Business Travel to Los Angeles

According to Craig Gibbons of the LA Tourism and Convention Board, Downtown LA is going through a major renaissance and has seen a lot of major companies open headquarters in areas like the Arts District and South Park.

“Downtown is also home to many of LA’s hottest bars and restaurants and is perfect for a client dinner or after works drinks. For tech industries, head to the area aptly named Silicon Beach which stretches along the coast from Playa Del Rey and Westchester near LAX to Santa Monica and Venice, which is home to over 500 tech start-up companies,” says Craig.

Best LA Hotels For Business

Selecting the best hotel for you depends a lot on where you need to be for work, or where your meetings will take place. Pick the right hotel and you could save significantly on your time spent in traffic jams wishing the lights would change. If you have a good hotel program in place, staying with a hotel partner will help you save, and will reduce the risk of getting a bad hotel. LA has endless hotel options to choose from, so here a few of our top picks to consider. 

Montage Hotel Beverley Hills

With a rooftop pool overlooking the Hollywood Hills and Rodeo drive, the Montage Hotel is hard to beat in the spectacular location stakes (shopping anyone?). This hotel is all vintage glamour, sophistication and elegance, with a serious side of hedonistic indulgence. Rooms are designed to reflect the Beverly Hills mansion aesthetic; the spa is world class and the various dining options provide a taste of modern American cuisine. 

Waldorf Astoria Beverley Hills

With its classic Californian lobby as a design centrepiece, the Waldorf Astoria Beverley Hills is a true statement in style. Light filled and crisp, the rooms here boast palm filled views, private balconies and high-tech features to please the most demanding of visitors. The rooftop pool is a destination in its own right, perfect for enjoying a cool drink after a day living the LA life.

Freehand Hotel, Downtown

Dripping with Hipster Cool motifs and attitude, the Freehand Hotel LA is located in the heart of the burgeoning Downtown region, where new bars, restaurants and places for the cool kids to hang out are opening all the time. There are a range of beautiful rooms available, from the spacious and stylish Loft Suites to economical shared rooms. Check out the Broken Shaker bar for cocktails on the rooftop pool deck.

Looking to access competitive hotel rates and benefits? Ask your Travel Manager how to become a SmartSTAY customer. 

Want a sip of the local life while in LA? We asked Reggie Markham, Assistant Team Leader at Corporate Traveler Los Angeles, for his hot spots to wind down and take in the city.

1. Lock and Key is a ‘speakeasy’ in Koreatown specialising in mixology with a signature cocktail menu. Reggie says: “I love it because when you walk in you are transformed to 1920. You need a password to get in the door and the cocktail waitress are in flapper outfits.”
2. Good Times at Davey Wayne’s is one of a few unique spots in LA owned by the Houston brothers. This place makes the most of the house that it is set up in, with the DJ in the living room and bar in the kitchen. Reggie says: “Manhattans are on tap and they have a food truck in the backyard; get there for happy hour to avoid the lines. And there’s a secret entrance…”
3. The Little Easy in Downtown LA takes you from the bustling city to the southern feels of New Orleans with an indoor courtyard to enjoy great food and drinks. Reggie says: “When you walk in, you’ll see a standard bar. Keep walking, don’t stop till you get to the back and see the fountain in the middle. You’ll feel like you’re in New Orleans.”

It makes sense that the home of film and TV has some of the most unique, dramatic and exciting venues for meetings and conferences in the world. If you’re looking for inspiration to host an even in LA, or want to see if you’re heading to one of the top 5 conference venues in the city, read on.

Universal Studios Hollywood

Screen sophistication blends with a little theme-park fun at Universal Studios Hollywood to offer more than 45 indoor and outdoor spaces, award winning catering, state-of-the-art audio, visual and lighting, and capacity for up to 20,000. Even Sound Stage 29 – the filming location for Fast Five and Jurassic Park III – offers 14,000 square feet of incomparable event space. You might spot a star, or at least feel like one, if you’re on the guest list for an event at Universal Studios.

California Science Center

Talk about an ice breaker! Guests attending a conference or event at the California Science Center can get hands-on with hundreds of exhibits, unique artefacts and amazing animal-inhabited ecosystems, and mingle with other delegates under the Endeavour Space Shuttle, the last orbiter built by NASA, in The Samuel Oschin Pavilion. Located near the heart of downtown Los Angeles in Exposition Park, this unique venue accommodates up to 800 standing or 500 seated guests seated.

