What’s New_Hotels

111 HOTEL DEVELOPMENT IN LOS ANGELES

LOS ANGELES _ With more than 93,000 hotel rooms, Los Angeles boasts more hotel rooms than nearly any other vacation destination in the United States.

That’s good news for the record number of visitors expected to travel to the area this year, all in search of accommodations that meet individual needs and budgets.

In Los Angeles, overnight accommodations range from hostels to luxurious five-star resorts, with amenities and space to meet any need.

Many local properties have also recently completed major renovations, while others have expansions on the drawing board. The following is a summary of the latest hotel developments in Los Angeles County. (Editor’s note: Media contacts are for media use only.)

RECENT HOTEL OPENINGS

Shutters On The Beach, One Pico Blvd., Santa Monica, 90405. 310/458-0030. Media contact: Marjory Hawkins, 510/5364550. Perched virtually on the sand that buffers Santa Monica from the ocean, this luxurious vacation residence resembles a giant beach cottage and features panoramic views of the Pacific and coastline. 198 rooms and suites. Opened: June 1993.

Summerfield Suites, 810 S. Douglas St., El Segundo, 90245. 310/725-0100. Media contact: Lisa Peterson. With its allsuite configuration, Summerfield Suites features extra-large rooms, complimentary breakfasts and late-afternoon “social hours.” Located 3-1/2 miles from LAX, the hotel offers shuttle to and from the airport and within a five-mile radius. 122 suites. Opened: March 1995.

FUTURE DEVELOPMENT

Halekulani Hotel, Figueroa at 8th Street. Pre-opening office: 9601 Wilshire Blvd., Ste. 736, Beverly Hills, 90210. 310/278-9699. Media contact: Janet Kato-White.

390 rooms. Construction date is temporarily on hold.

Evergreen Laurel Hotel, Alameda and First Streets (in Little Tokyo). Pre-opening office: 201 S. Santa Fe Ave., Ste. 100, Los Angeles, 90012. Media contact: Architect Shoji Shimizu, 213/628-0800. 600 rooms. Opening: Mid-1999.

MAJOR CHANGES AT EXISTING HOTELS

(Editor’s note: Hotels are categorized in five geographic regions — Downtown, Hollywood, Westside, Beaches and the Valleys.)

DOWNTOWN

Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza, 3540 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, 90007. 213/748-4141. Media contact: Dafna Ronis.

Conveniently located near the University of Southern California, the Sports Arena, Shrine Auditorium and

nationally recognized museums, the hotel recently completed

a $7 million inside renovation that included the lobby, function rooms, public spaces and guest rooms. Exterior

renovations, which include upgrading the landscaping and pool are currently in progress. 243 rooms.

Hotel Inter-Continental Los Angeles at California Plaza, 251 S. Olive St., Los Angeles, 90012. 213/617-3300. Media contact: Martin Driskell. The newest hotel in Downtown (opened December 1992), this prestigious property is located adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art. This summer, approximately 40 guest rooms will be upgraded and banquet rooms will be redecorated. 469 rooms.

Kawada Hotel, 200 S. Hill St., Los Angeles, 90012. 213/6214455. Media contact: Cheri Hanna. This five-year-old property is within walking distance of the Music Center and city government buildings. The hotel was recently

renovated, and an exercise room will be added this summer. Among Kawada’s notable features is its five-star Epicentre Restaurant, which offers an earthquake-themed menu and atmosphere. 116 rooms.

New Otani, 120 S. Los Angeles St., Los Angeles, 90012.

213/629-1200. Media contact: Burks Hamner, 213/935-0560. Within the past four years, this property in Little Tokyo has renovated its public rooms and guest rooms. Accommodations include both Japanese- and Western-style suites. A special highlight is A Thousand Cranes, a

restaurant serving traditional Japanese cuisine in private tatami rooms overlooking a half-acre rooftop Japanese garden. 434 rooms and suites.

