By Haley Freeman
Posh. Eclectic. Radically distinctive.
When you visit an Ace Hotel location anywhere in the world, you will encounter something extraordinary. And inventively green.
I recently became lost to the mythic vibe and grand proportions of Ace’s digs in downtown Los Angeles. Formerly the United Artists building and theater, this urban gothic masterpiece was built in 1927 and has been beautifully restored for fans of a new era. She keeps fine company with her silver-screen cohorts in the historic Broadway Theater District, where 12 movie palaces built between 191o and 1932 remain in varying stages of splendor and dishabille. The city’s sizzle invigorates on a Friday night, when hipsters and locals blend in a delightfully seedy mix of pomp and happenstance.
Like Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard, the provocative Ace lures you inside and threatens to keep you both captive and captivated. Venues of varying sizes and styles are on offer to accommodate everything from board meetings and private dinners to conferences and concerts.
The crowing jewel is The Theater at Ace Hotel, formerly the United Artists Theater and brainchild of United Artists founders Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, D.W. Griffith and Charlie Chaplin. Inspired by Pickford’s passion for Spanish castles and cathedrals, the spectacular, three-story grand lobby will dizzy and dazzle. The 1,600-seat theater has been “retrofitted with a state-of-the-art digital projection system and cinema sound, an independent, ultramodern live sound system, plus an elaborate contemporary stage lighting system.” Inside this ornate space, where intricate plasterwork hangs like stalactites from walls and ceilings, and a highly wrought oculus presides, every event is a religious experience.
More intimate indoor spaces loaded with Hollywood glamour are available for smaller gatherings and events. Outdoors is Upstairs, a rooftop bar with stunning views of downtown L.A., along with a rooftop pool for less formal events.
Guests can say on site in one of the hotel’s chic, modern chambers, with offerings ranging from rooms with private terraces, to lofts and suites.
Ace is a boutique hotel chain known for its innovative efforts toward sustainability. It uses Ecovim food waste systems to recycle food waste by dehydrating food waste and reducing it by up to 90 percent into “a highly concentrated organic soil amendment which can be used as fertilizer, bio-fuel and animal feed. It will also generate water that can be reused to water plants.”
Ace’s flagship hotel in Seattle is furnished with vintage and repurposed furniture. For its London hotel, Ace commissioned sustainable, locally crafted furnishings from Benchmark Furniture.
Ace is also known for preserving historic landmarks and turning them into vibrant, relevant centers for society and culture. Each location offers unique amenities and a variety of meeting spaces for events large and small.
For event planners seeking to entice participation and dazzle guests with something truly novel and uniquely green, an Ace destination is a guaranteed win. Visit www.acehotel.com and view their varied and astonishing assortment of venues.
Green Quote:
Although Charlie Chaplin is best known for his roles in silent film, he was a pioneer of the arts and a controversial voice for social issues. He said, “We think too much and feel too little. More than machinery, we need humanity; more than cleverness, we need kindness and gentleness. Without these qualities, life will be violent and all will be lost.”
