We love Hotel Indigo in downtown Los Angeles (or DTLA, as the cool kids are calling it these days), a posh skyscraper in the city’s business district. This hotel has a superb location, where major attractions like Staples Center and LA Live are a quick walk away. But we’ll explore the neighborhood later. First, let’s check into our room, shall we?
Hotel Indigo, part of the IHG conglomerate, is a solid brand of boutique-style hotels that are notable for having cool decor, great city locations, and a fun vibe. These hotels also feature some delightful IHG amenities, most notably their extraordinarily comfortable beds with giant fluffy pillows, which are reason enough to check into the Hotel Indigo DTLA.
But don’t flop down onto the bed right away! First, take in the lovely guestroom, awash in deep, rich colors, with oversized photos and artistic touches that nod to the golden years of Hollywood.
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Simply walking into the room, with those ultra-high ceilings and full-length velvet curtains, is a glamorous experience. On the higher floors, the views are great.
The hotel’s lobby features a very chic restaurant and bar, Metropole:
Metropole has a great American continental menu, and the craft cocktails are delightful. Or for delicious cocktails with a side of beautiful skyline views, head up to 18 Social, the hotel’s sublime lounge on the (you guessed it) 18th floor. Either spots are great for a warm-up drink before heading out to explore the city—and one of the best parts about this Hotel Indigo is its DTLA location, where there is much adventure to be found.
Not too long ago, DTLA was a morose jungle of boring banks and government agencies, where people did not leave their offices because the surrounding streets were desolate and dirty. Now the neighborhood is in the midst of a massive overhaul, and as those historic buildings are scrubbed clean one-by-one, they bloom with life once again, filled with cute shops, wonderful restaurants, and beautiful hotels like the fancy (and new from the ground up) Hotel Indigo that is so shiny and nice. And good news! DTLA is officially a gayborhood, with nightlife to prove it.
Among the various bars downtown, Precinct DTLA claims to be the largest gay club in the city, and it is almost walking distance away from Hotel Indigo, if anyone in LA actually walked anywhere. Although if you went out for a night at Precinct, but you still have the strength to walk back to your hotel, you didn’t do it right.
Also, here’s an insider’s tip: The Original Pantry Cafe is just a block away from Hotel Indigo, walkable even by LA standards, and they serve enormous plates of pancakes and eggs, 24 hours a day. This place is a must-visit. Be prepared to wait in line for a seat.
Related: The Great Gay Invasion of DTLA has begun
After a night out, a lazy day at the pool is necessary. Like any respectable LA hotel, this Hotel Indigo has the requisite glamorous pool deck, where patrons drink cocktails and slather sunblock on each other in public. During big events like LA Pride, the hotel also hosts big pool parties, and of course people take photos of those shenanigans. And we are thankful for them!
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Do you have a travel tip to share? Email danrenzi@gaycities.com.
