Los Angeles
Downtown’s Residence Inn and Courtyard by Marriott, situated directly across the street from L.A. LIVE and a block from the Los Angeles Convention Center, are expected to open in 2014. The new hotel development comprises a 23-story high-rise housing a 174-room Courtyard by Marriott and a 218-room Residence Inn by Marriott, including roughly 12,000 square feet of meeting facilities.
The L.A. Hotel Downtown completed a $20 million transition to become a Hyatt Regency in spring 2013. Renovations included upgrades to guest rooms, public space and meeting facilities.
At press time, downtown’s Hotel Normandie, a boutique property in Koreatown built in the 1920s, was on track to unveil a $5 million renovation and restoration by the end of 2013. The project entailed the addition of a new restaurant and bar, along with a new 1,600-square-foot banquet hall and two new executive boardrooms.
Housed downtown in a former cathedral built in 1876, Vibiana, a new event space, opened in 2013 and features a cavernous 11,600-square-foot, baroque-style main hall with 45-foot soaring vaulted ceilings, Corinthian columns, a marble stage and stained-glass windows.
Nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains between the San Fernando Valley and West L.A., the Skirball Cultural Center opened its new Guerin Pavilion in late 2013. The new building, situated adjacent to the upgraded Herscher Hall, features a 9,000-square-foot ballroom with arches and views of a garden.
Hollywood
The 632-room Loews Hollywood Hotel, formerly the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, completed a $26 million renovation in 2013. The property features over 120,000 square feet of function space, including a 2,000-person capacity ballroom.
Beverly Hills
The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts opened in 2013 with two buildings: the historic 1933 Italianate-style Beverly Hills Post Office and the new, contemporary 500-seat Goldsmith Theater. The facility also has an event terrace with seating for up to 500 people. Long Beach Area
The Pacific Ballroom at the Long Beach Arena, which opened November, is a new concept in special event space, a “loft-style ballroom” created on the 45,000-square-foot floor of the existing sports arena. The first-of-its-kind flying truss system lowers to form a ballroom ceiling while curtains drop to block the view of arena seats. The Pacific Ballroom can be configured for meetings, receptions, dinners and other events.
Marina del Rey
The new 134-room Hilton Garden Inn Los Angeles Marina Del Rey opened in July 2013. The property has two meeting rooms, the larger of which can accommodate up to 100 for dinner.
The 370-room Marina del Rey Marriott, which has 18,000 square feet of meeting space, began guest room renovations in November. The project is scheduled for completion early this year.
Marina del Rey Hotel is closed for a $20 million dollar renovation. It will reopen in this spring.
San Fernando Valley
The Beverly Garland Hotel is undergoing an extensive renovation that includes enhancements to all guest rooms and public space, as well as the addition of a new outdoor wedding venue. The project is scheduled for completion this spring.
The 485-room Holiday Inn Burbank-Media Center recently completed phase two of the three-phase $15 million renovation. Improvements were made to the suites, lobby and ballroom.