Stay And Play Like A Rock Star At Hotel Ziggy On The Sunset Strip

While many people say rock and roll is dead, it’s more alive than ever at the Hotel Ziggy on Los Angeles’ famed sunset strip. Located at 8462 Sunset Boulevard, the hotel has 108 guest rooms, a cocktail lounge, a music venue called Backbeat, a pizza restaurant aptly named B-Side Pizza, a lobby bar, a “Shred Shed” and a saltwater swimming pool, which is one of the largest one of its kind overlooking Los Angeles.

Formerly the Grafton, the building was gut renovated down to the studs and opened to much fanfare in April 2022. A star-studded event thrown by The Influence, it was a night to remember, complete with body-painted dancers, spiked jello shots, tarot readers, pool performers, liquor-infused popsicles, a street-side pretzel cart, and 20-foot tall neon LED palm trees, among other things. Guests included Malin Akerman, legendary rock musician Matt Sorum of Guns N’ Roses and Velvet Revolver, Rudy Mancuso, Audrina Patridge, as well as James Kennedy, who recently headlined their first Night Swim party, among a slew of other names. The entertainment included an incredible performance by Billboard artist Haley Reinhart with Pink Floyd’s Scott Page on Saxophone and Nine Inch Nails Alex Carapatis on drums.

Designed by DDA Architects, Hotel Ziggy still feels upscale, which is an incredible feat for a themed hotel. Named with inspiration from David Bowie, the concept was created to push boundaries and have an experimental vibe. It walks the line between counterculture and comfort.

A Unique Concept

While most theme hotels feel tacky and inauthentic, The Hotel Ziggy manages to feel authentic and fun, paying homage to the past in a way that surprisingly feels cool and new. Some of this can be attributed to the historic location close to all the rock and roll landmarks. Still, while relics of the past adorn nearly every inch of the hotel’s public spaces, it feels exclusive and current, adorned with its “Free The Music” tagline throughout the space. While it’s sure to attract fans and musicians alike, anyone who simply wants to stay in a boutique hotel on the Sunset Strip will appreciate everything Hotel Ziggy has to offer.

Since its opening, it’s become a popular spot for rock stars including Dave Navarro and Leif Garrett. The hotel has also continued to throw events attracting locals and tourists alike such as the “Sundays On The Strip” Live music series, DJ nights at Backbeat, and weekend pool parties.

“We created Ziggy to provoke stimulating and meaningful conversations with the intent to spark curiosity and playfully challenge perspectives. What better location than the Sunset Strip to celebrate the rebellious spirit of norm-breaking musicians who have changed how we live?” says Jon Bortz, Chief Hotel Imagineer at Pebblebrook Hotels. “Hotel Ziggy is located right down the street from the former sites of two world-famous music destinations: Tower Records and House of Blues. As these and other icons are now gone, a legacy here needs to be remembered. We push boundaries with our hotels, and we certainly did that with Ziggy.”

One of the first things guests will notice is a decoupage wall by the lobby. Each piece of memorabilia is layered by era with the oldest first. While the designers emphasized bands and musicians that came out of Los Angeles and the heyday of the strip (the 60s, 70s, and 80s), they also wanted to be inclusive of music from Latin and Asian bands, among others cultures, although this type of memorabilia was challenging to find.

The wall was created by San Francisco artists Julie Coyle and JCAA Studio who also designed the mural at the stage. There are lots of murals throughout the property including two by CJ Hungerman who created the mural on the exterior as well as at the pool.

“It was vital that this hotel didn’t take itself too seriously,” says Andrea Sheehan, Founding Principal and Art Director at DDA. “We kept things simple so the art could speak for itself. We stripped away all previous attempts to make this quirky building look modern. Instead, we exposed its blemishes and embraced the awkward structure for what it was— authentic, just like our guests and the musicians we are celebrating.”

The Guest Rooms

Influenced by music, art, and the glamour of a bygone era, the guest rooms at Hotel Ziggy are far from your average hotel room. With retro-style furniture and boho chic elements, the rooms feel warm and embrace the vibe that’s present throughout the hotel. While the furniture is mostly neutral-colored, the bright 60’s style murals create a cheerful balance. Yet there are practical pieces travelers need such as desks.

The fourth floor, located one level above the lobby and main floor lounge level, stands on its own with additional amenities and unique rooms. “The ability to sell the whole space and rooms to a single group wanting more privacy or security [such as celebrities] yet still staying connected to what is happening on the lobby floor. We made the rooms all different because again we emphasized the fourth floor’s residential aspect and wanted to personalize it more, lending further to Ziggy’s unique character,” says Sheehan.

“[The fourth floor also has] a media room, a small meeting room that could be turned into a dining space, often used as a podcast recording room by artists. With the inviting seating area and pool table, the whole floor becomes a loft-style living room space for private groups or simply an expansion of the lobby when being sold as individual rooms.”

The hotel also offers a “Swim Up” room package featuring their poolside rooms available as cabana-style settings with bottle service offered for weekend pool parties. Featuring large pass-through windows that open toward the pool for a unique VIP experience, waiters can provide liquor service and full menu offerings so guests can truly party like rockstars.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.