12 New Venues in Los Angeles for Summer 2024 Meetings and Events

The new, multifaceted Universal Studios Lot Event Center includes a 4,500-square-foot dedicated event venue with a stylish prefunction space and outdoor terrace overlooking the Hollywood Hills. The versatile center can be utilized for one large event or divided into four separate rooms with a total capacity of 500 guests. Additional event spaces include Peacock Grill, a high-end restaurant, and The Green, a large, open lawn surrounded by trees. Three state-of-the-art theaters are just one floor down from the Event Center. The Main Theater seats 250, and the two smaller theaters seat 114. All theaters can screen multiple formats and feature Dolby Atmos. Accommodating events ranging from networking mixers, conferences, and galas to cocktail receptions for corporate and social clients, the Event Center venues, along with the Lot’s spacious soundstages and backlot locations, make Universal Studios the ideal location for your next blockbuster event.

Burton House Beverly Hills, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel by Marriott, opened in May. Inspired by the founder of Beverly Hills, Burton Edmond Green, the imaginative, personality-driven hotel pays homage to the city’s history and landscape through warm tones and natural materials mixed with bold colors and textures. The hotel boasts 186 rooms, a dining and social concept called Emerald Lounge, a fitness center, and a 1,100-square-foot yoga studio. For events, there's a 920-square-food event room that holds 60. In-house catering is available.

The new Regent Santa Monica Beach has opened for stays beginning Sept. 10. Located just steps from the Santa Monica Pier, the highly anticipated property has 24 suites and 143 guest rooms; there are also the 2,180-square-foot, two-story Atrium Suites, while the Santa Monica Presidential Suite has a separate game room and four balconies. Also on site is a beachfront pool deck, a sprawling 10,000-square-foot wellness spa in collaboration with Guerlain, and two ballrooms that hold 410 and 170 people, respectively. For dining, there’s Orla, a new concept in partnership with James Beard Award-winning chef Michael Mina.

Laya opened in early July. The new restaurant, located a block from the Hollywood Farmers Market, comes from Top Chef: Middle East winner Charbel Hayek—his second LA restaurant in just over a year. The menu offers Eastern Mediterranean dishes with California influence, plus a design from Studio Mood that aims to transport diners into a sun-drenched open-air market through earthy, natural materials and handcrafted accents. The restaurant features a 6,500-square-foot outdoor patio—billed as the largest in Hollywood—and can seat up to 157 people. Laya is the latest concept from Sunset Entertainment Group, which is behind noteworthy nightclubs like Sunset Room, Lure, White Lotus, Le Jardin, Green Door, and La Mesa Lounge.

The Westin Los Angeles Airport completed a $45 million renovation back in April—and in June, it debuted the last piece of the puzzle, the newly designed Westin Club Lounge (pictured). The updated lounge has a new location on the lobby level and has been expanded to 2,600 square feet. It also offers new state-of-the-art coffee and espresso machines and a self-serve wine bar. Overall, the hotel has more than 56,000 square feet of updated, flexible meeting space. Highlights are a 13,100-square-foot ballroom with 18-foot ceilings and natural light, as well as a state-of-the-art theater and a new Topgolf Swing Suite.

Situated along the Venice Beach Boardwalk is Hotel Erwin, which recently debuted the transformation of its High Rooftop Lounge. The space offers stunning oceanfront views and a fresh new look from designer Tara Bean (whose local work includes Belles Beach House and Élephante); it aims to channel a more comfortable, elevated lounge experience through new furnishings and decor elements plus a coastal-inspired mural. The lounge, which holds as many as 250 people, also has reimagined food and beverage offerings, plus a new weekend brunch. Other event spaces at the hotel include Larry's Loft, which holds 55 for receptions, and the Penthouse Suite, which holds 45.

Santa Monica steakhouse Meat on Ocean recently opened two new event spaces. The Zephyr Room (pictured) pays homage to the birth of the skater subculture in Santa Monica; it features vintage art and replicas from the late 1960s and early 1970s and can seat up to 78 guests or can hold 100 for a standing reception. The other new space is the M. Jeffrey King Board Room, an intimate private dining and meeting featuring custom-made leather chairs, audio/video connections, and a 4K TV with multiple streaming options. The space can seat up to 28 guests or hold 40 for a standing reception.

Earlier this month, this historic Hollywood Roosevelt announced the reopening of Library Bar, the cocktail lounge and speakeasy concept tucked in the corner of its lobby. Now open Wednesday to Sunday evenings, Library Bar serves unique cocktail and mocktail concoctions curated by master alchemist Michael Palazzo (previously of MINA Group), many featuring seasonal and fermented fruits and herbs sourced from local Southern California farmers markets. Library Bar is dimly lit with low-slung brown leather couches, seating up to 20 guests in its intimate lounge setting. Other event spaces at The Hollywood Roosevelt include the Blossom Ballroom, a 4,500-square-foot space with custom chandeliers and vintage ceiling details. There’s also the 2,400-square-foot Academy Room, the 2,500-square-foot Oscar Room, the 45-seat Cinegrill Theater, a 2,800-square-foot rooftop, and various boardroom and breakout spaces.

Positioned near landmarks like the Armory Center for the Arts and Pasadena City Hall, Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Pasadena/Old Town has finished an extensive property renovation. Drawing inspiration from Pasadena's past, the design ethos uses natural brick, wood, and existing architectural elements, aiming to blend art deco aesthetics with the modern industrial flair synonymous with today's "Old Pasadena." Throughout the property, locally sourced artwork—produced by Southern California artists and curated by General Public Art—adorns the walls. In total, there are 314 guest rooms and suites, with in-room amenities including an ergonomic workstation with a spacious desk. For events, there's 5,548 square feet of space spread across seven rooms, the largest of which holds 170 people.

The new Marriott Long Beach Downtown opened in mid-July. Located on the city’s waterfront promenade, the 12-story property has 376 contemporary guest rooms and suites, a rooftop pool and deck, a central lobby designed for work and social interaction, a lobby market, and a fitness center. Guests can dine on site at Local Current, which serves locally curated seasonal fare. For events, there’s more than 21,000 square feet of meeting space, including 14 flexible event rooms and 18 breakout rooms. The largest space holds as many as 800 guests.

Also new in Long Beach is 4 Shore, a French Italian restaurant and immersive cocktail lounge set in the Naples neighborhood. Open since May, the concept serves meat, seafood, handmade pasta, and more curated by chef Jared Ventura and overseen by executive chef Ben Davenport. The intimate bar is described as an “avant-garde sanctuary” where mixologist Walker Marsh blends rare spirits; house-made infusions; and fresh, exotic ingredients. The intimate space is designed to resemble a speakeasy, with dim lighting and velvet seating.

Taking a quick trip up the coast? Moxy Santa Barbara opened in June in the coastal city's Funk Zone neighborhood. The quirky hotel features 31 stylishly designed guest rooms—and as an added bonus, the check-in process gifts guests a complimentary signature cocktail along with their room key. Other venue highlights include an outdoor pool, a social space for work and playing games, and a 24-hour marketplace. Outdoor events can be held on the pool deck or in the communal kitchen, and on-site catering is available. The pet-friendly hotel is located steps from State Street, which has diverse restaurants, award-winning microbreweries, wine-tasting rooms, and shopping.