The Sunset Marquis is designed for indulging in the summer months. And every year as it warms up, we get excited for the waves of WeHo first-timers, giddy vacationers, and, of course, our happy-to-see-you-again poolside regulars. While many an urban hotel will flaunt its rooftop pool, we prefer providing our guests with options. That is, two pools both woven into our 3.5-acre garden oasis. Because we believe you should escape the concrete jungle while in your bathing suit. However, it’s not just about having two pools on property that separates us from other hotels in Los Angeles. It’s also our rich history and the iconic moments ingrained in everything from our poolside tiles to our lounge chairs.
With our infamous history with the rock ‘n’ roll community, it’s no surprise that some of the most iconic names in music have escaped to the Sunset Marquis for a dip, a lounge, or some poolside mischief (simply imagine Flea cannonballing off our rooftop and into our main pool if you need to know what we mean by “mischief”). As the rock ‘n’ roll genre rose to power, the Sunset Marquis quickly became the watering hole of its musicians – and our main pool became the backdrop of so many iconic photoshoots with musical legends.
As L.A. stations blasted his hits, “Seven Day Weekend,” “School Is Out,” and “New Orleans,” you could find Gary U.S. Bonds (photographed by Richard Aaron) soaking up the sun at the main pool here at the Marquis. Turn the dial to the 70s, as “One Way or Another” and “Rockaway Beach” vied for the radio waves, Blondie (photographed by Armando Gallo, 1978), Tommy Ramone, and Joey Ramone (both photographed by Danny Fields, 1977) enjoyed bliss during poolside moments at the Sunset Marquis. Doing the Running Man over to the 80s, you could find Joe Strummer of the Clash (photographed by Bob Gruen, 1980) pulling off the all-black poolside fit. Our second pool – known as the “villa pool” – has also kept up this tradition, showing up behind beloved bands, such as Green Day (photographed by Ross Halfin), and emerging artists, like The Native Howl (photographed by Bryan Beasley). Iconic musicians and iconic photographers – lucky us.
Our two pool decks have housed not only musical artists but also art. Insert a round of applause for the one and only Timothy White who curates our ever-changing main pool rock ‘n’ roll photography exhibition. Starting in 2018 with a mural by street artist, Elle, our poolside exhibition evolved into an homage to our rich rock ‘n’ roll history and is now a revolving display of great musicians and photographers. Currently Tina Turner invites all our guests past the lobby with a “simply the best,” while previous installations have showcased Robert Plant (Henry Diltz, 1975), Blondie (Henry Diltz, 1977), The Doors (Henry Diltz, 1969), Jimi Hendrix (David Montgomery, 1968), Run DMC (Danny Clinch), and Keith Richards (Henry Diltz, 1979).
But it doesn’t stop there. Our pools aren’t only a historic backdrop for previous musical generations. Now they’re also the stomping grounds for amazing current events featuring contemporary musicians. In fact, there’s almost always a rhyme behind our reason for what art is displayed, and it usually involves an event. For example, our Run DMC installation oversaw the real Darryl “DMC” McDaniels and Kelis’s live performances at Morrison Hotel Gallery + Equinox’s Music’s (Second) Biggest Night celebration Jan 23, 2020. Less than a month later, The Doors’s photo was installed because the 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Doors’s famous Morrison Hotel Gallery 1970 album cover was celebrating that historic image – right underneath its exhibition. And who can forget Miley Cyrus and Robby Krieger’s performance of “Roadhouse Blues” that night?
Even more recently, John Oates, Keb’ Mo’, Jared James Nichols, Eric Gales, and Jeff Barry came together for the Ultra Rare Celebrity Jam, Joe Bonamassa’s benefit that raised money for kids with ultra rare diseases. Fine dining and a silent auction were held on our villa pool deck, and both our villa pool and our restaurant had the privilege of transforming into stages for musical performances during the event. And while we’re “on” the villa pool deck, we’d be remiss not to mention our beloved Live at Sunset Marquis summer concert series, which saw nine great years of musicians play at our villa pool, bringing together our favorite things: music, parties, and summer pool time.
Our pool decks have housed so many rich musical memories, art, events, and performances over the decades that they’ve become a tourist attraction in their own right. But in addition to being the perfect photo shoot location, outdoor gallery, and party venue, our pools at their core are simply the best spot for the quintessential Los Angeles summer experience. They are the heart of our WeHo oasis, delighting guests with a refreshing reprieve from the hot L.A. sun. Our mouth-watering poolside menus are in full swing this summer too! Classics, like our Togarashi Potato Chips with spicy onion dip or the Ahi Tuna Poke with mango, jicama, cucumber, and Avocado, are balanced out by Chef Luis Morales’s ever-delightful and changing specials. Trust us, you’ll be thanking Chef for his unforgettable summer dishes.
In the spirit of pools and summertime, we welcome guests to enjoy our 2022 Summer Indulgence package, which includes a Cavatina, Bar 1200, or poolside dining credit for dishes and drinks with your two-night minimum stay. You only have one difficult decision to make when you get here: do you order your poolside food first or jump into our cool waters immediately?
