Two hotels, double the fun: My stay at the dual-branded AC and Moxy hotels in Downtown LA

Why have one when you can have two? That seems to be the question for hotel developers around the world. More and more these days, dual-branded hotels — essentially two different brands sharing the same building while offering two totally different hotel experiences — are popping up.

One dual-branded hotel in Los Angeles, though, has had this hotel reporter’s attention since it first opened a few years ago (and was featured on our list of the best new hotels of 2023): AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles and Moxy Downtown Los Angeles, housed in a 37-story building right by the Los Angeles Convention Center and Crypto.com Arena.

In total, the double-feature, Yabu Pushelberg-designed hotels have 727 guest rooms, 12 restaurants, an entire floor dedicated to dining and nightlife, and two distinct vibes catering to different types of travelers.

I stayed the night at both hotels and spent a Saturday night working my way around Level 8, the Las Vegas-like floor full of restaurants, bars and nightclubs. Here’s what it’s like — and why you should consider staying at one (or both!) of these Marriott Bonvoy properties.

Related: How I get good Marriott redemptions at AC Hotels in the US

Rates at both the Moxy Downtown Los Angeles and AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles start as low as $184 per night or 30,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night.

Just note that due to the hotel’s location near the convention center and Crypto.com arena, these rates can fluctuate wildly as major events and concerts arrive.

What it’s like staying at the Moxy Downtown Los Angeles

The vibe

Moxy is Marriott’s playful and typically affordable lifestyle brand. Though Moxy has always been a little on the cheekier side, newer iterations are feeling more grown up, thoughtful and stylish — but without losing that youthful spirit that threads the hotels together. This is in part thanks to Lightstone, the development company behind both the AC and Moxy in downtown LA, as well as the New York locations that have a similar vibe.

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And this is partly why Moxy, as a whole, won Best Affordable Hotel brand at the 2023 TPG Awards.

Moxy Downtown Los Angeles was inspired by the 1969 film “Easy Rider” and the spirit of Southern California. Upon entering the lobby, I noticed green succulents contrasted against concrete floors and a massive snake rug dominating the public seating area where people hung out or worked at large tables. A motorcycle with a sidecar was the star of many guest photographs. The vibe felt distinctly cool, and I enjoyed spending time in the lobby.

The room

Moxy Downtown Los Angeles has 380 rooms, and even though they come in a few different configurations, they all have a similar aesthetic and similar features, like a design-forward take on Moxy’s signature peg wall holding the TV and clothing hangers.

My room was a corner king overlooking the convention center and measured in at about 267 square feet. The massive, floor-to-ceiling windows let in ample natural light and sheer and blackout curtains pulled back to block it when necessary (like after a wild night at Level 8, but more on that later).

Though Moxy rooms are typically small, they offer smart storage solutions, like under-bed storage and multiple places to hang clothes.

Moxy hotels, in general, encourage folks to get outside of their room and spend time in social places like the lobby. So if you’re planning on working inside your room, know that the nightstand doubles as a small desk but there’s plenty of great coworking space downstairs.

The bathroom space in my room, right off the door, had a small vanity with a sink, towels and multiple mirrors. The bathroom and shower each had their own small, narrow sections.

The hallways leading to the rooms in the Moxy had fun carpeting, sort of mirroring an airport runway — but with a little alien-themed twist. This area also featured help-yourself amenity closets where you could grab extra towels and other things one might need during a stay.

I loved my corner king room. It was comfortable, clean and very stylish. And those floor-to-ceiling window views were the icing on the cake.

Bar Moxy

In the lobby, Bar Moxy is the place to hang. It’s open for coffee, cocktails and food at various times throughout the day. I didn’t have the chance to eat at Bar Moxy, but the menu included items like a cheeseburger ($21), Thai glazed chicken wings ($19) and a buffalo chicken flatbread ($21). There were various cocktails, mocktails, beers and wine on offer here, as well.

Bluestone Lane

Attached to the Moxy lobby, Bluestone Lane, a popular Australian coffee chain, is open from 6:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. It serves nearly any kind of coffee you can think of plus an all-day menu of bowls, toasts, sandwiches and burritos. Pro tip: scan the QR code in your room to order ahead to skip the long morning lines.

