VENUE: Jamaica Bay Inn (Photo Credit: Jim Bartsch)
For Breezy Meetings and Lodging Near LAX: Jamaica Bay Inn
The Jamaica Bay Inn opened in Marina del Rey in November, with a design meant to evoke a colorful and relaxed island resort complete with lush landscaping, beachside pool, and marina views. The 111-room hotel has a pool and hot tub, fire pits, a fitness center, and easy access to LAX. There are two distinct spaces for groups. Off the lobby, the Antigua Room holds 75 people for a reception or 50 seated. It has views and access to the terrace garden and the marina. The Barbados Boardroom has flat-panel monitors, leather executive chairs, and a dark wood conference table. Additionally, a spacious manicured garden lawn can accommodate small events with a beach backdrop. Theres also the 150-seat indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar named Vk. (4175 Admiralty Way, Marina del Rey, 310.823.5333, jamaicabayinn.com)
For Downtown Convenience: JW Marriott at L.A. Live
The JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. Live (which shares space with the Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles) is a LEED-certified, 54-story tower designed by Gensler. The Marriott has 878 guest rooms, including 52 suites, all located between floors four and 21 of the tower. The hotel also adds significant new meeting space downtown, with three floors of stacked rooms. The nearly 100,0000 square feet of indoor meeting and event space includes the 25,086-square-foot Diamond Ballroom, the 20,792-square-foot Platinum Ballroom, and the 17,072-square-foot Gold Ballroom. There are 14,000 square feet of ancillary meeting space, including nine meeting rooms and three boardrooms. (900 West Olympic Blvd., 213.765.8600, marriott.com)
For Wining and Dining Clients: Culina
At the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills is Culina, Modern Italian. The airy restaurant, managed by the hotel, has indoor and outdoor dining, as well as a bar and lounge area with an interactive crudo bar the venue bills as the only one of its kind in Los Angeles. Chef Victor Casanova's Italian menu includes dishes that make use of aged balsamic vinegars from Modena and first-press olive oils bottled by Monini of Umbria under Culinas exclusive label. The space includes wine-tasting tables carved from a salvaged 200-year-old magnolia tree, herringbone tile floors, and decor done primarily in earth tones. In the bar area with crudo bar and lounge, servers offer espresso, pastries, and panini. A wine room displays bottles through windows etched with Italian recipes. In the main dining area, a 25-foot light fixture of hand-blown Czechoslovakian glass dresses the ceiling. A semiprivate glass-enclosed room holds 10, and a private room holds 40. Half of the restaurants 236 seats are on the sprawling patio, where succulents add to the lush landscaping. (300 South Doheny Drive, 310.860.4000, fourseasons.com)
For Luxe Meetings and Screenings: SoHo House West Hollywood
The Soho House West Hollywoods screening room seats 50 people, and is appropriate for movie and TV screenings, presentations, and meetings. The space has deep red velvet armchairs, a 25-foot communal lounging couch, cashmere blankets, and pillows and ottomans. Snacks and beverages can be arranged if desired, and the facility handles lots of different film and video types. Adjacent to the screening room, the new club room is available to host pre- or post-screening receptions for as many as 50 guests. It can also be used as an interview suite by broadcast, radio, or print journalists. (9200 Sunset Boulevard, West Hollywood, 310.432.9200, sohohousewh.com)
For Entertaining With a Side of Culture: Rays Restaurant and Stark Bar
Patina Restaurant Group opened Rays restaurant and Stark Bar adjacent to the Lynda and Stewart Resnick Exhibition Pavilion at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Designed by architect Renzo Piano, the restaurant is named after Ray Stark, the late film producer and former Lacma trustee. Rays has three floor-to-ceiling glass walls from which the museums environs are visible, with a fourth wall made of corrugated cement. The outdoor Stark Bar is comprised of a long bar, a lounge area, and table seating. Rays and Stark Bar have mid-century-inspired furniture in keeping with Pianos design, and a total seating capacity of just over 150. (5905 Wilshire Blvd., 323.857.6180, lacma.org)
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