New EDITION to Bring New Energy to Sunset Boulevard

The West Hollywood EDITION will bring the first true luxury hotel experience to the Sunset Strip as the only West Coast location in the EDITION collection.

As Los Angeles continues its evolution into a world-class city for art, fashion, food and technology – in addition to its reign as the entertainment capital of the world – the spotlight is shining on one of its most fabled districts, West Hollywood. The hotspot is home to restaurants and nightclubs favored by movie stars in the ‘30s and ‘40s and then the ‘50s and ‘60s. It was once the Rat Pack’s stomping grounds. In fact, the site where the hotel now sits was once occupied by the restaurant Scandia, where Frank Sinatra once had a private office and his own shower upstairs.

“It’s been 12 years since we began working with Ian Schrager, and The West Hollywood EDITION marks our 10th hotel opening together. Our organic partnership has melded the best of what each of us brings to the table. With Ian’s expertise and vision on this particular project, The West Hollywood EDITION is an oasis of sophistication and quickly becoming a part of the fabric of the city’s culture,” said Arne Sorenson, President and CEO of Marriott International.

Sunset Boulevard cemented its status in the pop-culture zeitgeist in the late 1960s and early 1970s, as a gathering place for youth and the counterculture. West Coast musicians such as The Mamas and the Papas, The Doors, The Byrds and Buffalo Springfield (Neil Young, Stephen Sills and Richie Furay) and Harry Nilsson flourished in venues up and down the Strip such as Whisky a Go Go, the Roxy and Pandora’s Box.

In 1965, The Byrds performed their iconic hit “Mr. Tambourine Man,” written by Bob Dylan, at Ciro’s Le Disc club. The next year, a clash between youth and police trying to enforce a curfew (“The Riot on Sunset Strip”) inspired Stills to write the Buffalo Springfield song “For What It’s Worth” that became an anti-war anthem.

Although the area experienced its highs and lows, The West Hollywood EDITION pays homage to its enduring history by reviving the Golden Age energy and creating a new kind of gathering place for visitors and locals alike on Sunset Strip. “The streets were filled with music and people from all over the country were pouring into California to be a part of it. Sunset Boulevard became the voice of a generation and we are trying to recapture that same magic and energy with EDITION – not by repeating the past but by evoking it and by steering the future with that same spirit,” noted Ian Schrager.

British architect, John Pawson, created the modern building at 9040 West Sunset Boulevard from the ground up, employing rich materials such as the Western Red Cedar for the entryway and outsize front doors, and Italian travertine for the soaring lobby area. The entire three-story space appears to be cut from one stone, with slabs so perfectly matched that Pawson’s team decided not to fill the joints. Designed to convey a sense of timelessness rather than a decade-defining aesthetic, the setting also evokes the glamour of Old Hollywood movies, creating a fine balance between old and new.

Every level of the hotel takes on different personalities, offering unique experiences, from the subterranean Club Sunset to the 360-degree roof vistas, to Michelin-starred chef John Fraser’s Ardor restaurant on the main level — along with a state-of-the-art multimedia performance and event space, and a spa blending wellness, mindfulness and beauty.

California native Fraser, who is spearheading the food and beverage experience at The West Hollywood EDITION, has created signature restaurant Ardor as a showcase for vegetable-forward healthy California cuisine with flavors inspired by local ingredients. Recognized as one of the best vegetable chefs in the world, Fraser’s menu features an artful balance of produce and meats, using techniques from around the world and products sourced hyper-locally. Each dish is made with organic ingredients and focuses on the essence of food, prepared simply and presented socially for a contemporary culinary journey.

By day, guests at The Roof can soak up the sun and views in chaise lounges beside the  pool that sits flush atop a terraced deck adorned with wooden bench seating, mature trees and row upon row of terra cotta potted plants. The Roof’s menu offers Latin and tropical-inspired cocktails with Southern California flair. A deep list of mezcals and tequilas are met with fresh, vibrant, and colorful California citruses, along with wellness cocktails incorporating fresh pressed juices, Kombucha cocktails, a substantial list of rosés, and a selection of temperance and low-proof spirit cocktail options.

At night, dozens of clubs along Sunset Strip continue to make it a scene location and add to the hotel’s lure as an attractive place to hold meetings and events. The property’s state-of-the-art technology events space offers floor-to-ceiling glass and a theater-quality screening room complete with JBL and Dolby speaker systems and retractable stadium-style seating. The glass and timber-screened space is built like a box-within-a-box, with a roll-down, 4K high definition video screen along one wall, blackout walls and 100 deployable seats on risers that create a light-free multimedia space in just one-hour of set-up.

Additionally, there are four event breakout and meeting rooms and two floors wired for press junkets, including suites that have entrances accessible from the main level, away from other guestrooms.

The EDITION’s 140 guestrooms and 50 suites feature soothing and sophisticated colors and textures. Floor-to-ceiling sliding screens filter the sun while providing privacy, and mimic the timber screens that surround the ballroom and Ardor.

EDITION signatures such as freestanding tubs and Le Labo products are found here too, and the signature Le Labo fragrance that has become a cult favorite among guests is also present throughout the property.

The Spa at The West Hollywood EDITION is the first luxury destination in Los Angeles to weave together wellness, mindfulness and beauty from within, through treatments and experiences that embrace healthy lifestyles and ecological well-being.

Services include technology-forward treatments with sound and light, recovery therapies to restore the mind and body, and ancient rituals such as self-guided meditation. Inner health and nutrition are a focus with plant-derived products, including essential oils. A 2,077-square-foot, 24-hour gym caters to all workout needs and will have the latest state-of-the-art fitness machines including Peloton bicycles.

Opening rates starting from $395. The hotel opens officially on November 12.