built as the United Artists Building- Hollywood’s United Artists corporation was founded by Mary Pickford and Charlie Chaplin- and later known as the Texaco Building where one time tenant, Televangelist Gene Scott had his headquarters…leaving a piece of the gospel sign Jesus Saves behind. The concept behind The Ace centers around refitting old buildings using a modest budget and utilizing industrial salvage. Unfortunately the founder Alex Calderwood died suddenly last November before the multimillion dollar renovation was complete.

The 13 story high-rise features 182 guest rooms, an ornate theater that seats 1,600- which serves as an entertainment space- artisan furniture; period details; original 1927 artwork; a rooftop bar/lounge and pool; Stumptown coffee; a fitness center; vinyl record players in every room and fashionistas abound. The hotel’s in-house design team collaborated with LA-based Commune Design and Chicago-based GREC Architects to strip the building down to its concrete, restoring its designs and then refashioning it with local goods. A Brooklyn duo is helming the California comfort food bistro LA Chapter inside the hotel, which is fashioned after their neighborhood spot Five Leaves in Brooklyn. The rooftop lounge- named Upstairs- is also run by the LA chapter team where cozy Moroccan pillows and frozen drinks make the sprawling city views look even more spectacular- especially Johnny Depp’s rumored apartment directly across the street in another Art Deco landmark, the Eastern Columbia Building. The Ace Hotel will definitely help fill a void of hotel lodging in Downtown LA, and all things cool will now be shifting this way from the nearby Standard Hotel. Attention all hipsters…  www.acehotel.com