Posted by Jeff (12.80.9.105) on July 21, 2001 at 18:50:42:
I never stayed at the Ambassador but I lived in the neighborhood before and during the time when it closed. I used to use the post office there when it was still open, as it was the most convenient. I was 20 years old when the hotel closed and had absolutely $0 to my name at the time but was smart enough to scrape together the approximately $5 it cost to purchase "Are The Stars Out Tonight" book by Margaret Tante Burke from the hotels gift shop. Approximately 1990-91 after the Ambassador had closed the hotel had a fixture sale that I attended and there was really nothing there I wanted, mainly outdated TV sets and mattresses and some hotel signature silver pieces and stoneware. The sale was set in a ballroom or dining room off of the main lobby and the rest of the hotel was off limits. That was the perfect dare for me to wander beyond the velvet ropes unnoticed where I took my own curiosity tour of the guest rooms area. All of the doorways were open to the guest rooms and maids closets and the rooms were mainly emptied but not 100%. I remember approximately 3 guest rooms above the main floor that looked untouched since probably the 1920's or '30's that were done in a faded yet beautiful chinoiserie wall paper and "hotel quality" antiques (I now work in antiques and "hotel quality" is shall we say "iffy") but still nice rooms nonetheless. The rest of the hundreds of rooms I perused were all 1970 era hotel except for a few notable suites one that I dubbed the Yoko Ono Suite that was pure Japanese modern ugly but Fun Anyway (I say that with respect actually) and another I dubbed the Star Wars Suite (It was shall we say umm "silver") and another that was high disco inspired. Then there were quite a few others that were done with more stately decor ala Louis XVI. ALL of the guest rooms had the most immense closets I have ever seen by the way. Almost the size of a small bedroom! Finally I wandered in to the eyesore that is the most current Cocoanut Grove-well yuck. If I remember it correctly it was Purple rayon on the walls (its been 10 years now) But still it is an institution and I think the whole place should be restored. I am sure my tour of the hotel was probably considered breaking an entering but it was pure nosiness and curiosity no vandalism and I am glad I did it. I really encourage people to go see the area around the Ambassador and the hotel itself. Wilshire Blvd there is an extremely lovely stretch thanks to the Ambassador (even in its current state) And has more beautiful buildings as well. Bullocks Wilshire (obviously) segue to-The Wiltern Theater, the Gaylord Apartments (Named for H. Gaylord Wilshire) Langham Apartments (Sneak to the rooftop pool) Piccadilly Apartments, The Town House (Liz Taylor Married Nicky Hilton here) The Windsor, The DuBarry, The Park Plaza, The Asbury, The Bryson Squint at the Brown Derby-imagine how it looked, I. Magnin &Co. building is still there albeit a Korean shopping mall (haven't been inside however) I can go on and on this neighborhood rocks! It should be revitalized and could be like a former poster said just like Miami's South Beach revitalization!. Like the Headline on the main page reads "SPEAK NOW OR ITS HISTORY!"
Posted by Jeff (216.249.74.209) on July 08, 2001 at 00:42:46