For Immediate Release
(949) 216-9970
05/22/2008
R.D. Olson Construction Completes Exotic Four-Star Los Angeles Hotel
IRVINE, Calif.—In a $25 million top-to-bottom overhaul, R.D. Olson Construction has transformed a non-descript 19-story hotel at 10740 Wilshire into a four-star plus Hotel Palomar Westwood. The hotel remained open during much of the construction process, which began in January 2007.
The hotel’s owner, Behringer Harvard of Dallas, went to great lengths to differentiate this hotel to specifically cater to the more extravagant crowd that typically visits the area. This boutique hotel is located east of Westwood Village, in the heart of one of California’s most exclusive areas. It is operated Kimpton Hotels of San Francisco.
“The hotel is a work of art,” said Robert Olson, CEO/president, R.D. Olson Construction of Irvine, Calif. “It’s befitting of this upscale neighborhood and for those seeking lodging at a place that’s uniquely exotic.”
The Los Angeles office of the internationally renowned architectural firm, Gensler, designed the hotel. Cheryl Rowley Design of Beverly Hills brought the Hotel Palomar Westwood interior to life.
The hotel design is strikingly out of the mainstream and the attention to detail is unsurpassed. Its guest rooms sizzle with black and red lacquer furnishings, faux snakeskin dresser tops and snakeskin patterned carpet. Each has a 42-inch flat panel television and infrared thermostat. In putting the 24-inch balconies to a more inventive use, R.D. Olson added champagne finished storefront window systems. This expanded the size of each unit and increased the overall space of each floor by 30 feet.
The bathrooms have been totally reconstructed and upgraded with ultra-modern fixtures. Above-the-counter bowls that sit on vessel-shaped lavatories replace its sunken bowl, doors now slide instead of swing on hinges and motion sensors conserve energy. Each floor that houses guests features corner suites with two-person-sized oval hot tubs. The presidential suite is on the 19th floor.
The public spaces, including the lobby, corridors and restaurant, are plentiful with Wenge wood from Zaire and macassar ebony from East Indonesia. The rare woods are complemented by colorful broken glass mosaic walls.
Even the pool area is big on style, with 3-D geometric shaped patterns of flamed granite pavers and extensive use of vittata bamboo, which is so rare, it can only be found in two nurseries in Southern California.
Public spaces are at ground level with parking on levels two through five. Hospitality suites and a fitness center are on the 6th floor, and 267 guest rooms on floors seven through 19.
The hotel originally opened in 1972 as a Holiday Inn, later becoming a Doubletree Inn and, most recently, the Westwood Hotel.
Robert Olson founded R.D. Olson Construction in 1979. It has grown into one of the largest general contracting firms in California, building such establishments as Marriott Newport Coast Villas, Newport Beach; Marriott Residence Inn, Burbank; Marriott Residence Inn, Oceanside; and more than 300 restaurants nationwide including more than 10 Morton’s the Steakhouses and 20 Benihana-owned establishments. Current California projects under construction include Renaissance ClubSport, Aliso Viejo; The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Los Angeles; and Marriott’s Shadow Ridge, Palm Desert.