What it’s like staying at the AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles

The Vibe

While Moxy’s lobby is located just off the street, checking into its sleek sister hotel requires a trip to a sky lobby up on the 34th floor of the building accessed through a separate ground-level entrance, really making it feel like a totally separate hotel. AC Hotels are typically design-forward, often with that sort of pared back, effortless style that makes you say: “I wish my house looked like this.”

This hotel is no exception.

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Throughout the lobby, minimalist elements like elegant potted trees and rock sculptures were an earthy yet chic reminder of California’s various landscapes. To one side of the lobby, a library with communal seating stayed busy throughout the day. The massive wall of windows also stayed crowded with guests taking in sweeping views of the City of Angles.

The room

I stayed in a corner king room at the AC Hotel Downtown Los Angeles. Like the lobby, the room was much more muted in color and design compared to the neighboring Moxy (I realized the two hotels were actually connected on every floor via a set of discrete double doors in the hallways you’d probably never think to open).

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The room had a small couch in the corner and a small, circular table.

Across from the bed, a TV hung above a large desk with a chair, a lamp and a writing pad — a significant departure from the layout of the more social-minded Moxy.

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The bathroom area was also minimal, with the sink and mirror floating off to the side and, like the Moxy, the shower and toilet divided into two rooms across from the vanity.

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This room also had a closet with shelves and hanging space as well as amenities throughout like a safe, a basic coffee maker, a hairdryer and a steamer.

The room was comfortable, chic and efficient. I slept well and enjoyed the views of the city from my large windows and, most of all, how Los Angeles looked during a dramatic sunset.

AC Bar & Lounge

Open for breakfast, dinner and late night drinks, AC Bar & Lounge serves the standard hotel restaurant classics: Caesar salad ($16), a burger ($27) and a Spanish cobb salad ($28), alongside cocktails like the hotel’s signature gin & tonic ($19).

I wrongly assumed that this spot would be open throughout the day, so I was disappointed when I popped over around 11 a.m. on Sunday for food and realized I’d missed breakfast and the kitchen wouldn’t reopen until dinner.

La Lo La Rooftop

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My Sunday brunch alternative was La Lo La Rooftop, perched on the 34th floor and (mostly) open throughout the day. When the sun is shining and the there are few clouds, the views alone are worth a visit to the lounge-like space fully of tables, couches and a bar.

To eat, I filled up on a delicious California-style breakfast burrito ($22) and a smooth Bloody Mary ($19). The avocado- and egg-stuffed burrito was delicious (and messy, naturally!), but eating it from a couch with those views really made my day. In fact, I ended up spending a good chunk of my afternoon sipping margaritas ($18) and people-watching around the space.

Level 8 has to be seen to be believed. In full, the concept by the Houston Brothers (known for LA hot spots like Dirty Laundry and Break Room 86), has more bars, restaurants and experiences than one could possibly try to visit in a night — though I certainly tried.

Fully taking up the eight floor, and with a private entrance from the street, my experience started with a cowboy-themed pool party at Golden Hour (featuring a carousel bar with a pool deck).This set the tone for my Saturday night, which involved galavanting between bars and restaurants on Level 8, ranging from a spritz and crispy tuna rice at the outdoor Mother of Pearl to South American-style seafood and cocktails at Que Barbaro and fresh sushi at Lucky Mizu.

Whatever you do, just make sure you visit Sinners y Santos, which the hotels describe as “part ruined cathedral, part Lucha Libre ring.” Come for the cocktails and stay for the full-on wrestling ring that descends on top of the bar to catch real-life Lucha Libre-style wrestling surrounded by bottle service, DJs and an entertaining mix of people coming and going throughout the various venues.

The best tip I got, though, was to stop by the rooftop taco truck, open late into the night, to grab mouthwatering tacos to take back to my room.

If clubbing isn’t your thing, you can also just visit the restaurants that open before things get too crazy. My Sunday dinner was at Maison Kasai, a French-meets-Japanese teppanyaki spot by Michelin-starred chef Joshua Gil where you can choose from a tasting menu or order high-end steaks and seafood cooked right in front of you. While I very much enjoyed all of my hearty steak, the real showstopper was a squash blossom appetizer.