To spot the Westin Bonaventure Hotel, just look for the set of four gleaming, cylindrical glass towers clustered together like a futuristic fortress of mirrors rising above you-trust me, you can’t miss it!
Welcome to your final stop, and what a spectacular finale this is! Take a moment to soak in the sight: the sheer, reflective curves of the Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites make it look like LA’s own modern castle-except instead of knights, the only battles happening inside are probably over who gets the best elevator view. You’re standing before a true icon, designed by the legendary John C. Portman Jr., and built between 1974 and 1977, when disco was king and everyone thought the future would look exactly like this.
Picture the scene back in the late ’70s: Los Angeles was buzzing with energy, and up popped this 33-story marvel-a design so bold, some folks wondered if it had landed from another planet. With its shimmering cylindrical towers, it’s been called a “miniature city” and “a total space.” At over 360 feet, the Bonaventure isn’t just a place to stay-it’s a world to get lost in. And believe me, people have! The interior was originally so confusing that color-coded elevator systems were brought in later just to help folks find their way out. Sounds like the setting for a spy movie, right? Well, you’ll be thrilled to know that you’re standing in front of a building that’s played a starring role in more films and shows than many Hollywood actors.
Let me sweep you up to the top floor, at least in your imagination! Up there, a revolving restaurant and bar lets you sip a drink while the whole city slowly spins beneath you. If you listen closely, you might almost hear the echoes of secret deals, toasts, and maybe the odd wild story from a night out in LA.
Now, let’s peek into the Bonaventure’s filmography. Its four glass columns have hosted elevator action scenes in movies like “In the Line of Fire” and “True Lies” (there are bronze plaques inside to prove it). Maybe you recall Tom and Tilly from Tots TV watching tall buildings from the Bonaventure’s roof-or a Power Ranger tumbling down after a fight with a villain. This hotel’s incredible silhouette appears everywhere: in episodes of “Wonder Woman,” “Starsky & Hutch,” “The A-Team,” “L.A. Law,” “Moonlighting,” and movie blockbusters such as “Rain Man,” “Logan’s Run,” and “Escape from LA.” The lobby even hosted a high-stakes “Fear Factor” stunt with plexiglass discs suspended over dizzying heights-a true test of courage (or foolishness, depending on how you look at it!).
But it’s not just Hollywood where the Bonaventure shines. Academics have spent hours puzzling over its twisting, mirrored spaces. Legendary theorist Fredric Jameson reflected on this place as a full-on “miniature city,” a world-within-a-world where crowds circulate, mingle, and lose themselves. And no, you aren’t the first to wonder if you’ve accidentally wandered into a new universe-urban theorist Edward Soja described it as “fragmented and fragmenting,” a glittering maze that seems open and inviting but, once inside, might just spin you around in a modern labyrinth. Try not to get lost!
Even the elevators have their own story. With twelve glass capsules named Red Circle, Yellow Diamond, Green Square, and Blue Triangle, they’re the keys to navigating the hotel. Only the brave Red Circle dares rise all the way to floor “35” (there’s no 7th or 13th-superstitions, you know), while its companions stop at 32. More than one guest has admitted to choosing their elevator simply by favorite color, rather than trying to map it out-hey, sometimes random chance is the way to go.
The Bonaventure keeps finding new ways to make appearances, not just in classics but in video games like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas and Call of Duty: Black Ops II, not to mention music videos from Aaliyah, Kylie Minogue, and Rihanna’s “Savage x Fenty Show Vol. 3.”
Even as the world changes around it, the Westin Bonaventure stands tall-part hotel, part movie star, part urban puzzle, and always an adventure ready to happen. So take a last look, wave goodbye to this futuristic wonder, and remember: if you ever do go inside, bring a map… and maybe leave a trail of breadcrumbs, just in case!
If you're curious about the reactions, floors and elevators or the location filming, the chat section below is the perfect place to seek clarification.
