Arts District Firehouse Hotel — Los Angeles, USA

It's no secret that things are hotting up in Downtown LA, least of all with brands like Soho House and The Hoxton due to set up shop. First up though, is the Arts District Firehouse Hotel, a bijou nine-room property inside the neighbourhood's former fire station that dates back to 1927.
While the exterior remains largely the same, hospitality entrepreneur Dustin Lancaster (of the Hotel Covell in Los Feliz) tasked Sally Breer from local outfit, ETC.etera with overhauling the interior. Staying in line with the building’s historic elements showcased in the original wood and concrete floors, exposed wood-truss ceilings and pressed-tin panels, Breer turned to a collection of vintage and custom-made pieces.
In the lobby, Persian rugs contrast the stark concrete floor and a collection of leather and velvet couches and chairs give the lofty room a warming feel. Each room has its own bright colour palette, which continues to the bathrooms, each lined with hand-painted Clé tiles from artist Deborah Osburn. Elsewhere, the team worked with local LA artisans wherever possible with in-room robes by Clare V and textiles by Block Shop.
In the classic American bar and restaurant Madison Park alum Ashley Abodeely churns out crowd-pleasers like pappardelle bolognese or the Alaskan salmon, topped with charred lemon, capers and dill, on pretty plates by local ceramicist Robert Siegel.
INFORMATION
ADDRESS
710 S Santa Fe Ave
Los Angeles
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Mary Holland is a South African writer based in New York. She has written for HTSI, WSJ Magazine, Architectural Digest, Elle Decor, W Magazine, the Financial Times and more. She travels to Mexico frequently.
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album cover
The compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for dance
Jacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
What to see at Rencontres d’Arles 2025, questioning power structures in the state and family
Suppressed memories resurface in sharply considered photography at Rencontres d'Arles 2025. Here are some standout photographers to see
-
Los Angeles’ best bars for craft cocktails and A-list design
From glamorous old Hollywood haunts to trend-setting neighbourhood hangouts, these hotspots serve excellent drinks in an atmosphere unlike anywhere else
-
A local architect’s guide to Joshua Tree
Mirtilla Alliata di Montereale shares her favourite things to do to slow down, look closely, and discover Joshua Tree through a more intentional lens
-
Meet artist Michael McGregor, using hotel stationery as his canvas
Michael McGregor unveils an exclusive postcard set made with notepads from The Luxury Collection properties in Minneapolis, San Francisco and Savannah
-
Home is where Beethoven Market is – a joyful Italian restaurant in LA’s Mar Vista
In Mar Vista, a historic space is reborn as a modern-day gathering spot, an Italian-infused restaurant where rotisserie chicken, handmade pasta and tableside tiramisu welcome you like family
-
Aman New York unveils exclusive US Open-themed experience
Aman’s ‘Season of Champions’ pairs Grand Slam action with personalised recovery and performance treatments designed by Novak Djokovic and Maria Sharapova
-
Caribbean cool meets mid-century glamour at this new LA hotspot
From golden mirrored chambers to jerk-spiced tomahawk steaks, Lucia reimagines Afro-Caribbean dining and design
-
Classic New York restaurants for delicious food and inspired design
From Michelin-starred fine dining to reimagined retro diners, these are the most emblematic (and easy-on-the-eye) places to eat in the Big Apple
-
Inside Hotel Chelsea’s secret basement sushi restaurant
Teruko, a new Japanese restaurant and sushi bar in Hotel Chelsea, marks the final jewel in the hotel’s years-long transformation