Debuting in October 2019, The Hoxton Downtown Los Angeles sits as one of 16 Hoxton properties around the world. With locations in Edinburgh and Florence coming later this year, and Melbourne and Oslo due in 2027 – making the boutique chain’s Australian and Scandinavian debuts, respectively – it’s a brand you’re bound to encounter soon enough, if you haven’t already.
The concept of the hotel is “open-house”, a place you can visit whether you’re staying there or not, where any type of guest is made welcome. The design and inclusions of each Hoxton branch are unique to the destination, drawing inspiration from their surroundings. This is not unlike Hotel Indigo, however their push towards a trendy-yet-independent, laid-back-yet-luxurious atmosphere pushes them closer to Soho House than the IHG brand.
Their Downtown Los Angeles location is no exception, combining the history and grit of the downtown area, with the luxury of Hollywood. All in a stunning building from the early 1920s. Though it wasn’t my first time staying at a Hoxton – I was lucky enough to stay in the brand’s first location, in Shoreditch, London, a while back – I stayed at this location for the first time last month.
Here’s what to expect from the Hoxton’s debut in the City of Angels.
Arriving at The Hoxton
The Hoxton sits on Broadway in Downtown Los Angeles’ Fashion District. Though the area was a bustling in the early 1900s, with architecture to match, by the end of the century, this was a part of town that had fallen into disrepair and disrepute. But in the last two decades, this has seen rapid change.
Originally the home of L.A. Railway, the ten-story building that now calls The Hoxton home, had since been everything from a garment factory to a grocery story. Now, the renovated building sits amongst a revitalised part of the city, filled with hotels, apartment buildings, theatres and entertainment venues, with intent to restore the area to its former glory.
You can feel the history in the walls of the 1922 Beaux-Arts building from the moment you arrive; they’ve made sure of it. The exterior has been restored to what you imagine it may have looked like a hundred years ago, while the interior aims to blend the century-old charm with modern luxury.
A diner, Moonlarks, sits downstairs, and takes over much of the lobby space, leaning into the idea that this is a as much a communal space as it is a hotel. With the restaurant on your right, you’ll find a small check-in area on the left, accompanied by a small gift shop with local artist treats for sale. Head further to your left and you’ll find ample seating area.
The check in staff were wonderful, and I was offered a can of cold water on arrival. There would be two more waiting for me in the hotel room’s fridge, as well.
The Room
A quick trip up the elevators, passing through the fragrant floors and I was in my room. A large King Bed sat at its centre, while the room’s main light turned on automatically when I entered the room.
The design of everything here is outstanding – even the keycards are beautifully designed. And a hand written note welcomed me to room (props to the artist who did that). This was found on a table at the end of the bed, accompanied by two incredibly comfortable chairs. This will also double as your desk in the space.
The table also had a vanity kit and a paper bag that you could leave on the door for a $5 breakfast in the morning – which I’m told would have been fruit, a juice and overnight oats. There’s also a feedback form, and a QR code to the Hoxton toolkit which gives you information on everything you need to know for your stay. This included a neighbourhood map, “survival guide”, restaurant info and more.
A fridge sits hidden to the left of the bed. Un here you’ll find water and Horizon milk for the tea and coffee which sits in the open wardrobe on the other side of the space. On the tea side, they offer quality “Art of Tea” options including sencha green, and you’ll boil your water in a SMEG kettle. A bottle opener sits with it all. They know what you need!
Back to the fridge, and you’ll find a QR code to order room service on the top of its cupboard, as well as a phone to call the front desk or whoever you need. It’s designed to look like an old rotary phone, but with buttons to save you time. It isn’t the 1920s, after all.
A faux Marshall amp speaker sits on the right side of the bed, which could be connected to via Bluetooth. A safe and a couple of miscellaneous books sat in the cupboard underneath.
Clearly not shying away from elements of the past, the room’s light switches were of an old style – you’d flip them and they’d go back to the same position. There was one next to each side of the bed for the main light in the room. Other lights needed to be turned on and off manually – which was a bit of a hassle for some, as I struggled to find the switches. Thankfully, they don’t ignore modern necessity, and USB and AC power could also be found on either side of the bed.
I had a corner room, so it was spacious to say the least, with a massive king bed, and a beautiful peacock-like back to it. The bed was immensely comfortable, with some of the best pillows (sizable in their own right) I’ve ever slept on.
A large LG TV Sat on the drawers opposite the bed, with an orb light on its right. With the myriad of lights, as well as curtains, you could make things as bright or as dark as you wanted them to be. Massive blackout curtains ensured this. The air conditioning, meanwhile, worked well and quickly.