Petersen Automotive Museum

There is no other venue like the Petersen Automotive Museum. Three floors are dedicated to the history, industry and artistry of the automotive world, with exhibits including Hollywood Dream Machines, and over 250 of the most iconic and rare cars, motorcycles and trucks from around the world housed in the Vault. The fourth floor – The Rooftop Penthouse and Terrace – features panoramic views of the Hollywood Hills and Century City. Having undergone a $125-million renovation in the last few years, this venue offers more opportunities to impress and interest guests between event formalities.

Banc of California Stadium

The home of the city’s newest Major League Soccer franchise, LA Football Club, the Banc of California Stadium is the jewel in the crown of a $350million sports complex in Downtown LA. If you’re attending an event, meeting or conference here, you can expect premium hospitality, an unrivalled sporting experience and spectacular views of Downtown LA and the Hollywood sign.

Los Angeles Convention Center

One of the most environmentally-friendly and technologically advanced convention and exhibition facilities in the world, the Los Angeles Convention Center provides creative and flexible meeting and conference facilities. Located in the heart of Downtown LA, making it close to transport and accommodation options, millions of visitors attend events at this venue each year, including world-renowned events like the Electronic Entertainment Expo and the L.A. Auto Show.

LA Bleisure Ideas – Time to Play Tourist

Once a mere celebrity-lovers stop over, LA now boasts a mecca of hip bars and foodie hangouts, some of the most pristine nature trails and beaches in the world, and a thriving arts and culture scene. However you like to spend your downtime, there is something for everyone.

Explore a Museum

LA has more museums and art galleries than any other city in the US, including New York. So why not spend some of your downtime exploring one or two? Grand Avenue is a bustling cultural corridor with a number of galleries and The Broad museum, or try the Museum of Contemporary Art across the street for works by Jackson Pollack and Andy Warhol. If your event isn’t at the Peterson Automotive Museum, you might like to pay it a visit, while the J. Paul Getty Museum is housed over two locations featuring international artworks and ancient antiquities. And prove that you’ve been to LA by snapping a photo with one of the most Instagrammed artworks, Urban Light, at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

Visit the Zoo

Get up close to wildlife at the Los Angeles Zoo, with over 1,400 animals, including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians. 58 endangered species are housed at the LA Zoo, which aims to inspire and educate people about their plight. This is well worth a visit if you have a day spare.

Attend a Concert

Regardless of when you’re travelling to LA, you can be sure there’ll be a concert you’ll want to see. From top-of-the-chart artists and bands to up-and-coming talent, and venues ranging from stadiums and concert halls to local bars and clubs, there is a show for every genre.

Catch a Home Game

Not to be outdone in the variety stakes, LA’s professional sports offering also has something for everyone. Perhaps the best known of these, the LA Lakers and the LA Dodgers have the basketball and baseball fans covered respectively, while The LA Rams and LA Chargers provide options for NFL fans, the LA Kings have NHL covered and the new LA Football Club bring soccer to Downtown. With so many teams, you’re sure to catch a professional sporting match while in LA.

Hit the beach

Stretching from the adventurous haven of Malibu and the fun beach of Santa Monica, to the famous Venice Beach and down to the stylish Hermosa Beach, even LA’s beaches offer something for everyone. Head to your nearest sandy stretch to enjoy the sun and people watch, or make a day of it and venture north or south to find your ideal seaside spot.

Take a Hike

Enjoy the Californian sunshine with a hike through the Hollywood Hills. Runyon Canyon is a popular trail for celeb spotting, but you’ll have to dodge the many locals. Put aside an hour and half to reach the top for the stunning views. Or try Griffith Park for a number of trails that weave up and into the hills. For a memorable off-road run, take the trail that leads from the Observatory parking lot to the summit of Mount Hollywood, the highest peak of the park, which rewards you with spectacular views of the entire Los Angeles Basin.

Join the Downtown Art Walk

Join like-minded art lovers for the Downtown Art Walk, which guides thousands of people each month through galleries, past local murals and street art, all in support of the local artist and gallery community.

Experience a Food Tour

A great way to sample the diverse food on offer in LA is with a tour. From walking food tours with Six Taste, to a progressive four-course culinary experience with Avital, or a journey through farmer’s markets or the city’s Latin, Spanish and Thai cuisines with Melting Pot Tours, you’re sure to find one that suits your taste.

Check out Knott’s Berry Farm

If you’re travelling with your family in tow, carve time out of your work schedule to experience Knott’s Berry Farm. From humble beginnings as, literally, a berry farm, to a wildly popular theme park, the whole family will enjoy this day out.