Ian Schrager‘s Public West Hollywood is set to open on 15 July 2026, bringing 137 rooms, a pool, three food-and-entertainment venues, and a 16,000-square-foot private rooftop park with panoramic views over Los Angeles. The hotel marks the third iteration of Schrager‘s Public concept and continues his push for what he calls democratic luxury.
The property occupies a landmark building on the Sunset Strip — the former Standard Hotel on Sunset Boulevard, which operated from 1999 until its closure in 2021. Schrager has reimagined the site in collaboration with British minimalist architect John Pawson, whose influence is reflected in clean lines, warm materials, and restrained spaces designed as much for atmosphere as comfort.
The hotel deliberately pares back several features often associated with high-end hospitality. There is no celebrity chef, no traditional front desk, no TV in the room, and no in-house spa. Schrager says the design avoids excess that he sees as unnecessary. “We don’t have a celebrity chef, even though that’s something I introduced to the industry. We don’t have a fancy menu. That’s out of touch. We don’t have a traditional front desk so you go up to your room almost like you would your own apartment or a residence. We don’t even have a TV in the room. We don’t have design on steroids — it’s something everybody can be comfortable with,” he said.
Every guest room functions as a screening room, featuring 8 x 12-foot screens — a nod to Hollywood’s cinematic identity. The hotel also includes a nightclub designed to avoid the typical excess of flashing lights, aiming instead to recreate the feeling of dancing on a sound stage.
The standout amenity is a lushly landscaped 16,000-square-foot open-air rooftop terrace offering 360-degree views across Los Angeles. The space is designed to serve as an urban oasis, sunset lounge, and evening entertainment destination, featuring Adirondack chairs, a campfire, and space for community-focused programming. Schrager has long maintained that rooftops should function as gathering places rather than VIP boxes.
The social hub lobby will serve as the beating heart of the hotel, complemented by three destination food, beverage, and entertainment outlets. Rooms are soundproofed — a deliberate improvement on a common complaint from guests of the former Standard Hotel. Rates start at $495 a night.
Schrager described the concept as more than a hotel: a cultural hub designed for a new generation of discerning travelers and locals alike. “When someone stays in a hotel they should be able to get a feeling of what the city is all about, just merely by staying in a hotel,” he said. He added that the project is meant to balance opposing ideas, calling it “subversive yet very sophisticated” and “rebellious yet very, very refined,” describing it as his “most important idea to date.”
The West Hollywood opening is built on four pillars that define the Public brand: great service, style, entertainment, and experience. Schrager launched the first Public in New York’s Lower East Side in 2017, and the brand previously operated under the Public name in Chicago. He introduced the broader boutique hotel concept in the 1980s with Morgan’s in New York, widely regarded as one of the earliest boutique hotels in the world. He also co-founded Studio 54 with Steve Rubell in 1977 and later launched the Edition brand with Marriott International in 2008.
In January 2026, Schrager announced a joint venture with hospitality investment and management firm Highgate to take the Public brand into new markets around the world. Highgate, which manages more than 80,000 keys across North America, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Europe, will operate and manage Public hotels while Schrager retains full creative authority, vision, and brand stewardship. The partnership is described as a deliberate evolution of the “luxury for all” concept, delivering sophisticated design, strong service, and a distinctive experience at a more accessible price point.
Public West Hollywood is Schrager‘s third project in Los Angeles, following the West Hollywood Edition about a mile down the Sunset Strip. With its stripped-back approach, landmark setting, and deep connection to the culture of the surrounding neighbourhood, the hotel aims to offer a version of luxury defined by design, social energy, and a strong sense of place rather than by what it spends.