Omni Los Angeles Hotel & Centre, 930 Wilshire Blvd., Los Angeles, 90017. 213/629-4321. Media contact: Kelly Schandel. Omni Hotels recently took over this property, located in the heart of Los Angeles’ retail and financial district. (Formerly it was the Los Angeles Hilton & Towers.) A $10 million renovation is in progress to add two new restaurants and expand the fitness center and meeting spaces. 900 rooms.

Sheraton Grande, 333 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, 90071.

213/617-1133. Media contact: Marje Bennetts, 310/574-7870. Located near the First Interstate World Trade Center and the Pacific Stock Exchange, the hotel recently opened a

technologically advanced business center. IBM and Macintosh computers, typewriters, copiers, facsimile machines and full secretarial services all are available to guests. Another

addition is Three Thirty Three, a cafe-style eatery featuring contemporary American cuisine. 469 rooms.

Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, 404 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles, 90071. 213/624-1000. Media contact: Julie Reigle. The Westin Bonaventure is Los Angeles’ largest

hotel. Its new owner, Today’s Hotel Corporation, recently launched an $8 million makeover that includes most areas of the property — restaurants, lounges, guest rooms, suites, lobby and other public spaces. The renovation is expected to be completed by year-end 1997. 1,368 rooms and suites.

Wyndham Checkers Hotel, 535 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, 90071. 213/624-0000. Media contact: Valerie Ryan.

Recently acquired by Wyndham Hotels, this mid-city high-rise is listed as a historic/cultural landmark by Los Angeles’ Cultural Heritage Commission. Its restaurant, lounge and meeting spaces were all recently renovated. 188 rooms.

HOLLYWOOD

Universal City Hilton and Towers, 555 Universal Terrace Parkway, Universal City, 91608. 213/617-0666. Media

contact: Tom McNamara. Some 175 guest rooms have been

recarpeted, and 180 have received new draperies and valences in this dramatic hotel located in Universal Studios’ backyard. Another 175 rooms are slated for refurbishment later in the year. The lobby also is being renovated, and the indoor/outdoor Cafe Sierra has been enclosed, enlarged and renamed the Skylight Room. 446 rooms and suites.

Sheraton Universal, 333 Universal Terrace Parkway, Universal City, 91608. 818/980-1212. Media contact: Marje Bennetts,

310/574-7870. In 1994, all guest rooms and meeting facilities, as well as the hotel’s front entrance, were renovated. In August, a high-tech executive boardroom, including modem and fax plug-ins at each seat and the latest in audio/visual equipment, will be added. This “official” hotel of Universal Studios Hollywood is also upgrading its pool, game room and fitness facilities. 442 rooms.

WESTSIDE

The Argyle, 8358 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069. 213/654-7100. Media contact: Jacqueline Franchetti, 301/670-7870. Formerly Sunset Tower and then the St. James Club, the Argyle is listed in the National Registry of Historic Places for its art-deco style and its role in Hollywood history. Constructed in 1929, the hotel was home to such stars as Marilyn Monroe, Errol Flynn, Jean Harlow and Clark Gable. Major renovations have been completed

recently, including the restoration of the building’s exterior to its original luster. In April 1996 the Terrace Room, an open function-and-banquet space designed for social events or corporate meetings, opened. 68 rooms and suites.

Summit Hotel Bel-Air, 11461 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, 90049. 310/476-6571. Media contact: Lisa Sato, 310/8581521. Formerly a Radisson, this all-suite property is nestled in the Bel-Air foothills. The hotel recently added the Summit Aromatasee, a full-service spa that features massages, facials, body wraps and corrective treatments. 162 suites.

Beverly Hills Hotel, 9641 Sunset Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90210. 310/276-2251. Media contact: Terri Dishman. The hotel reopened in June 1995 after a $100 million

renovation/restoration to preserve the architectural, interior and landscaping integrity of this Beverly Hills landmark. The pink-and-green banana-leaf wallpaper is still here, and so is the Polo Lounge. Guest rooms have been enlarged to include sitting areas, oversize walk-in closets, marble bathrooms, at least three telephones and plain-paper fax machines. 194 rooms.

