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RITZ CARLTON LIVE!

08.12.10

By Sheryll Alexander

Downtown Los Angeles just got a whole lot better now that über luxe The Ritz Carlton Los Angeles has come to tower above the city’s fabulous L.A. LIVE entertainment complex.

Yes, The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles really does tower above L.A. LIVE, a public “plaza” sandwiched between Staples Center, Nokia Theatre and the 54-story JW Marriott Los Angeles. The modern-looking tower houses the 878-room JW Marriott Los Angeles, the 123-room The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles and The Ritz-Carlton Residences at L.A. LIVE.

Our room at The Ritz-Carlton was a sophisticated oasis of modern design, warm woods, fluffy beds, long sofas, big desks and lots of cool technology like wireless connectivity, huge HDTVs and TVs built right into the bathroom mirrors (really!).

The rather large and lovely room looked out over L.A. LIVE, which lights up and can be rather noisy at night. On the other side of the tower, however, the rooms at The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles look over a commanding (and peaceful!) view from the Hollywood Hills to Santa Monica to Pacific Palisades.

Another reason we thoroughly enjoyed our room on the 23rd floor was the hotel’s sky high club lounge just steps away. One of the largest club lounges I’ve ever seen and certainly the most thorough so far with continuous self-serve drink stations, five food presentations and an attentive concierge staff (big thanks to home girl Amanda, the suave Asaf and all-smiles Darius!).

Certainly, The Ritz Carlton Los Angeles is the perfect home base for hanging out at L.A. LIVE, attending a concert at nearby Nokia Theatre, watching a sporting event at The Staples Center, bowling at Lucky Strike Lanes, catching the latest film at Regal Cinemas, touring the Grammy Museum or just exploring downtown LA and its varied high-energy cultural, shopping and dining experiences.

What about relaxing? You can do that too. The Ritz-Carlton Spa is a luxurious, 8,000-square-foot sanctuary of peace and quiet. The spa features nine treatment rooms, two customized aromatherapy steam rooms, cold plunge showers and two relaxation lounges.

Or, hang out at the hotel’s private rooftop pool and bar on the 26th floor. With spectacular views, you can lounge in cabanas both morning and night. The hotel’s state-of-the-art 2,000 sq. ft. fitness center is also housed on this floor.

Want to be part of the LA scene? Ask The Ritz Carlton Los Angeles concierge to book you dinner right before sunset at WP24. Located on the 24th floor, WP24 is the latest creation of celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck. We enjoyed the never-ending panoramic vista, the seemingly never-ending amuse bouche courses and the Asian-influenced entrees like the “angry” lobster and crispy quail legs.

L.A. LIVE, which is located just an elevator ride away when you stay at The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles, also has loads of excellent eateries such as Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse, Yard House, Rosa Mexicano, Katsuya, Trader Vic’s and The Farm of Beverly Hills.

While there’s lots of great dining at L.A. LIVE, don’t miss L.A Market. Located in the JW Marriott lobby, L.A. Market is rather inexpensive, has huge portions and is helmed by renowned Chef Kerry Simon. In this chill space, Chef Simon cooks up hearty New American cuisine with lots of flavor and flair. The super chill JW Marriott lobby also features a cozy, yet rather serious wine bar (gLAnce) and a cool cocktail lounge (The Mixing Room).

And, you don’t even need to get into the car (or pay LA’s steep valet parking fees!) to party. Nokia Plaza is at the center of L.A. LIVE and hosts some kind of concert or event almost every evening. After enjoying the plaza, head to Club Nokia or The Congo Room for late night dancing.

Truly, The Ritz-Carlton Los Angeles is THE place to stay, relax, party, shop and eat in downtown Los Angeles.

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RITZ CARLTON LIVE!

08.12.10

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