Alexandria Hotel
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
At Fifth and Spring streets stands the Alexandria Hotel, a reminder of the days when downtown Los Angeles was the place to check in. Opened in 1906, the hotel welcomed silent-film stars and travelers looking for accommodations with a little grandeur. Its Palm Court, with a spectacular stained-glass ceiling, remains one of the building’s most memorable spaces.
Charlie Chaplin, Mary Pickford, and Rudolph Valentino were among the famous names associated with the hotel. The lobby’s “Million Dollar Carpet” earned its nickname from the business deals said to have been discussed there. Apparently a comfortable chair could be as useful as an office.
There are ghost stories here, too. Local lore tells of a woman in black wandering the halls and appearances attributed to Valentino. Whether anyone from the silent era is still checking in is another matter, but the old hotel certainly has the atmosphere for it.
UPDATE: The Alexandria survives as residential apartments, preserving a familiar downtown exterior and important historic interiors. A different kind of stay these days, with plenty of old Los Angeles still attached. 10-26
Hotel Barbizon
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Over in Westlake, the Hotel Barbizon brings a little old Los Angeles character to Sixth Street. The colors and decorative details give the building the look of a place that has watched quite a few changes pass by. An apartment hotel like this offered something between an overnight stop and a permanent home.
There’s a movie connection as well. The Barbizon appears among the filming locations for Barfly, the 1987 film starring Mickey Rourke and Faye Dunaway, with a screenplay by Charles Bukowski. A fitting bit of Los Angeles history for an old residential hotel.
UPDATE: The Barbizon has been retained for residential use, with city records documenting its rehabilitation as affordable housing. The old hotel continues to serve a purpose beyond appearing in vintage street scenes. 10-26
Ambassador Hotel (Demolished)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Along Wilshire Boulevard once stood the Ambassador Hotel, a place where Hollywood nightlife, national politics, and generations of Los Angeles memories crossed paths. Opened on January 1, 1921, the Myron Hunt-designed hotel became famous for its landscaped grounds and the Cocoanut Grove nightclub. An evening here could include a few familiar faces at the next table.
Inside the Cocoanut Grove, decorative palms helped set the scene for dinner, dancing, and big-name entertainment. The nightclub hosted Academy Awards ceremonies during Hollywood’s golden age, adding a little more glamour to an address that already had plenty. For visitors arriving along Wilshire, the Ambassador offered something of a resort without leaving the city.
The hotel also became the setting for tragedy when Senator Robert F. Kennedy was shot in its pantry on June 5, 1968, after celebrating his California presidential primary victory. He died the following day, forever connecting the Ambassador with a turning point in American history.
Ambassador Hotel (Demolished)
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
The hotel closed to guests in 1989, though its rooms and corridors continued finding work as filming locations. For a while, the cameras kept rolling after the last travelers had checked out. Preservationists fought to incorporate the historic buildings into a new school campus, but the long battle ultimately failed to save the main hotel.
UPDATE : The Ambassador Hotel is gone.
UPDATE: Most of the Ambassador was demolished in 2005–2006, with remaining portions of the Cocoanut Grove taken down later. The Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools opened on the site in 2010. The old hotel is gone, leaving photographs, film appearances, and memories of nights along Wilshire. 10-26
Hotel Rosslyn
Los Angeles, CA Photo by RoadsidePeek.com
Look above Fifth and Main streets and check out the enormous rooftop signs for the Hotel Rosslyn. With their open steel framework and familiar heart imagery, these are the sort of hotel advertisements that became landmarks in their own right. No small nameplate beside the entrance was going to do the job here.
The Rosslyn opened in 1914, followed by its annex across the street in 1923. Both were designed by John Parkinson, whose buildings helped shape the downtown skyline. The matching hotels gave this intersection a distinctive look, with rooftop lettering announcing accommodations long before travelers reached the front desk.
Rosslyn Hotel
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
The “Million Dollar Hotel” wording referred to the original building’s construction cost, back when that sum made quite an impression. “Fireproof” was another selling point worth putting high above the street. A room, some comfort, and a little reassurance, all advertised on the roof.
A tunnel connected the two buildings beneath Fifth Street, allowing passage between them without stepping into traffic. Above ground, the paired signs became part of the scenery for generations of downtown workers, residents, and visitors. There’s plenty to take in at sidewalk level, but this corner rewards a look toward the rooftops.
The Rosslyn also found its way onto the screen in Wim Wenders’ The Million Dollar Hotel, released in 2000. With a name already waiting overhead, the location came with its own title. Not every old hotel gets that kind of billing.
Rosslyn Hotel
Los Angeles, CA Photo courtesy Dave & Debra van Hulsteyn
UPDATE: In 1913, the Hotel Rosslyn was owned by George A Hart, and his brother, Dwight. George was born in Freedom, Ohio, November 5, 1870. They developed Ocean Park, California in 1902 and a street there still bears their name (Hart Avenue.) A 1913 biography written about George Alandson Hart said they were to begin erection of $1,000,000 addition to the hotel. At the time it was only on one side of the street. It would contain 730 rooms. They were connected by an underground marble tunnel. He was President of Terra Bella Development Co, comprising 20,000 acres near Bakersfield. Many thanks to David Nemor for update. 10-05
UPDATE: Here's an old postcard image of the Hotel Rosslyn. 01-07
UPDATE: The Rosslyn buildings survive in residential use, including lofts and affordable housing. The paired rooftop signs remain reminders of the days when downtown hotels competed for attention high above the street. Different residents now, but plenty of old Los Angeles still in view. 10-26
Alexandria Hotel
Hotel Barbizon
Ambassador Hotel (Demolished)
Ambassador Hotel (Demolished)
