The Los Angeles Athletic Club

“Fantastic! Fun space”

Melissa Jackie and Maria were amazing! I loved the gym so much! Everyone was so kind and helpful. Will def recommend to others; super cool nostalgic place full of history

“A pleasant stay with friendly and helpful staff”

Late February-Early March 2026 we stayed for seven nights at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The hotel was the base for a five-day small group (20 people) modern architecture tour. We added two days for some additional sightseeing. The location downtown is excellent for walking to museums and rest… more

Late February-Early March 2026 we stayed for seven nights at the Los Angeles Athletic Club. The hotel was the base for a five-day small group (20 people) modern architecture tour. We added two days for some additional sightseeing. The location downtown is excellent for walking to museums and restaurants. The building and hotel are historic, being more than 100 years old. That means that the hotel’s lighting and decor were not modern but were typical of luxury 100 years ago. Nonetheless, it was beautiful and well maintained. Our room was comfortable, and the two dining spaces were excellent. We had good breakfasts in the well-lit, modern decor of the Famous Players restaurant, and several dinners in Invention, the historically decorated fine dining venue. The dinners were excellent, and one evening we enjoyed light jazz (a pianist accompanied by a string bass with no vocals). It was a delightful and unobtrusive accompaniment to dinner. One of the best parts was the friendliness and helpfulness of the people on the hotel and club staff. Melissa, who checked us in upon our arrival, was genuinely friendly and welcoming. It seemed that she was always on duty at one of the lobby desks each time we passed through. She always provided a friendly greeting and asked if we needed anything. The one time we really did need something (having tickets we bought online for a concert printed), she took care of it quickly. Alex, whom we met when we explored the rooftop terrace, also greeted us with genuine friendliness and much information about the hotel/club. Another almost always present and welcoming person was Iliana, the hostess and jack-of-all- trades at the Famous Players restaurant. She provided a friendly greeting each morning when I asked for and received coffee to take back to our room before returning later for breakfast. On her two days off, her replacement was equally cheerful and helpful. In addition, in the frequent encounters with other staff, on elevators, or in the hallways, we always received a friendly greeting and were asked how we were enjoying our stay. These days, we find that these common courtesies are not so common. The Los Angeles Athletic Club does an excellent job hiring and training their staff to achieve this. We would stay at The Los Angeles Athletic Club again if we were back in downtown Los Angeles.

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“Loved it!”

The club is absolutely beautiful. A total throwback with historic photos and beautiful architecture. Everyone there was absolutely wonderful and could not have been more helpful. Melissa, Jasmina, Sonya and Orlando were among a few people who were just delightful. The service in the restaurant was … more

The club is absolutely beautiful. A total throwback with historic photos and beautiful architecture. Everyone there was absolutely wonderful and could not have been more helpful. Melissa, Jasmina, Sonya and Orlando were among a few people who were just delightful. The service in the restaurant was great as was the food. Great coffee and smoothies in the café. And if you’re there to work out, the swimming pool is amazing, there’s a huge basketball court, multiple weight rooms, a track, pool tables, a spa and a barbershop. It’s a full service club. The members are super friendly. And the view from the roof is incredible.

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“Historic club and "hotel"”

I only recently learned the Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) allowed non-members to book their hotel rooms. I had recently toured the Jonathan Club, which only allows members of their Club alliance to stay there. The LAAC was founded in 1880; the current purpose-built 12-story building opened in … more

I only recently learned the Los Angeles Athletic Club (LAAC) allowed non-members to book their hotel rooms. I had recently toured the Jonathan Club, which only allows members of their Club alliance to stay there. The LAAC was founded in 1880; the current purpose-built 12-story building opened in 1912. While the Jonathan Club is an old-school private social club that has decent athletic facilities, the LAAC is first and foremost an athletic facility that also has restaurants and lounges, hotel rooms, co-working spaces, ballrooms and meeting rooms, a spa, and barber shop. I believe many if not most of its members join for the athletic facilities. It offers far more than any regular "gym". Here are the athletic facilities you can find at the LAAC: studios for yoga, pilates, stretching and spin. Courts for handball, racquetball and squash. Two massive fitness centres on 2 different floors. A track. A full sized basketball court. Two pools. There's a co-working area, the Olympic Lounge, but during the day this area blends into the Centennial Ballroom and the Invention Restaurant and Bar. Once the restaurant opens, it's separated off. Invention serves afternoon snacks and dinner. The adjacent cafe, Famous Players, serves breakfast and lunch and has a Starbucks-like coffee counter. There's also a pub-like space called Duke's Sports Bar that serves food and drink and has pool tables and other games. There's a charming hidden speakeasy, the Blue Room, that is accessed behind a faux bookcase on the 3rd floor but is on the 4th floor. The 4th floor also has meeting and conference rooms. The 5th floor locker rooms are very large; the men's room had a jacuzzi, cold plunge, steam room and sauna. The hotel occupies the top 3 floors. There is a rooftop deck that can host events, but is otherwise sparsely furnished. It has decent views. As a hotel guest, you pay a temporary membership fee (not unlike a resort fee) to enjoy all the facilities. The rooms are, as expected, old-school, with little current technology or furnishings. My Deluxe Queen was petite, with just a bed and a desk. There was a fridge, a safe and bathrobes. The bathroom was also petite, reminiscent of a hospital bathroom, but with dimmer lighting. Earplugs were on the nightstands, and they come in handy with all the honking and sirens that can be heard. I brough my own extension cord and it came in handy. I did not use any of the athletic facilities, but did enjoy 2 of the restaurants. The pace of the restaurants is slower than at a regular restaurant, as many diners are also working on their laptops. There was never a crowd, so tables turned over slowly, and service was similarly slow. The food I had was quite good and reasonably priced, perhaps less costly than offsite. My fave dish was the Wagyu burger and fries--delish! I saw a few kids, apparently they are welcome in all areas. I even saw some in the pub, Duke's. The front desk was very friendly and helpful. Overall a great and interesting stay in a historic property. Next time I'll bring proper athletic clothing.

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