Editorial score of 8.9 of 10, the composite average of the three factors above (Rooms, Service, Location). Method at our methodology page. Affiliate disclosure: booking links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you, and never change our verdict.
Why stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles?
The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles earns its place on our list because it is the most polished address in Downtown, and it is positioned for a very specific kind of trip. The hotel occupies the upper floors of a tower inside the L.A. LIVE entertainment and sports complex at 900 West Olympic Boulevard, which puts it steps from Crypto.com Arena, the Peacock Theater and the GRAMMY Museum, with the Los Angeles Convention Center next door. For a guest whose reason to be in the city is an event, a game, a show or a Downtown meeting, no hotel is more efficiently placed, and the Ritz-Carlton brings the service depth and the high-floor comfort that the neighbourhood's other hotels cannot match.
What makes it work is the combination of altitude, service and a genuinely upgraded dining floor. The 123 rooms sit high in the tower, well above the Downtown grid, so the city views that the brand's upper-tier rooms are expected to deliver are real here. Service runs at the Ritz-Carlton standard, anticipatory and consistent, and the Club Level lounge takes a lot of the friction out of a working stay. In the last two years the dining has been rebuilt around Sendero, a Latin American collection on the 24th floor, replacing the former WP24 by Wolfgang Puck, which has closed. The honest trade-off is location: this is Downtown rather than Beverly Hills or the coast, so factor a roughly 20-minute drive to the Westside. If your trip is anchored Downtown, it is the clear five-star choice.
What are the best rooms to request?
Request a high-floor room or Club Level and prioritise the view, because the altitude is a large part of what you are paying for at this address. The 123 rooms and suites sit on the tower's upper floors, dressed in the brand's warmer register of rich fabrics, dark wood tones and marble bathrooms, and the elevation gives most of them open views over the Downtown skyline that Downtown's low- and mid-rise hotels cannot offer. Club Level adds access to the dedicated lounge, which runs food and drink presentations across the day and is genuinely useful on a business stay. The suites step up the space and the light, and for a milestone or a longer stay they are worth the premium.
One honest caveat: the hotel shares its tower with the neighbouring JW Marriott and with private residences above, so arrivals, elevators and public areas can feel busier than a stand-alone Ritz-Carlton, particularly on event nights when the arena is full. The rooms themselves are calm and well insulated, but if you want a hushed, low-traffic lobby this is not that hotel. Book a high floor, use the Club Level to sidestep the crowd, and time your arrival around the event calendar, and the tower setting becomes an asset rather than a drawback.
Ask for a high floor facing north or west for the fullest skyline, and consider Club Level if you are here to work. If your visit lands on an arena or theater night, have the concierge arrange your tickets and a dinner slot at Sendero before you arrive, and use the 26th-floor rooftop pool in the morning before the day fills up.
What is the dining and the bar scene like?
Dining is a real reason to book here now, and it has changed. The former WP24 by Wolfgang Puck has closed, and the 24th floor has been rebuilt as Sendero, a Latin American collection with sweeping city views that reads as a genuine culinary destination rather than a hotel convenience. Within it, Corteza is the cocktail bar and coastal-market room framed by skyline views, Lena is the Argentine-inspired steakhouse built around premium cuts, Volante is an eight-seat counter for a bespoke tasting, and The Agave Library runs an agave-spirit tasting experience. On the lower floors, Savoca: A Californian Trattoria handles Italian cooking and breakfast, and Illy Caffe covers coffee and light bites. Between them you can run a full day, from a working breakfast to a long celebratory dinner, without leaving the tower.
Does it have a pool and spa?
Yes, and the outdoor leisure is unusually strong for Downtown. There is an outdoor rooftop pool on the 26th-floor sun deck with open skyline views, served seasonally by the Blue Rooftop Pool Bar, which gives the hotel an outdoor social space that most Downtown hotels simply do not have. Indoors, the Ritz-Carlton Spa offers facials, body treatments and scrubs, with a hair salon and a fitness centre alongside. For a Downtown stay where you want to swim, train or unwind between meetings and events, the combination of the rooftop pool and the spa is one of the property's clearest advantages over its neighbours.
Signature amenities
Above L.A. LIVE in Downtown
Downtown · within the L.A. LIVE complex
What's nearby
- Crypto.com Arena
Sports & concerts2 min walk - Peacock Theater
Live events2 min walk - GRAMMY Museum
Music history3 min walk - LA Convention Center
Conventions5 min walk - The Broad & MOCA
Art museums8 min drive
The tower, the rooms, the rooftop
Tower
City-view room
Rooftop pool
SenderoHow does The Ritz-Carlton compare with other Downtown and Westside hotels?
Against the field, The Ritz-Carlton is the polished, event-anchored Downtown choice, and the decision comes down to why you are in the city. Fairmont Century Plaza is the grander Westside option in Century City, with a terrace on every room and a bigger spa, better if your days lean toward Beverly Hills. InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is the taller neighbour with sky-high rooms from floor 30 and a more corporate feel. Hotel Figueroa is the characterful, lower-key Downtown alternative a couple of blocks away, with a Spanish Colonial mood and softer rates. The Ritz-Carlton's own trade-off is that it is a busy shared tower in Downtown rather than a quiet Westside address.
| Hotel | Style | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles | Five-star tower at L.A. LIVE | Events, business, rooftop pool | Busy shared tower; Downtown, not Westside |
| Fairmont Century Plaza | Century City landmark | Terraces, spa, Westside base | Away from Downtown venues |
| InterContinental LA Downtown | Sky-high Downtown tower | Views, scale, corporate stays | Larger, more corporate feel |
| Hotel Figueroa | Historic Downtown character | Design, value, atmosphere | Not full five-star service |
Frequently asked questions
Where is The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles and how big is it?
The hotel occupies the upper floors of a tower at L.A. LIVE, at 900 West Olympic Boulevard in Downtown Los Angeles, steps from Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater and the GRAMMY Museum. It has 123 rooms and suites on the tower's high floors, with private residences occupying levels above the hotel.
What are the restaurants at The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles?
Dining centres on Sendero, a Latin American collection on the 24th floor with sweeping city views, which includes the Corteza cocktail bar and coastal-market menu, the Argentine-inspired steakhouse Lena, the eight-seat counter Volante and The Agave Library tasting room. Savoca: A Californian Trattoria handles Italian food and breakfast, and Illy Caffe covers coffee. The earlier WP24 by Wolfgang Puck has closed.
Does The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles have a pool and spa?
Yes. There is an outdoor rooftop pool on the 26th-floor sun deck with skyline views, served seasonally by the Blue Rooftop Pool Bar, plus the Ritz-Carlton Spa, a hair salon and a fitness centre. It is an unusual amount of outdoor leisure for a Downtown Los Angeles hotel.
Is The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles good for business and events?
Yes. It is built for it: the Club Level lounge runs food and drink presentations through the day, and the location puts guests within a short walk of Crypto.com Arena, Peacock Theater, the GRAMMY Museum and the Los Angeles Convention Center, so event and business trips need almost no transport.
How far is The Ritz-Carlton, Los Angeles from LAX?
LAX is about 20 to 30 minutes away depending on traffic. The hotel sits at the junction of the 10 and 110 freeways in Downtown, which makes arrival and departure straightforward, and Beverly Hills or West Hollywood are roughly 20 minutes by car outside peak times.
Other luxury stays in Los Angeles
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