By { Bonnie Davidson and Rachel Madison Hill
In the historic core of DTLA, the new Hotel Indigo Los Angeles Downtown evokes the city’s colorful past while also embracing its vibrant present. By design, the hospitality brand’s 350-room global flagship property is bold and glamorous, from a golden reception desk in the lobby to the opulent decor of 18 Social, the top-floor cocktail lounge ironically named after the 18th amendment (which banned the manufacture and sale of alcohol in 1919, and was repealed in 1933). Chandeliers appear to be dripping with diamonds in the speakeasy-style Metropole Bar+Kitchen, where banquettes are tucked beneath arches reminiscent of the underground tunnels through which liquor was transported to secret gin joints during Prohibition. Expansive guest rooms are inspired by old-time stars of the silver screen, including Anna May Wong, hailed as the first Chinese-American Hollywood movie star and muse of the 1,400-square-foot Presidential suite. Additional perks include a heated outdoor pool with cabanas, fire pits and pool tables; Speak Easy Yoga and Charleston dance lessons; for business meetings, Typewriter Poetry breakout sessions; and through a recent partnership with LA Cycle Tours, a “Rolling ’20s” bike itinerary to downtown Prohibition-era hot spots. hotelindigola.com