The downtown L.A. Ace Hotel is housed inside a sheer gem: the United Artists building that was constructed in 1927 for the film studio.

The ultra cool, Seattle-bred Ace Hotel chain that helped transform the urban hospitality landscapes of Portland, New York, and London is now doing the same for rapidly burgeoning downtown L.A. For starters, it’s housed inside a sheer gem: the United Artists building that was constructed in 1927 for the film studio. Cinematic history aside, this Ace property, like its siblings, has a magnetic presence, felt most profoundly in its public spaces. Chicago-based GREC Architects and local firm Commune Design pay tribute to old Hollywood, but subtly, in a way that makes the Ace feel decidedly modern. Upstairs, for example, is the rooftop bar, featuring DJs and a concrete pool inspired by artist Donald Judd’s in Marfa, Texas. There is also the attractive theater, a restored 1920s-era marvel with a vaulted ceiling swathed in mirrors and an open balcony. L.A. Chapter, the brainchild of the New York restaurateurs behind Five Leaves, is the lobby brasserie decked out in sleek black and glass. When it is time to retire to one of the spare, earth-toned 182 rooms, guests will find custom Revo radios and a vinyl collection curated by well-known California chain Amoeba Music.