Downtown's Gorgeous New Freehand Hotel Offers Boutique ...
Downtown’s Gorgeous New Freehand Hotel Offers Boutique Amenities For A Hostel Price By BY OREN PELEG JULY 26, 2017
Private room at the Freehand (Photo by Adrian Gaut) After more than three years of renovating the historic
the mid-1930s, a 10-foot section from the middle of the
Commercial Exchange building, the Sydell Group’s
Commercial Exchange building was removed, and the
Freehand hotel is finally open to guests.
two remaining sides were pushed together.
The 226-key hotel, at the corner of 8th and Olive
With the building’s rebirth as the Freehand Hotel, the
Streets in downtown Los Angeles, offers both shared and
Sydell Group hopes to bridge “the gap between these
private room. The building, constructed in 1924, had sat
two eras to create a conversation between past and
vacant for years before its conversion, but was previously
future, layering a modern interpretation of LA’s evolving
the first retail location of the Owl Drug Company, and
urban landscape over meticulously restored interiors.”
even housed “Tarzan” author Edgar Rice Burroughs’
The first Freehand opened in Miami in 2012 as an
publishing company. According to the Los Angeles
“upscale hostel,” writes the Miami Herald. A follow-
Times, when the city decided to widen Olive Street in
up Freehand then opened in Chicago in 2015. The
Freehand Los Angeles is the brand’s first foray into luxury territory with
flowers-and-wares shop. The hotel’s interiors were
“[Los Angeles is] the perfect place to embrace the Freehand spirit of
the incorporation of private superior
overseen by firm Roman and
travel and exploration. …[the design
rooms and suites. But for the more
Williams (who decorated both
is] a little bohemian and has a lot
economically-minded, hostel-style
Freehand Miami and Chicago, as
of earthiness, and is really inspired
shared rooms (bunk beds and all)
well as the Standard High Line),
by all of California—from the ocean
allow for rates that are sometimes
and combines Craftsman and
to the desert,” Robin Standefer, co-
hundreds of dollars cheaper than
Midcentury styles to pay homage
founder of Roman and Williams, told
beds at surrounding hotels.
to Southern Californian history.
LALA magazine.
“The Freehand is designed as a place for people who want to interact with other guests and with locals,” Andrew Zobler, chief executive of the Sydell Group, which will be opening The NoMad Hotel later this year (also in downtown), told the Times. “It’s set up for people who want to have experiences as opposed to people who just want to sleep and get in and out.” That experience includes Rudolph’s Bar in the lobby, along with a restaurant called The Exchange, a rooftop pool and bar set to open in August, and an outpost of Flowerboy Project, the Venice Beach
Top and above: Shared room at the Freehand (Photo by Adrian Gaut)
Meanwhile, a large mural by the local art collective CYRCLE covers an opposing wall in the hotel’s lightwell. The mural highlights iconic figures like Malcolm X and Barack Obama—each room will have a window looking out at the mural, providing a slightly different view from each unit. As the development of downtown L.A. continues accelerates, the Freehand should remain as one of the prime locations to eat, sleep, and play in the neighborhood, all at the same time. The Freehand Hotel is located at 416 West 8th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. (213) 612-0021. Current rates are between $84 and $369, however rates are seasonally adjusted and subject to availability.
Clockwise from above: The Exchange sign (Photo by Hunter Kerhart); The Exchange at the Freehand; Freehand lobby; Freehand lobby with Rudolph’s bar; Tapestry in the Freehand lobby (Photos by Frank Lee).
Private room at the Freehand (Photo by Adrian Gaut) After more than three years of renovating the historic
the mid-1930s, a 10-foot section from the middle of the
Commercial Exchange building, the Sydell Group’s
Commercial Exchange building was removed, and the
Freehand hotel is finally open to guests.
two remaining sides were pushed together.
The 226-key hotel, at the corner of 8th and Olive
With the building’s rebirth as the Freehand Hotel, the
Streets in downtown Los Angeles, offers both shared and
Sydell Group hopes to bridge “the gap between these
private room. The building, constructed in 1924, had sat
two eras to create a conversation between past and
vacant for years before its conversion, but was previously
future, layering a modern interpretation of LA’s evolving
the first retail location of the Owl Drug Company, and
urban landscape over meticulously restored interiors.”
even housed “Tarzan” author Edgar Rice Burroughs’
The first Freehand opened in Miami in 2012 as an
publishing company. According to the Los Angeles
“upscale hostel,” writes the Miami Herald. A follow-
Times, when the city decided to widen Olive Street in
up Freehand then opened in Chicago in 2015. The
Freehand Los Angeles is the brand’s first foray into luxury territory with
flowers-and-wares shop. The hotel’s interiors were
“[Los Angeles is] the perfect place to embrace the Freehand spirit of
the incorporation of private superior
overseen by firm Roman and
travel and exploration. …[the design
rooms and suites. But for the more
Williams (who decorated both
is] a little bohemian and has a lot
economically-minded, hostel-style
Freehand Miami and Chicago, as
of earthiness, and is really inspired
shared rooms (bunk beds and all)
well as the Standard High Line),
by all of California—from the ocean
allow for rates that are sometimes
and combines Craftsman and
to the desert,” Robin Standefer, co-
hundreds of dollars cheaper than
Midcentury styles to pay homage
founder of Roman and Williams, told
beds at surrounding hotels.
to Southern Californian history.
LALA magazine.
“The Freehand is designed as a place for people who want to interact with other guests and with locals,” Andrew Zobler, chief executive of the Sydell Group, which will be opening The NoMad Hotel later this year (also in downtown), told the Times. “It’s set up for people who want to have experiences as opposed to people who just want to sleep and get in and out.” That experience includes Rudolph’s Bar in the lobby, along with a restaurant called The Exchange, a rooftop pool and bar set to open in August, and an outpost of Flowerboy Project, the Venice Beach
Top and above: Shared room at the Freehand (Photo by Adrian Gaut)
Meanwhile, a large mural by the local art collective CYRCLE covers an opposing wall in the hotel’s lightwell. The mural highlights iconic figures like Malcolm X and Barack Obama—each room will have a window looking out at the mural, providing a slightly different view from each unit. As the development of downtown L.A. continues accelerates, the Freehand should remain as one of the prime locations to eat, sleep, and play in the neighborhood, all at the same time. The Freehand Hotel is located at 416 West 8th Street in Downtown Los Angeles. (213) 612-0021. Current rates are between $84 and $369, however rates are seasonally adjusted and subject to availability.
Clockwise from above: The Exchange sign (Photo by Hunter Kerhart); The Exchange at the Freehand; Freehand lobby; Freehand lobby with Rudolph’s bar; Tapestry in the Freehand lobby (Photos by Frank Lee).
