8/10 Very good
As a member of LA Conservancy, I was fortunate to have visited the United Artist Theatre at Ace Hotel classic movie palace for a screening during the annual event "Last Remaining Seats". It is located on the edge of Fashion District and many attractions in this historical section downtown Los Angeles.
There is a lot of history to the theatre. It is Spanish Gothic, patterned after Segovia Cathedral in Spain. It is one of the original theatres of the area, the flagship for United Artists motion pictures; the place for film premiers. The best decription is from Ace Hoel website "Mary Pickford's love for the ornate detail and stone spires of Spanish castles and cathedrals is manifest at the theater — a true temple of the arts." It is an amazing place to see a classic film or attend any event, you will be blown away by the level of detail and history.
Of note is the "Jesus Saves" neon sign on the building. When the building fell on hard times and was in quite state of disarray, Pastor Gene Scott used the theatre to broadcast Sunday church services, 1989-2005. It was sold in 2011 to a real estate developer, who converted it into the Ace Hotel Downtown Los Angeles, which opened early 2014.
The hotel houses an outdoor cafe, rooftop cocktail lounge and pool (see review for the lounge, posted separately). There is an interesting display of hand drawn figures of Los Angeles Pride throughout, and a good selection of merchandise in the gift shop.
It is centrally located, so if you choose to stay here, you are within walking distance to shopping, restaurants, Los Angeles Staples Center and LA Live, as well as other attractions. It is also short distance to LA Metro, and there are buses and other transportation options.
A unique experience that is a MUST if you visit downtown area, whether you stay in hotel, are lucky enough to see a show in theatre or just want to grab quick bite and people watch.