The façade of the Fairmont Century Plaza , showing four of the windows that can disappear into the floor and create an open-air lobby .
With much fanfare and as much scrutiny , Accor has finally launched in Los Angeles the repositioning of the classic , mid-century modern Century Plaza Hotel as the Fairmont Century Plaza . The US $ 2.5 billion mixed-use development project , led by design firm Yabu Pushelberg on 6.14 acres , has the opportunity to reposition the brand again , and add some needed cachet , according to Regional Vice President , Southern California and General Manager Philip Barnes .
The 400-room hotel with 63 private residences will sometime during the upcoming spring be joined by the Tower Residences at Century Plaza , two 44-storey glass towers with 268 privately owned estate residences designed by Pei Cobb Freed . Barnes says the hotel has an amazing signature restaurant in Lumière , a seasonal , modern American Brasserie , as well as a spectacular 14,000 square-foot spa and a rooftop pool that eventually will be opened to exclusive memberships .
Nearly 24,000 square feet of private event space will include one of the largest ballrooms in Los Angeles , with seating for over 1,500 , and bookings are off and running , according to Barnes , including the high-profile Critic ’ s Choice Awards in January . The hotel also has booked a big piece of business surrounding the upcoming Super Bowl , as well as a number of other events relating to the movie and music industries . “ People are lining up … The city hasn ’ t had anything of this caliber for years . So , people are very excited ,” he adds . “ It ’ s happening , and it ’ s going to happen quickly .”
Barnes , who joined the hotel in September 2020 after running the Fairmont-managed Savoy in London since 2016 , estimates rate will land north of US $ 750 and occupancy should settle in
The mesh portrait , Laura , stands in front of the hotel at 23 feet tall , floating weightlessly in a pool of water .
THE NEW BRAND FLAGSHIP HELPS REPOSITION THE BRAND AGAIN WITH UNIQUE AMENITIES , PLENTY OF STYLE AND HISTORY REBORN .
by JEFF WEINSTEIN , EDITOR IN CHIEF
November / December 2021 hotelsmag . com 15