Moxy and AC Hotels come together for LA opening
Two Yabu Pushelberg-designed hotels – Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles – are set to open in the city’s heart in April 2023. With a total of 727 guestrooms, the opening will bring a 37-storey addition to the LA skyline.
The dual-branded hotel marks Moxy’s Los Angeles debut, with developer Lightstone at the helm of the 380-key hotel’s opening. Alongside Moxy will be AC Hotel and its 347 guestrooms, bringing a residential aesthetic to compliment Moxy’s vibrant energy.
Moxy and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles have been brought to life by architectural firm Gensler 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 ft² live LED screen — the largest 3D billboard on the west coast.
Inspired by the spirit of discovery that California stands for, Yabu Pushelberg’s interior design carves out distinct identities for each hotel while still remaining cohesive. For Moxy Downtown LA, the firm departed from the typical SoCal formula of palm trees and sunsets, instead seeking to evoke the iconoclastic romance and adventurous spirit of the California desert. Inspired in part by cult 1969 film Easy Rider, the hotel’s interiors are playful, with references to biker culture, desert reptiles and the grit of the open road.
The lobby is an expansive space with an eclectic array of design elements, including a retro-style motorbike and sidecar. Organic materials like rammed-earth walls reference the desert landscape, while mirrored columns and iridescent mosaic tiles add a layer of vibrancy. The snake motif on the lobby carpet connects to the snakeskin-clad bar in the adjacent Bar Moxy, while a mezzanine level is home to an array of oversized lounge chairs, vintage arcade games, an armadillo-shaped LED neon sculpture and a DJ booth.
The guestrooms at Moxy Downtown LA utilise floor-to-ceiling windows to allow light to pour in. Distressed leather headboards evoke an image of a well-worn motorcycle jacket, and cryptic markings on the wall reference the “hobo hieroglyphics” used by the location’s historic vagabonds. Industrial-chic bathrooms, meanwhile, lined in iridescent copper tile, feature a rain shower and an elongated sink carved from lava stone. Hanging on one wall is a sculpture of chrome motorcycle handlebars mounted on a taxidermy-style plaque — an amalgamation of the twin desert themes of bikers and wildlife.
“Bringing together Moxy and AC Hotels allows guests to make the most of their stay while experiencing two very distinct personalities,” says Matthew Boettcher, Vice President and Global Brand Leader of Distinctive Select Brands at Marriott International. “Guests can take advantage of extra amenities, such as the AC Lounge for co-working during the day, while having more whimsical social options with Moxy in the evening.”
In contrast to Moxy’s design, Yabu Pushelberg has imagined the interiors of AC Hotel Downtown LA as an artist’s loft, bringing the Spanish roots of the AC Hotel brand into conversation with the Latin heritage of Los Angeles. AC Hotel guests enter the Sky Lobby on the 34th floor which, like the foyer of a Spanish hacienda, features textured plaster walls, box beam ceilings and a sculptural redwood reception table. The residential influence is evident in the fluid, open connection between spaces; adjacent to the reception area is the AC Library, which leads to the AC Bar & Lounge, a hacienda-style space anchored by a large piece of surrealist artwork commissioned from Turkish artist Aykut Aydogdu.
Inside AC Hotel’s 347 guestrooms, platform beds are finished with a rich leather headboard, while an integrated bench, closet and oversized desk are accompanied by a tufted, geometric rug. Artwork above each bed depicts swimming pools and iconic Los Angeles buildings, edited to provide an additional splash of colour. “We always think hard about the sociology and strategy around design, how it affects people and how it makes them feel connected to something,” says Glenn Pushelberg, founding partner of Yabu Pushelberg. “Moxy and AC are different brands, but both appeal to travellers who don’t want to stay in a conventional hotel. They’re both for adventurous, bold, curious tastemakers — so the design can’t be generic.”
Stepping out of their rooms, guests will have access to 12 dining and drinking options, including the snakeskin-clad Bar Moxy and Aussie-inspired Bluestone Lane Coffee. Alternatively, AC Hotel’s 34th floor houses AC Bar & Lounge, offering Mediterranean small plates throughout the day, while La Lo La Rooftop serves up Spanish tapas alongside views of the Hollywood Hills. At the centre of the property’s F&B offerings is Level 8 – which the two hotels will share – the brainchild of hospitality veterans Mark and Jonnie Houston. Level 8 pays homage to Los Angeles’ diverse cuisines and cultures, with 30,000 ft² of eight distinct dining, drinking and entertainment venues. Conceptualised by Houston Hospitality, design has been carried out in collaboration with LA-based interior and architectural design firm Undisclosable.
Mark and Jonnie Houston comment: “What we’ve learned in our 20-plus years of opening restaurants and bars around LA is that people want more than just dinner or drinks out. They want to discover something new and come away with a sense that they’ve done something memorable, something different. Our trademark is a trifecta of a unique concept, a great cocktail program and terrific entertainment, and Level 8 is all about creating opportunities for that kind of immersive discovery. The experience of each space is multifaceted and has a performative quality to it.”
Beyond F&B, the hotels offer more communal space in the form of 13,000ft² of flexible meeting and events space. Created by San Diego–based Basile Studios and modelled on a vintage factory floor, the 600-capacity events space is accompanied by two separate boardrooms and two glass-walled studios, available for private hire. Each studio is designed with modular furniture, making it adaptable to the needs of a range of users.
“For today’s traveller, memorable hospitality means great design combined with the ability to choose from an abundance of experiences,” concludes Mitchell Hochberg, President of Lightstone. “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.”
