Los Angeles Hotel: The Standard Hotel opened in 1999 as a less expensive, hip and stylish hotel on the Sunset Strip, across from the Chateau Marmont on the in West Hollywood, California. The hotel was opened by, and continues to be run by Andre Balazs Properties. The Standard Hotel chain has expanded to 4 locations; Hollywood, Downtown LA, Miami and New York. The Standard Hotel chain is know for its appeal with a celebrity crowd and its' distinctive upside-down signage and logo.
The Hollywood Standard Hotel building was originally the Thunderbird Motel which opened in 1962. The building had become a retirement home when Balazs purchased and remodeled the building. Original investors in the Hollywood hotel were Leonardo DiCaprio, Cameron Diaz, Benicio del Toro, The Smashing Pumpkins' D'Arcy Wretzky and James Iha.