Inside Hotel Ziggy in the heart of LA’s Sunset Strip

Hotel Ziggy embraces differences and challenges conformity as a place that encourages guests and locals to come hang out and ‘just be who you are’. The unpretentious design influenced by grit and rock ‘n’ roll features a modern counter-culture spin. Located next to Mondrian Los Angeles, Hotel Ziggy is the last standing rebel on the block.

Image credit: Hotel Ziggy

Fusing cocktail lounge, pizza joint, music venue and lobby, the hotel invites guests to check in at a sociable and engaging bar lined with hundreds of vinyl albums. A record player behind the front desk fills the communal space with music spanning every progressive genre. A retractable glass garage door partitions one end of the lobby, creating a versatile music venue called ‘Backbeat’, which supports local musicians and invites them to come and share their sound in a new space to rise above the noise. Hotel Ziggy boasts the largest saltwater pool in West Hollywood, which is another platform to democratise music with live sets performed by up-and-coming DJs.

Image credit: Hotel Ziggy

Layers of decoupaged walls and ceilings celebrate musicians of past and present. A collection of memorabilia includes framed legal documents highlighting decades of lawsuits between musicians, producers and streamers with the intent of asking the controversial question, ‘Who really owns the music’? Hotel Ziggy’s goal is to trigger lively conversations and in doing so, connect people. Its position is clear for all to hear: Free the music!

Image credit: Hotel Ziggy

“We created Ziggy to provoke stimulating and meaningful conversations with the intent to spark curiosity and playfully challenge perspectives,” said Jon Bortz, Chief Executive Officer at Pebblebrook Hotels. “What better location than the Sunset Strip to celebrate the rebellious spirit of norm-breaking musicians who have changed how we live? 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.”

Image credit: Hotel Ziggy

Conceptualized by the international award-winning design team of Dawson Design Associates (DDA), every element of the space is designed to honour and support the rebellious and independent attitude of musicians’ fight to be heard. Powerful street murals wrap the front exterior of the building, the courtyard surrounding the pool, and the main lobby spaces, together expressing the vitality and rebelliousness of the music scene. A comfortable and informal mix of modern and vintage furniture sits on top of rustic hardwood floors and worn oriental area rugs, creating a space designed to chill.

Image credit: Hotel Ziggy

“It was vital that this hotel didn’t take itself too seriously,” said Andrea Sheehan, Founding Principle 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.”

In alignment with its ‘free the music’ mantra, Hotel Ziggy offers guests access to a Shred Shed that includes electric and acoustic guitars, amps, records, record players, Walkmans and backpacks to use while finding inspiration in LA or sharing creativity with others. All are welcome to borrow, experiment, and share in the ‘free the music’ movement.

In the playful spirit of LA’s first iconic record store and precursor to the original Tower Records, Licorice Pizza, a casual dining concept named B-side Pizza fronts Sunset Boulevard. The pizza joint harkens back to mid-century carhops with an old school pick-up window that allows locals to order to-go with concierge service and style. A custom neon-wrapped 9-inch vinyl album solidifies the retro theme.

Main image credit: Hotel Ziggy