The bathroom was cosy, with a separate room for the shower. There was “blank” branded hand wash and hand cream, as well as body wash, shampoo and conditioner in the shower – all of very high quality. A hair dryer hung in a bag on the wall, everything in the design aesthetic of the bathroom was “open”. Plenty of towels were supplied, with no drawers or anything hidden away.
The shower was phenomenal, a massive rain shower which heated up quickly and fantastic water pressure. Or you could switch to a handheld shower head if you needed.
What more do you need in a room? Not much – other than a formal desk, and maybe a guest who was better at finding switches on lights. And, dress it up as much as you’d like, it’s still an old building. So do be prepared for noise to drift in from the outside world. But I never heard a peep from my neighbours.
Dining at The Hoxton
On the rooftop of The Hoxton, you’ll find a small pool open from 11am to 6pm, that at only 3 feet of depth is designed more for wading than for swimming. But a great spot for all guests to enjoy – and the view is sensational.
The Peruvian restaurant Cabra Restaurant & Bar is also up on the rooftop.
Downstairs, meanwhile, is an up-market diner, Moonlarks, which serves food until 3pm.
Even if you’re not staying at the hotel this is a recommended place to dine in the area. The Eggs Benedict was phenomenal. They make their own English Muffins and serve a delicious hollandaise. Also had a side of “cool ranch” hash browns – which were rectangular, covered in “cool ranch” flavouring – and sliced avocado.
My friend had the smoked salmon and latkes (which were just the hash browns without the cool ranch flavouring), which she liked too. A great iced latte for her, a fantastic iced tea for me with plenty of refills. We also tried the French Toast, which the woman checking us in recommended – and that recommendation did not go astray. The mix of citrus curd, coconut granola and mint was an inspiration and honestly worth the trip alone.
Simply put, Moonlarks is a phenomenal diner.
What Else To Do In The Area: Downtown L.A.
The Hoxton sits in the heart of Downtown Los Angeles, with a wide range of museums, entertainment, shopping and dining options a short walk, bus, train or Taxi/Uber away.
No visit to Downtown L.A. is complete without a visit to the Grand Central Markets. Villa’s Taco’s just opened there, which is the second location for one of L.A.’s favourite taco spots (of which there’s no shortage of).
From there, jump on the Angel’s Flight funicular up the hill (just $1 to ride, or 50c with a LA Metro TAP Card) to the museum district. Here, you’ll find the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art (LACMA), The Broad Museum and the Walt Disney Concert Hall.
The L.A. Live precinct is also a short walk away, with a variety of dining and entertainment options – including the GRAMMY Museum – sitting opposite Crypto.com Arena (FKA the Staples Centre, where the Lakers play). You can also get a meal at Fixins Soul Kitchen in the area- where you’ll enjoy some great New Orleans style cuisine.
Even closer to the hotel are amazing theatres from the Golden Age of Hollywood like The Mayan and The Belasco, both of which are essentially now nightclubs.
There’s no shortage of great things to do (and eat) Downtown.
Final Verdict
The Hoxton is surely becoming one of the most reliable hotel brands in the world, and Los Angeles is no exception.
There’s little not to love about it. It’s in a fantastic location, at the heart of everything that’s happening in the vibrant Downtown area.
They’ve done an incredible job on the renovation of the gorgeous building, making sure that you have ample opportunity to appreciate its history in stunning comfort.
While I didn’t try their rooftop restaurant, their lobby diner, Moonlarks was spectacular and is worth a visit alone.
The staff were fantastic, and even with the outside world feeling so close, I have rarely slept better in Los Angeles. They have comfort levels cranked up to eleven. With a vibe to match.
FOUR AND A HALF STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
To book your next stay at The Hoxton Downtown Los Angeles, head to their official website: https://thehoxton.com/downtown-la/
Getting There
The Hoxton is located in Downtown Los Angeles, at 1060 S Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90015.
From Australia: Flights direct to Los Angeles out of Australia are plentiful from the East Coast of the country, with United, Delta, American Airlines and Qantas all offering direct services. Hawaiian Airlines, Air New Zealand and Fiji Airlines offer indirect service.
From North America: Most destinations within North America also offer direct flights to Los Angeles, either to the International Airport (LAX) or one of the nearby smaller airports like Long Beach Airport, Burbank Airport or John Wayne (Santa Ana) Airport. Once at LAX – the most common entry point into the city – it’s an easy taxi or Uber/Lyft ride to the hotel, or you can get a FlyAway shuttle to Union Station, which is located in Downtown L.A. From there, it’s a bus, or a quick taxi or Uber/Lyft to the hotel.
The author stayed as a guest of The Hoxton, Downtown Los Angeles, for two nights in August 2024, with additional support from Discover Los Angeles. All photos by the author unless otherwise credited.
