With all the latest news on flight cancellations, travel bans and restrictions, Kevin and I figured that there is no better time to stay close to home than right now. Whether you think all these measures are legit or simply hype, a staycation might be exactly what the doctor ordered. Downtown LA has a special place in our heart since it’s where we got married nearly 2 years ago. Where does the time go? For all these reasons, we decided to bring you the best staycation ideas for couples in LA. Even better yet? It’s certainly a lot cheaper than any international vacation. And you certainly can’t beat the commute.
Feel the stress melt away on your staycation in LA.
Speaking of commute — who says you need to have a car in LA? Okay… Everyone in LA! In a sprawling city like Los Angeles, you need to choose your staycation address wisely. For this very reason, we recommend basing yourself in downtown to be in the heart of the action. And the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown is about as central as it gets. You’re just steps away from some of LA’s best restaurants, museums and our favorite indie movie chain, the Alamo Drafthouse. So trust us, ditch that car and forget about the bumper-to-bumper traffic in LA… You know, once you arrive and get off the 101.
Check-in at the InterContinental: Zipping to the 70th Floor Lobby:
Checking in on the 70th floor, for the best views in LA.
The InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown certainly has the ‘wow factor,’ as the tallest hotel west of the Mississippi River, standing 1,100 feet tall, or 73 stories high. The express elevator will take you from the ground level to the 70th floor Sky Lobby within seconds. The Sky Lobby is the main crossing point for the hotel — connecting to each of the elevator banks. You’ll also use this floor to access the hotel’s stunning restaurants like La Boucherie, a steakhouse, on the 71st floor (up the spiral staircase), its casual restaurant Dekkadance and sushi spot Sora. To the left of the check-in desk is the Lobby Bar, where you can take in soaring views of Hollywood, Pasadena and even the beach communities like Santa Monica on a clear day. Talk about a drink with a view!
Inside the InterContinental’s Sky Bar, located on the 70th Floor, just to the left of check-in.
Stylish and modern, the 70th floor lobby at the InterContinental Hotel in downtown LA
Looking down at the highways below – we can’t help but feel even more relaxed knowing we ditched the car for the weekend!
A Room With The Best Views in LA
A clear view of the famed Hollywood sign from our room.
We booked a standard King Room for our weekend stay and were really impressed by how spacious it was. We travel regularly to New York City, and are accustomed to the tight quarters and general wear and tear on the rooms. But that’s not the case here. I particularly enjoyed the wood tones and soft colors.
The King room is huge!
And of course, nothing makes Kevin happier than a nice bathroom with a tub. He gave his stamp of approval after checking out the soaking tub and bath products.
Kevin’s seal of approval on the tub. Nothing makes him happier!
The room also incorporates touch panel controls next to the bed. So once you’re down for the count, you don’t even need to leave the bed, which I certainly appreciate since I’m the one who tends to be responsible for shutting off all the lights at night. Let’s just say, Kevin can fall asleep on a bed of nails. Don’t even get me started. He once even fell asleep during a production of the rock musical Rent. Now that’s impressive!
The remote control system bedside to adjust all lighting, temperature and other features. You never have to get up!
Eating and Drinking: We Didn’t Want to Leave
Rooftop drinks at Spire 73, located on the rooftop.
We love the walkability of the InterContinental Los Angeles Downtown. But we had a hard time leaving with all the options inside the hotel. We recommend heading straight to the 73rd floor to enjoy rooftop drinks at Spire 73. This spot offers stunning views of the entire city, fire pits for those chilly LA nights as well as hand-crafted cocktails and a wide selection food.
We recommend timing a visit here around sunset to take in the full atmosphere. The hotel typically charges for access to the bar, but it is waived for all guests.The food looked tempting, but we also suggest holding out to eat at La Boucherie, if you’re into steak. Once the sun sets, you’re just seconds away from the steakhouse.
We grabbed a table located next to the floor to ceiling windows. This Michelin-recommended steakhouse isn’t cheap. But we think the steak is well worth it. Our favorite part? You get to pick out your own steak knife from what can only be described as the house “knife sommelier.”
We were schooled on the history of each knife — on the blade type, its history and origin. Who knew there was so much behind a knife? I clearly didn’t. Though, clearly, Kevin and I couldn’t help but have a friendly knife jousting match. I’m sure we aren’t the first.
We recommend the filet mignon as well as their signature sides like the wild mushrooms and the mashed potatoes. I mean, if you’re going to splurge, you might as well go big and make the calories worth it!
If you’re looking for a little lighter fare, we also recommend you check out Sora for some fresh made sushi. If you’re like us, and tend to over order (guilty!), you can easily scale back your ordering since the sushi is delivered by conveyor belt.
You can’t beat the views here either. The sushi rolls out before your eyes with views of downtown and the valley in the distance.
Feeling Guilty About all of the Calories? Get in a Workout
Attitude isn’t your typical hotel gym. In fact, if we lived downtown, I’d even be tempted to use this as my regular gym. Located on the 7th floor, you’ll get in some great views of the city streets. And we couldn’t help but channel all that energy into our workout.
Work it Kevin! Feel the burn or at least get distracted by everything happening outside.
In addition to weights, there is a workout studio with morning yoga scheduled on Saturdays as well as during the weekdays. The gym also offers high intensity training classes, aerobics and other fitness classes during the week.
Check-in area at Attitude Fitness.
We didn’t really need to use the locker room since we were already staying at the hotel. But were impressed by the facilities, which include futuristic-looking shower pods, lockers, towel service as well as sauna and steam rooms. It is open from 5 AM to 9 PM during the week and 7 AM to 7 PM over the weekend. We feel pretty proud of ourselves that we made it to the gym. Half the battle is just showing up, right?
Sauna inside the fancy locker room area.
Looking for other ideas for special occasions? Be sure to check out all our recommendations here, including 5 secrets spots in LA you (probably) never knew existed (but should!). Looking for ideas on what to see and do during your staycation? Check out our ideas and itineraries for a fun weekend in downtown LA.
Kevin walks around downtown LA during our weekend staycation. Yes, people actually walk in Los Angeles.
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