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André Balazs (New York's Mercer hotel, LA's Chateau Marmont and The Standard Hollywood) has given the Los Angeles business district a jolt. This cluster of bank and insurance company buildings, has always been deserted after 5pm. But now, at around 8pm, LA's beautiful young things begin filling the streets around Balazs' new hotel, hoping to be admitted to its roof bar, a playpen complete with infinity pool and movies projected on nearby buildings. Of course, if you're staying in the hotel, you can go straight to the roof via private lift. Balazs has retained the former office building's 1960s corporate-modern decor and added a few ironic touches: the bedrooms are cheerful and spare (the bed is on a grey-carpeted platform), with floor-to-ceiling glass framing Blade Runner vistas. The place is so trendy you expect the staff to ignore you. Instead, they're California-cheerful and remarkably efficient; call room service and the same person who took your order - this is hotel policy - delivers it. After breakfast, walk to two brand-new architectural landmarks: Rafael Moneo's cathedral and Frank Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall, perhaps stopping at the Los Angeles Public Library, a Moorish-Art Deco confection not to be missed. After dinner in the 1960s 'coffee shop' restaurant, zip straight up to the roof. If the height doesn't make you giddy, the scene will.
WHEN TO GO
The LA Philharmonic begins its inaugural season at Gehry's Walt Disney Concert Hall in October
WHICH ROOM TO BOOK
Corner rooms are the most spacious. 'Humongous' room 903 offers views up Flower Street to the snow-capped San Gabriel mountains
CONTACT
The Standard Downtown LA, 550 South Flower Street, Los Angeles, California, USA (00 1 213 892 8080; fax: 892 8686; www.standardhotel.com). Doubles $108 (for a 'Cheap' room)-$370 (for a Wow! room); Penthouse Suites $513-$570
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