Century Plaza Hotel & Tower, 2025 Avenue of the Stars, Century City, 90067. 310/277-2000. Media contact:

Christine Smrtka. A meeting space refurbishment, including ballroom and breakout rooms, completed this hotel’s recent $11 million renovation project. The Century Plaza is only footsteps away from the 100 specialty shops and restaurants at Century City Shopping Center and Marketplace, and is located across the street from the ABC Entertainment Center and Shubert Theatre. 1,072 rooms.

Le Mondrian, 8440 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069. 213/650-8999. Media contact: Drew Schlesinger. This

property, under the new ownership of Ian Schrager, has a facade that’s a work of modern art, painted with bold lines and squares of color. A $15 million renovation program will begin late in 1996, which will upgrade public spaces and guest rooms. 219 rooms.

Le Montrose, 900 Hammond St., West Hollywood, 90069. 310/855-1115. Media contact: Michelle Bolton, 310/2734030. Located one block east of Beverly Hills, the hotel recently underwent a $1 million renovation. Fourteen executive suites were added, as well as facsimile machines, electronic locks, new televisions and Nintendo video games in all suites. 125 suites.

Le Parc Hotel, 733 West Knoll Dr., West Hollywood, 90069. 310/855-8888. Media contact: Michelle Bolton, 310/2734030. Tucked away on a tree-lined street in a residential neighborhood, Le Parc is sporting a new look after a $1 million renovation. The lobby has been expanded and the hallways brightened. Fifty suites have been revamped, and Cafe Le Park, a restaurant reserved for the exclusive use of hotel guests, has been refurbished. The hotel also houses Belle Cachette, a deluxe post-operative retreat for electivesurgery patients. 154 suites.

Lowell Hotel, 9291 Burton Way, Beverly Hills, 90210. 310/278-3344. Formerly L’Hermitage, this property is closed for major renovation; it is scheduled to reopen in early 1997. 140 suites.

Hotel Nikko at Beverly Hills, 465 S. La Cienega Blvd., Los Angeles, 90048. 310/247-0400. Media contact: Charlotte Novom, 310/788-0861. Hotel Nikko is adding suites this summer. The hotel is conveniently located on Restaurant Row, the area known for its prestigious dining

establishments. 300 rooms.

Hyatt Hotel on Sunset, 8401 Sunset Blvd., West Hollywood, 90069. 213/656-1234. Media contact: Barbara Lisbon. A $4 million renovation will begin October 1996. Included in the project, which is targeted for completion at the end of the year, will be the upgrading of guest rooms and lobby. The

restaurant also will be redesigned and a health club will be added.

Park Hyatt Los Angeles, 2151 Avenue of the Stars, Los Angeles 90067. 310/277-2777. Media contact: Rob Cameron. The Park Hyatt will begin a soft renovation of the lobby and other public spaces in June 1996. Formerly the J.W. Marriott Hotel, the property is located near the Century City Shopping Center and Marketplace and only minutes away from Beverly Hills. 367 rooms and suites.

Regent Beverly Wilshire, 9500 Wilshire Blvd., Beverly Hills, 90212. 310/275-5200. Media contact: Deborah Lung. As part of a $100 million renovation, the hotel — which anchors one end of Rodeo Drive, one of the world’s poshest shopping streets — has re-opened its 150-room Beverly wing and a fitness center/spa. 275 rooms.

Summit Hotel Rodeo Drive, 360 N. Rodeo Dr., Beverly Hills, 90210. 310/273-0300. Media contact: Lisa Sato, 310/8581521. A boutique-style hotel located in the heart of Beverly Hills, the Summit Rodeo Drive has a major renovation planned which will include a new facade and complete interior redecoration. The project should be completed in

spring of 1997. 86 rooms.

