Jonathan Adler wants to prove that interior design can do good as well as look good.
Melding his established talents with his passion for philanthropy, the 50-year-old designer has given a hotel suite in one of Los Angeles’s storied boutique hotels a super-glam makeover for an amazing cause. The (RED)-inspired suite at the Andaz West Hollywood, which began welcoming guests March 9, is aimed at giving its occupants “the most glamorous, luxurious vacation they could ever imagine,” he said.
But, as Adler told The Huffington Post, the new suite represents more than just rest and relaxation. Thirty percent of the room rate, which ranges from $519 to $849 a night, will be donated to (RED), the HIV/AIDS advocacy organization founded by U2’s Bono and Bobby Shriver.
While Adler supports a number of humanitarian causes, including cancer research and animal rescue efforts, he believes the fight against HIV/AIDS remains critical. “I came of age during the AIDS crisis,” he told HuffPost, “and my hubby Simon Doonan lost so many friends and coworkers to the disease, so it’s a cause that remains close to my heart.”
Like many Los Angeles hotspots, the Andaz West Hollywood is perhaps most associated with celebrity clientele. Part of the Hyatt Hotels and Resorts family, the hotel was previously known as the Continental Hyatt House but dubbed the “Riot House,” and a favorite hangout for The Rolling Stones and The Doors in the 1960s and ‘70s. (Led Zeppelin frontman Robert Plant’s iconic “I am a golden god” photo, which later inspired a scene in 2000’s “Almost Famous,” was snapped from one of the hotel’s balconies.)
Adler said he nodded to that rock ‘n’ roll history in his design for the suite. “I wanted to create a suite that was louche and luxurious and a little bit sybaritic... I want every space I design to have a sense of place and to make you feel like the most eccentric, glamorous version of yourself.”
Maryam Banikarim, who is Hyatt’s chief marketing officer, told HuffPost that Adler’s “eclectic” style was the “perfect” choice for the suite. We’ve had a long relationship with (RED) – there’s a lot of great history there and we’ve been looking for ways to collaborate for quite some time,” she said. Adler, she added, “was totally into the rock ‘n roll history of the hotel and was super passionate about getting involved.”
In the end, Adler said he’ll be proud if the suite reinvigorates guests’ fervor in the fight against HIV/AIDS, even in some small way. “The biggest misconception,” he said, “is that it’s over.”
Take a peek inside the Andaz (RED) suite below.
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