A Rockstar Retreat: Hotel Ziggy, Los Angeles

Who doesn’t want to feel like a rockstar on the Sunset Strip? A stay at Hotel Ziggy means you can now live, sleep and breathe the rock’n’roll spirit of the strip, says Felix Milns.

Review: Hotel Ziggy, Los Angeles

STAY

Formerly known as the Grafton on Sunset, the vibe of the redesigned Hotel Ziggy, whose tag line is ‘Free the Music’, unashamedly taps into LA’s live music heritage. Its reincarnation as a temple to the musical heritage of West Hollywood is a reaction to many iconic live music venues closing here in recent years. Legendary venues such as Tower Records, the Viper Room and the House of Blues have all shut down, to make way for prime real estate development, so Hotel Ziggy is very much keeping the vibe alive in a prime location close to all the rock’n’roll landmarks, past, present and future.

The of the hotel itself is a nod to Bowie’s alter-ego – and both the décor and eclectic furniture ooze rock’n’roll, paying tribute to the inspiring bands and stars that have shaped the strip. The funky retro mural on the front facade sets the tone and inside the main lobby bar space is lined with old photos, posters, guitars and pop art memorabilia. The bar area has a record shop vibe with more vinyl than bottles, with a 12 inch always spinning. Acoustic baffles form part of the interior styling to further lend the communal spaces a recording studio feel.

The sixties-era pop art-festooned bedrooms, with retro-style furniture and personal record players, naturally, are designed around a bohemian rear courtyard containing more street art murals the largest saltwater pool in Los Angeles, perfect for chilling and sunset swimming after a day out exploring West Hollywood.

EAT

The hotel restaurant is a funky pizza joint called B-side, extending off the lobby bar. Outside the hotel your nearby options are endless, whether it’s premium grade late-night sushi at Sushiya on Sunset, celeb spotting and top-notch cocktails and contemporary Italian at Olivetta or some plant-powered Mexican at Gracias Madre, you are in LA after all.

DO

In keeping with the hotel mantra of ‘Free the Music’, one end of the lobby area can be screened off with retractable glass doors to form an intimate gig space known as backbeat, be sure to check out possible future stars during your stay. Guests are also encouraged to pick up instruments or borrow record retro walkmans in a dedicated Shred Space.

Take a turn up and down the strip to see why it’s still an Instagram favourite, saunter down to the Comedy store for the biggest live comedy nights in LA, or carry on the musical vibe and check out a show at the Troubadour or Whisky A Go-Go, where The Doors were once the house band.

BOOK

Doubles from $229 per night, hotelziggy.com

Images courtesy of Hotel Ziggy