If you’re looking to see and be seen while in Los Angeles, The Standard is where you want to drink, sleep and play – not necessarily in that order!
There are two locations to choose from; Hollywood and near the financial district in Downtown LA.
Unsure of where I wanted to be or what I wanted to do (apart from slide the Skyslide and find the angel wings graffiti) during my two-day stay earlier this year, I found a great deal online and booked in to The Standard Downtown.
Although it’s been almost 15 years since The Standard Downtown launched, the rooms remain practical and cool with a minimalist style featuring platform beds, plasma TVs, Bluetooth stereos, large windows and walk-in showers.
The rooms are cheekily named by size, with guests able to choose from eight sizes ranging from ‘Medium’ to ‘Wow!’, topped only by the Penthouse. Some even include extra-large tubs.
When it comes to staying in hotels, four things make me happy: room service, a robe, free WiFi and comfy pillows and The Standard ticked all the boxes.
And my room was so humongous—that’s the official size given it clocked in at 590square feet—that I threw on my fluffy robe and hosted a one woman dance party.
Each ‘Humungous’ room includes a king-size platform bed with Egyptian cotton sheets, extra-long work desk, and a separate sitting area. There’s also an over-sized walk-in shower (and oversized towels) and well-lit vanity.
That’s a whole lot of oversized action for a pint-sized person like me!
I was so impressed with my room that not only did I try to extend my stay (good thing I didn’t, given that pesky kidney infection I picked up), but within minutes of arriving I tried to convince a friend from the East Coast to jump on a plane by bombarding him with photos of the oversized shower and bouncy bed.
THE FACILITIES
The hotel inhabits the 12 storey 1950s Standard Oil building and previously won the Los Angeles Conservancy’s preservation award for achieving the sensitive transformation of an early Modernist oil headquarters and bank building into a boutique hotel, while retaining the building’s historic features.
Brightly coloured and oversized modern art liven up the original marble walls, while a chrome escalator ascends through the lobby which is home to Ruby’s barbershop and a 24-hour brassiere.
The brassiere specialises in organic, locally sourced food served all day, every day and the diner-style counter is perfect for cocktails or a quick bite.
If the sunshine yellow interior is too much for you, soak up some actual sunshine on the outdoor patio, or stop by Hermanos Coffee in the lobby for coffee and pastries.
I read that the hotel’s 24-hour fitness center will give you a decent workout, but if I end up in the gym (at home or away), it’s purely because I’m lost.
But it’s upstairs where the real magic happens—both in the Ping Pong club, SPiN, and on the rooftop
Take in the rays on the rooftop terrace and cool off in the pool, embrace the free wi-fi, DJ spinning tunes, poolside food and drinks services and 360º cityscape views.
The rooftop also doubles as beer garden/cocktail bar with ping-pong tables, lounges, and pod-like cabanas complete with waterbeds, which is where I settled in for my final day in LA.
After a couple of mojitos, I fell asleep on my waterbed and when I woke up, I was in the middle of a private party filled with selfie-loving weirdos in some of the craziest outfits I’ve ever seen.
And two guys tried to get me kicked out of my pod (because, one small woman, one big pod) but the staff came to my rescue pointing out that as a hotel guest, I could stay out as long as I wanted.
So, in retaliation, I stretched out in my bikinis, ordered another mojito and death stared them as I enjoyed one of the best grilled cheese sandwiches of my life.
THE LOCATION
Smack-dab in the center of booming Downtown Los Angeles, there’s plenty to see and do without heading further a field from the new SkySlide to the Last Bookstore and amazing street art. Read my list of 9 things to do in Downtown LA here.
Foodies will love the close proximity to Grand Central Markets, a European style food hall which is home to eateries including Eggslut, Wexler’s Deli, G&B (coffee) and Golden Road Brewing.
For city explorers, The Standard Downtown is within walking distance of Grand Avenue’s cultural corridor, with its art museums and performing arts venues, including the famed Walt Disney concert hall while the LA Live entertainment, shopping and dining complex is a short cab ride south.
If you want to check the tourist hotspots off your bucket list, the nearest metro rail station is just a couple of blocks away, where trains will whisk you to Hollywood (15 minutes) or Universal Studios (20 minutes).
You can also walk to the Arts District (I don’t recommend it, or at least not alone as you pass through some sketchy areas) but it’s easier to jump in an Uber and head over to pound the pavement and check out the amazing street art and cool off with a beer at Angel City Brewery.
THE VERDICT
The Standard Downtown LA is the perfect place to explore all that downtown Los Angeles has to offer and retire for the evening (or morning!) in style and comfort.
If you enjoyed this post or have any questions about this hotel, please leave me a comment in the box below!
