How Hotels in Downtown Los Angeles Are Prioritizing Health and Safety

Photo by Jeremy Bishop

Originally Posted On: How Hotels in Downtown Los Angeles Are Prioritizing Health and Safety (downtownla.com)

Travel and leisure in the days of COVID-19 can be a tricky prospect. We all want to stay safe and healthy, but sometimes travel is necessary for work or for personal matters. Fortunately, hotels in Los Angeles have taken necessary steps to ensure that you can prioritize your health and safety during a pandemic. Travel responsibly and check out these Downtown Los Angeles hotels, or our complete DTLA Hotels Guide, to discover which ones are open and learn about the precautions they are taking for you to have a safe and healthy stay.

Freehand Los Angeles is located in a historic building in the heart of Downtown LA and is known for its unique, bohemian aesthetic that puts you just steps away from the most important buildings and businesses in the Financial District. Its chic décor features warm colors, upscale finishes, and local art for a fun and vibrant ambiance. In light of the pandemic, Freehand has stepped up its hygiene procedures and cleaning standards for the safety and comfort of guests, including personal protective equipment for all staff members; screens or barriers placed between staff and guests in appropriate areas; professional deep-cleaning of rooms for 24 hours after check-out; hand sanitizer in guest rooms and key areas; food and beverage available for Grab and Go purchase; cashless payment; and check-in via smartphone.

Available Amenities: Broken Shaker on the hotel’s rooftop pool deck is open for handcrafted cocktails and small bites. Pet-friendly.

Hilton Checkers Los Angeles is a beautifully restored piece of Los Angeles architecture from 1927. Located in the Financial District, the hotel is a celebration of where history meets modernity and offers stunning views of the city from the rooftop deck. For the health and safety of its guests, the hotel has partnered with RB, maker of Lysol and Dettol, to create Hilton’s CleanStay Program.  Its industry-leading hygiene practices include requiring face masks for staff and guests in public areas; floors marked for social distancing; readily available hand sanitizer dispensers; regularly sanitized high-traffic areas; linens sanitized in high-temperature wash; a housekeeping inspector who verifies each room meets CleanStay standards; complimentary face coverings if needed; contactless food delivery; and digital check-in and key.

Available Amenities: The rooftop bar is currently open for guests Thursday to Saturdays offering small bites and drinks. In addition, the hotel offers Continental Breakfast Grab and Go during the week.

Hotel Indigo in Downtown LA is steps away from a wealth of dining and shopping options, from the L.A. LIVE complex to South Park.  The hotel features creative, urban decor that evokes the golden age of Hollywood and even earlier, making it a glamorous and luxurious place to stay. The health, safety, and well-being of guests is the hotel’s highest priority. It has enforced cleanliness guidelines, best practices, and staff training in accordance with the IHG’s Way of Clean program with partners Cleveland Clinic, Ecolab, and Diversey. In addition to requiring face coverings and social distancing throughout the property, Hotel Indigo is taking extra measures to ensure the safety of guests and staff. New protocols include staff temperatures being screened daily; plexiglass shields at the front desk, valet, and hostess stand; hand sanitizer stations throughout the property and in meeting spaces; elevators limited to 2 guests; door drop room service; and sanitized key cards and in-room remote controls.

Available Amenities: The outdoor pool is open and features a deck and firepits that are available for use by hotel guests. Pet-friendly.

The InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is an upscale, world-class hotel that offers a breathtaking panoramic view of DTLA and beyond from the tallest building west of the Mississippi River. You’ll experience luxurious accommodations and an expanded commitment to cleanliness and safety based on IHG Way of Clean Standards. In addition to face covering requirements and social distancing measures, InterContinental’s new cleanliness, hygiene, and safety practices include front desk screens; touchless transactions; sanitized key cards; sanitizer stations at high-touch points throughout the hotel; individual guest amenity cleaning kits; new laundry protocols; deep cleaning of high touch surfaces with hospital-grade disinfectants; and reduction of in-room furnishings and high-touch items.

Available Amenities: Rooftop bar Spire 73 is currently open, and the pool and gym facilities are open to hotel guests with capacity restrictions.

If you’re looking for a classic, historic experience during your stay in Downtown Los Angeles, it’s hard to beat the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. It has been in business for over 90 years, offering both luxurious comforts and classic European style within walking distance to the Jewelry District. The Millennium Biltmore’s “We Clean. We Care. We Welcome.” commitment enhances existing operational to help protect the safety of guests and staff with 10 Key Hallmarks, which include enforcing safe distancing measures; appropriate checks on arrival for guests and employees; disinfection kits, masks, sanitizers, and anti-bacterial wipes easily available; frequent sanitization of high contact points; use of contactless technology; higher food safety standards; and Hygiene Ambassadors to ensure such measures are implemented.