COASTAL

Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach and Marina Hotel, 300 N. Harbor Drive, Redondo Beach, 90277. 310/318-8888. Media contact: Tran Vu. Formerly was the Holiday Inn Crowne Plaza Redondo Beach. The hotel recently opened The Reef, an indoor/outdoor cafe featuring 300 specialty items. 430

rooms.

Loews Santa Monica Beach Hotel, 1700 Ocean Ave., Santa Monica, 90401. 310/458-6700. Media contact: Maris Somerville, 310/207-5663. This contemporary property with the look of a Victorian beach resort has added kosher food alternatives to its catering and conference operations. Its on-site kosher kitchen is monitored by Kosher Supervision of America and the Rabbinical Council of California. 350 rooms and suites.

Marina Beach Marriott, 4100 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 90292. 310/301-3000. Media contact: Susan Chung, 310/3375328. Marina Beach Marriott, adjacent to Marina del Rey Beach, is set to undergo a multi-million dollar renovation that will include lobby and guest rooms. Target completion date for this part of this project is July 1996. A health

club will also be added by the end of the year, and meeting spaces will be enlarged and refurbished by late 1997. 372

Miramar Sheraton Hotel, 101 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, 90401. 310/576-7777. Media contact: Sandra Paniagua. This Santa Monica landmark recently completed a $33 million renovation project that touched almost every aspect of the property, including guest rooms, suites and bungalows, the Starlight Ballroom and other meeting spaces, the pool and the lobby. Additionally, a new structure houses a state-ofthe-art fitness center and an indoor/outdoor restaurant, the Grille, which serves international cuisine and overlooks the hotel’s tropical gardens. 302 rooms and suites; 32 bungalows.

Portofino Hotel and Yacht Club, 260 Portofino Way, Redondo Beach, 90277. 310/379-8481. Media contact: Anne Stark,

206/682-6979. All guest rooms, plus the lobby and corridors, were recently refurbished. In the second phase of this seaside hotel’s $2.5 million renovation project, which is slated for completion in September 1996, a circular drive will be added, new chandeliers and carpets installed in the ballroom, a restaurant relocated to allow for oceanfront dining, long-term-stay corporate apartments will be

remodeled and a business center added. 164 rooms.

Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Airport, 6101 W. Century Blvd., Los Angeles, 90045. 310/642-1111. Media contact: Shelly O’Connell. The property, located just half a mile from LAX, recently underwent a $15 million renovation that included all guest rooms and public spaces. The club floor was also remodeled and the exercise room was enlarged and relocated to a space overlooking the pool. 804 rooms.

VALLEY

Warner Center Marriott, 21850 Oxnard Street, Woodland Hills, 91367. 818/887-4800. Media contact: Mary Neister. Controlling interest in the property, located in the Warner Center Business Park in the West San Fernando Valley, has been purchased by Pittsburgh-based Interstate Hotel Corp.

and Blackstone Real Estate Advisors in New York. The

hotel’s public areas recently were renovated. 473 rooms.

Radisson Valley Center, 15433 Ventura Blvd., Sherman Oaks, 91403. 818/981-5400. Media contact: Lana Dubovik.

Reopened after $10 million in repairs and refurbishment, this completely rebuilt structure is billed as the “world’s strongest” hotel. Changes include an expanded health club, a remodeled lobby and a new bar and grill. 215 rooms.

Ritz-Carlton, Huntington Hotel, 1401 S. Oak Knoll Ave., Pasadena, 91106. 818/568-3900. Media contact: Michelle

Bolton, 310/273-4030. This hotel, located in the San Gabriel Valley, is a Pasadena landmark. Presently it is undergoing a $2 million expansion and renovation, including the addition of a world-class spa and fitness center and a 22,000 square foot exhibit hall. Clara Vista, an executive retreat and hospitality cottage, is new as well, and the hotel’s Grand Ballroom and other meeting venues have been refurbished along with its restaurants and Club Lounge. 383 rooms.