Owner George Rosenthal | Number of rooms 152 | |
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Location 1200 Alta Loma Road, West Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California | ||
Sunset Marquis Hotel is a hotel in West Hollywood, Los Angeles County, California. Owned by George Rosenthal, and located at 1200 Alta Loma Road, it is situated just off the Sunset Strip. Described by Time as "an old rock-'n'-roll hotel", it is noted for its celebrity clientele, especially rock stars and DJs. Rande Gerber installed a recording studio in the basement of the hotel to attract entertainers. As of October 2014 room rates range from $350 to $2,500 per night.
Contents
History
In 1995, Courtney Love left a suicide note in her room in the hotel after a fight with then lover Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails. According to her book Dirty Blonde: The Diaries of Courtney Love, she left a suicide-note-like apology letter addressed to deceased husband Kurt Cobain and daughter Frances Bean, saying, "I love you. Please forgive me... You are both too beautiful for me. I love you forever." Love later wrote a song named "Sunset Marquis" for the 2010 Hole album Nobody's Daughter but it wasn't released on the record. Love reportedly wrote another song, "How Dirty Girls Get Clean", on Marquis notepaper.
On May 28, 1996, Dave Gahan overdosed on a speedball at the hotel, which resulted in his heart stopping for two minutes until he was revived by paramedics.
In 2007, the hotel underwent expansion with an additional 40 villas.
Between December 4, 2010 and March 15, 2011, the hotel hosted a Maximillian Gallery exhibition.
Architecture
The Sunset Marquis is inspired by Mediterranean style villas, with white and cream buildings and orange roofs and swimming pool. The long entrance pavilion of the hotel is reminiscent of hotels in Mediterranean France or Italy. It has 152 rooms. The rooms are described by Frommer's as being furnished in "mahogany, metal and nubby textiles, with earth-toned fabrics, Noguchi Akari rice-paper lamps and marble counters". Villas are equipped with alarm systems and some have jacuzzis or baby grand pianos.
The grounds are spread over five acres and, despite close proximity to the Sunset Strip, are set in lush gardens. Its restaurant was previously known as The Room, and catered in French fusion cuisine amongst other cuisines. In 2008, it changed its name to Restaurant, headed by Chef Guillaume Burlion. More recently, the venue has been renamed Cavatina and is under the direction of Chef Michael Schlow. The hotel also has a 1,800-square-foot (170 m2) spa sanctuary with four private treatment rooms and two manicure / pedicure stations.
Whisky Bar
The bar of the hotel, known as the Whisky Bar or BAR 1200, was established in 1996. It is a small bar and only accommodates about 45 people, but it is known as a hangout for models and celebrities. It is often visited by musicians such as Billy Gibbons, U2, Rolling Stones, Robbie Williams, John Mayer, Aerosmith and Eminem, and regularly features exclusive live performances. Time magazine describes the Sunset Marquis as "an old rock-'n'-roll hotel; it's gone out of fashion a little bit." By contrast, Frommer's describes the Whisky Bar as "ultra trendy". It regularly hosts music industry and entertainment related events and parties.