The Century Plaza

In August 2008, I spent one night at the Hyatt Regency Century Plaza in Century City. Situated on property that was once the 20th Century-Fox lot, it originally opened in 1966 (without the “Hyatt Regency” in the name).



The hotel was host to a glittering list of stars and politicians, including Bob Hope, Andy Williams, Walt Disney, Ronald Reagan, and Richard Nixon. At the time I stayed there, it was two years into its ownership by Hyatt Hotels. Sold off in December 2008, the new owners planned to demolish the building but were thwarted because of its historic designation. Instead, they renovated the hotel and converted some of the floors to condos.



From 2016-2021, the hotel was closed for a $2.5 billion renovation, reopening on September 27, 2021 as the Fairmont Century Plaza.



I don’t remember much about my stay; it was only 24 hours, and most of that time was spent in Hollywood for “Wicked” at the Pantages Theatre.



Sharp-eyed movie viewers will recognize the curved façade of the hotel from the 1980 movie “9 to 5,” specifically the scene where Doralee (Dolly Parton) gets a phone call from Missy Hart (Marian Mercer) inadvertently letting her know that her husband Franklin (Dabney Coleman) is now on the loose.



Like I mentioned, I was mostly at the Pantages on Hollywood Boulevard:



These behind-the-scenes shots were taken during a tour of the theatre and show the sets for “Wicked.”







I was more impressed with the interior of the theatre itself than “Wicked”; I fell asleep mid-show, just like I did when I saw it on Broadway. The songs did not resonate with me and the story seemed contrived.



See more Century City photos at my main website.