Available Amenities: The hotel’s Roman-style swimming pool is open to hotel guests on a first come, first served basis.

Another classic, historic hotel, Sheraton Grand Los Angeles is in the heart of Downtown’s Financial District with easy access to all the entertainment, shopping, dining, culture, and other attractions the city has to offer. In every one of the upscale, renovated hotel rooms, you’ll find plush furnishings and beautifully styled surroundings for a luxurious experience. Providing as safe an environment as possible for guests and hotel associates is currently a top priority, and the hotel has partnered with Ecolab to enhance already rigorous cleanliness protocols. In addition to requiring face coverings, Sheraton Grand has implemented social distancing signage; partitions installed at front desk and restaurant booths; mobile check-in; housekeeping amenities delivered via contactless Knock & Drop; enhanced cleaning of public spaces; electrostatic spraying with hospital-grade disinfectants of surfaces throughout the hotel; and air purifying systems.

Available Amenities: District Kitchen & Bar is open, offering farm-to-table cuisine and handcrafted cocktails. Pet-friendly.

For travelers who are interested in hip and trendy boutique hotels, you’ll find what you want at The Wayfarer DTLA with its stylish, dog-friendly guest rooms and communal atmosphere. The Wayfarer follows all the recommended safety procedures by the CDC and has implemented a suite of measures and processes to ensure cleanliness in accordance with Pacifica’s Pure Stay program, whose principles include social distancing markets placed on the floors; complimentary face masks provided upon check-in; hand sanitizing stations; contactless communication; increased cleaning in high-touch areas; use of electrostatic spraying to clean guest rooms and common areas; clean room door seal notifications; decluttering of guest room and reusable items; and sanitized and wrapped amenities and remote controls.

Available Amenities: The Rooftop and Gaslighter Social Club are open for socially distanced drinking and dining. Pet-friendly.

Another classic, historic hotel on our list, The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites is a superb Downtown landmark in the heart of the central business district. It’s become an international symbol of the city’s sophistication and beauty and is renowned for its wealth of photo opportunities. In accordance with the Marriott Cleanliness Council, the Westin Bonaventure is focusing on the health and safety of guests and employees with protocols, such as requiring face coverings for guests and associates in all indoor public areas; lobby signage with social distancing protocols; removal and re-arrangement of furniture to allow for distancing; partitions at front desks; hand sanitizing stations; disinfecting wipes in each room for guests’ personal use; use of an electrostatic sprayer to clean public surface areas and spaces; air purifying systems effective against viruses; and contactless service.

Available Amenities: The heated outdoor pool is available for guests by reservation only. CaféNow in the hotel lobby is open, as well as several other restaurants at the property including the award-winning brewery Bonaventure Brewing Company.

If modern boutique adventure is your thing, the O Hotel is the place to come for the heart of local culture. This independently-owned hotel is designed in a contemporary, functional style with a bit of vintage flair, featuring colorful deluxe rooms for a warm, welcoming experience. The O Hotel is adhering to CDC guidelines and focusing on appropriate cleaning and disinfecting protocols, such as requiring face masks around the property; taking daily body temperature checks of all guests and staff; hourly disinfection of all public areas and after each guest’s usage; providing hand sanitation stations at the front desk, restrooms, guest rooms and all public spaces; limiting elevator capacity to maintain social distance; offering gloves, hand sanitizer, and masks available for purchase; and all surface areas being frequently cleaned using EPA approved disinfectants with an increased focus on high-touch areas.

Available Amenities: Fable, a combination cafe, bar, delicatessen, and restaurant, is open with outdoor seating available. Frais Spa is open by advance appointment only.

Omni Los Angeles Hotel at California Plaza is a world-class monument evoking the sophistication of Downtown LA. Its luxurious accommodations and stunning views of Bunker Hill truly capture the elegance of cosmopolitan living. Since the health and safety of guests and associates is a top priority, Omni Los Angeles Hotel has implemented CDC-certified enhanced cleaning procedures and processes as part of its new “Omni Safe & Clean” initiative. These include personal protective equipment and daily health screenings for employees; increased frequency of sanitation with EPA-certified cleansers; signage and distance indicators in high-traffic areas; control of traffic flow with widened, one-way passages; disinfected guest rooms with an “Omni Safe & Clean” seal of approval sticker; and contactless transactions where applicable.

Available Amenities: The heated outdoor lap pool is open to hotel guests. Snacks and beverages are available at the Grab and Go in the lobby and there is a Starbucks located on California Plaza.

Looking for information on restaurants with outdoor seating in Downtown Los Angeles? Check out our Downtown LA outdoor dining guide for a guide to restaurants that feature outdoor seating and dining options.