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Now here’s the craziest thing. No sooner had the iconic Hollywood sign survived an attempt to demolish it and replace it with executive homes, than an enterprising young architect has come up with the idea of building a luxury hotel – with rooms inside each of the letters!

Christian Bay-Jorgensen from Denmark has produced an impressive set of designs which would see the giant letters rebuilt to twice their current size of 45 feet.

He says luxury hotel facilities like the bar, restaurant and pool could be built behind the letters, giving the ten floors of rooms stunning views of the LA skyline. And Mr Bay-Jorgensen favours a roof terrace on top of each of the letters.

“I’m a fan of the Hollywood sign and the unused spaces of America,” said the 28-year-old. “It could be interesting to make it a centre for such events as the Golden Globes and Oscars. This could be the future of the sign.”

He believes his plan for a luxury hotel offers the chance to develop the site and provide the city with the funding it badly needs, but he is also fully aware of the sensitivities surrounding the sign. “I know people are scared – I know they are afraid this idea will turn it into Disneyland,” he said.

The idea has already had internet message boards buzzing. Said one contributor: “The Hollywood sign faces south, perhaps south-south-west, so the swimming pool and sun terrace will have no sun for most of the day because of the letters creating large shade. Why can’t he leave it as it is: a classic Los Angeles tourist attraction and piece of history?”

by Andy Moreton

If you’re heading for America’s West Coast, Luxique can guide you to some of the finest luxury hotels in Los Angeles – such landmarks as the Beverly Wilshire, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air.

A post-script to last week’s article about the battle to save the famous Hollywood sign that was to make space for a luxury hotel in Los Angeles.

It’s just been reported that the final, decisive $900,000 (£580,000) has been donated by the Playboy mogul, Hugh Hefner, and so the iconic landmark survives.

The sign is owned by the city, but the property around it belongs to a group of Chicago-based investors. Their original intention was to sell it to developers looking to build exclusive homes and, possibly, a luxury hotel.

But with Hefner’s help, a conservation trust has now raised the $12.5 million (£8.1 million), which the investors were willing to accept for the site.

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger described the news as ‘the Hollywood ending we hoped for’.
Hefner, who calls the sign ‘Hollywood’s Eiffel Tower’, said: “My childhood dreams and fantasies came from the movies, and the images created in Hollywood had a major influence on my life and Playboy.”

Inevitably, some newspapers have doctored the sign to show one of the Os with Playboy Bunny ears.

by Andy Moreton

If you have a visit to the City of Angels in mind, take a look at Luxique’s selection of luxury hotels in Los Angeles, which includes all the top names.

A battle has been going on in Los Angeles to save the iconic Hollywood sign that’s been a must-see for tourists for more than 80 years.

The land on which it stands was bought by Chicago-based investors, whose intention was to sell it to developers looking to build exclusive homes and, possibly, a luxury hotel.

But a conservation trust says it’s on the verge of raising the $12.5 million (£8.1 million) which the developers would accept for the 138-acre area known as Cahuenga Peak.

The investors initially planned to sell the land to developers (who wanted to build a luxury hotel) for $22 million (£14.4 million) but agreed to turn it over to the trust for $12.5 million if the money was paid by April 14th. This deadline has now been extended to April 30th.

Los Angeles city councillor, Tom LaBonge, said he was confident the trust would raise the remaining $1.5 million (£1 million). “We are grateful to have a little more time to reach our goal, and we’re going to get there,” said LaBonge.

The 45-foot Hollywood sign was originally put up in 1923 as a billboard for a Los Angeles real estate company.

by Andy Moreton

If you’re heading for America’s West Coast, Luxique can guide you to some of the finest luxury hotels in Los Angeles, including the Beverly Wilshire, the Beverly Hills Hotel and the Hotel Bel-Air.

Work has begun on a $1.5 billion (£1 billion) expansion of the international terminal at Los Angeles airport (LAX).

Upgrades to the Tom Bradley Terminal will include new restaurants, fifteen new boarding gates and other passenger services. It’s thought the project will be completed by 2013.

All this is not before time, some travellers might say, as LAX has frequently been judged among the worst in the United States. A recent survey found the airport received poor ratings for accessibility, terminal facilities, food and retail services, security screening and overall customer satisfaction. It achieved a ranking of just 2 among large airports in the US.

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa was at the ceremony marking the beginning of the project. “By modernizing the Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX, we will provide a better service for passengers from around the world,” he said.

“Tourism and international trade are major contributors to Los Angeles’ economy that generate jobs and contribute to the city’s ability to retain its position in the ever-increasing competitive global marketplace.”

by Andy Moreton

If you have a visit to the City of Angels in mind, take a look at Luxique’s selection of luxury hotels in Los Angeles, which includes all the top names.

As surveys go, this one is pretty gross. Our friends at Tripadvisor.com have come up with a top five tourist attractions that could be bad for your health as they’re so germ-ridden. Here they are in reverse order:

At number 5 is the forecourt of Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, where celebrities leave their hand- and footprints for posterity. Apparently, it’s covered in grime from the countless visitors who see if their hands and feet match those of the stars.

St Mark’s is a beautiful square in Venice, but it’s always suffered from a surfeit of hungry pigeons and the mess they leave behind. That brings it in at number 4.

At number 3 is Oscar Wilde’s tomb in Paris. People clearly like to kiss it, because it’s covered with lipstick prints. Yuk!

A wall outside Market Theatre in Seattle was placed runner-up in the survey. Since 1990, tens of thousands of people have stuck their unwanted chewing gum to the wall, turning it into a tourist attraction. The display was started by people waiting in line to visit the theatre. The wall has been scraped clean twice but is still covered with gum, some moulded into shapes and faces.

But the ‘favourite’ tourist attraction for picking up germs is the Blarney Stone at Blarney Castle near Cork in the Irish Republic. More than 400,000 tourists a year literally bend over backwards to kiss the Stone, as legend has it that it will give you the gift of eloquent speech.

by Andy Moreton

Luxique can promise you ultra-hygienic facilities at top-class hotels close to all the tourist attractions mentioned above: browse our selection of luxury hotels in Los Angeles, Venice, Paris, Seattle and Cork.

I’ve never seen anything quite as extraordinary as that Japan Airlines jumbo that sucked a baggage cart into one of its engines at Los Angeles International.

The plane, with 245 passengers on board, was pushing back from the terminal gate ready for departure for Tokyo when the chunky metal container used to transport luggage flew into one of the four engines. According to a passenger, the captain said: “We have a slight problem with engine number one.”

The authorities at LAX are exploring the possibility that the baggage cart was parked too close to the aircraft.

The 245 passengers and 18 crew were taken back to the terminal where alternative flight arrangements were made for them. There were no injuries.

by Andy Moreton