Fairmont Century Plaza

When the Century Plaza Hotel opened in 1966, the curved hotel was a centerpiece in newly established Century City. Designed by renowned architect Minoru Yamasaki, the mid-century modern hotel evokes the optimism of the 1960s. The Century Plaza Hotel went on to host the Emmys, Grammys, and, in 1969, the first state dinner held outside of the White House. President Ronald Reagan stayed at the hotel so frequently that it became known as the "Western White House." In 2021, the hotel reopened as the Fairmont Century Plaza after an extensive $2.5 billion renovation, and it remains a leading luxury hotel in Los Angeles.

When the Century Plaza Hotel opened on June 1, 1966, it was dubbed “The Hotel of the Future.” Plans for the hotel began in 1961 when William Zeckendorf, a real estate developer, and ALCOA purchased around 180 acres from 20^th Century Fox, a studio that had decided to downsize. Zeckendorf and ALCOA designed a new area in Los Angeles called Century City, a “city within a city,” to be filled with stores, apartments, and a boutique hotel at the center.

A prominent architect named Minoru Yamasaki, who would later design the World Trade Center, began working on the proposed hotel, which took five years to complete. Standing at 19 stories and with 750 rooms, the Century Plaza Hotel dominated the skyline in Century City. During the early years of the new city, the Century Plaza Hotel stood as the highest building on the hill, and the prestigious Presidential Suite even offered a view of the distant Pacific Ocean. But the grand mid-century modern hotel’s prime feature was the unique arch that appeared like a crescent moon.

The interior of the hotel was just as exquisite, with an ornate ballroom, open lobby, and guestrooms filled with luxuries such as ice machines, electric blankets, and radios built into the nightstands. At the time it opened, the Century Plaza Hotel was the only hotel in the country to have color television sets in its rooms. Opening night in 1966 was officiated by Andy Williams and Bob Hope, and numerous celebrities and famous names were in attendance. With its luxury and elegance, the hotel was booked to host the Emmy and Grammy Awards.

Numerous presidents stayed as guests at the Century Plaza Hotel. On August 13, 1969, President Richard Nixon hosted the “Dinner of the Century” to celebrate the return of the Apollo 11 astronauts. At the time, it was the only state dinner to be hosted outside the White House. In addition to the celebrities and aviation pioneers that attended, 14 members of Nixon’s Cabinet and representatives from more than 80 countries were present. No president frequented the hotel more than Ronald Reagan, who hosted many fundraising and inaugural celebrations in the ballroom, leading the media to call the Century Plaza Hotel the “Western White House.”

Despite being a landmark in Century City, by the beginning of the 21^st century, the hotel was in decline. Conditions became so poor that in 2009 the National Trust for Historic Preservation named the hotel one of the Most Endangered Places in America. Soon, plans were made to raze the building and replace it with high-rise condominiums. Fortunately, Woodbridge Capital Partners invested more than $2 billion in renovations and saved the historic hotel from demolition.

In 2016, an extensive renovation that included restoring the fading exterior historical architecture while modernizing the interior began. After five years of intense renovation, in 2021, the Century Plaza Hotel reopened as the Fairmont Century Plaza. Now a part of the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts family, just as when the hotel opened in 1966, it is once again a leading luxury hotel in Los Angeles. 

Century Plaza Hotel, LA Conservancy. Accessed November 13th, 2023. https://www.laconservancy.org/learn/historic-places/century-plaza-hotel/.

Fairmont Century Plaza, Historic Hotels of America. Accessed November 14th, 2023. https://www.historichotels.org/us/hotels-resorts/fairmont-century-plaza/history.php.

Our History, Fairmont Century Plaza. Accessed November 15th, 2023. https://www.fairmontcenturyplaza.com/explore/our-history/.

Caswell, Mark. LA’s Century Plaza hotel to reopen as Fairmont property this month, Business Traveller. September 19th, 2021. Accessed November 15th, 2023. https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2021/09/19/las-century-plaza-hotel-to-reopen-as-fairmont-property-this-month/.