ACE Hotel DTLA

Do you overpack? Yes?

I am judging you.

I never pack more than I can fit in my carry on and, importantly, can lift — without aid — over my head.

I keep it light because I don’t want to be separated from or to wait for my bag and I want to have enough space to buy something to bring home with me if the spirit moves me.

For long trips, this can mean wearing the same thing more than once or washing something in the sink, but ideally it means finding a way to do laundry at some point along the way. This has led to me staying in AirBnBs outfitted with a washer/dryer and, very rarely, paying a million dollars (AKA $7 for a pair of underwear) for a hotel to do my laundry for me. But — on particularly long trips when I’m not in a rush, I’m happy to roll into a laundromat and dump a suitcase of clothes in the washer, particularly if it leads to a friendly chat with the owner or another customer. (Shout out to Hory at Sparkle Launderette & Dry Cleaners in Notting Hill, London.)

On a recent trip to LA, I discovered that the Ace Hotel in DTLA has a washer and dryer AND it only costs 75 cents per load for each. (And the dryer dries, which seems obvious to anyone who has never been forced to spend time in a laundromat, but is not.) The laundry room is off the gym, so you can even do a load while you’re working out, unless, of course, you want to wash you gym clothes…

It’s pretty great to have such a helpful amenity that doesn’t leave you feeling ripped off — a rarity in hotel living — and it’s a good reason to pick Ace over other DTLA spots if you’ve got a long stay on your hands.

My Stays: April 14, 2017, July 22-27, 2018, July 30-August 6, 2019