The Weekly Newspaper of Inglewood
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 69, No. 12 - March 19, 2020
Inglewood Unified School District
Provides Nutritious Meals to Students
Thank you to Oak Street Elementary School Principal Perez and staff for distributing meals to students on St. Patrick’s Day. For more on grab-and-go meals, visit: http://bit.ly/39X0Are. Photo Inglewood Unified School District.
AC Hotel from page 3
they feature several turnkey media salons
with free wi-fi and meetings rooms that rent
by the hour or day. If anyone’s in need of
a banquet hall for a birthday celebration or
retirement party, “The Aviation Room” fits a
sizable crowd and comes with a full banquet
menu to help with catering.
Primarily, “it’s a place where travelers
can feel like locals and locals can enjoy an
eclectic, new experience that represents their
neighborhood,” says Martinez.
After all, the Welcome Group Inc.—who
manages the AC Hotel and other Marriott
affiliates under their portfolio—has their headquarters
at 222 N. PCH. It’s an El Segundo
company with a passion for creating a oneof
a-kind experience in their own backyard.
Borrowing inspiration from the bustling
business district, tech crowds and nearby
LAX, the AC Hotel even has an aviationthemed
aesthetic throughout the premises.
From the lobby to the rooms themselves,
everything is akin to a Boeing 757 with sharp
lines and smooth curves to give guests the
feeling of being in the air once they arrive.
Ceilings jet out like airplane wings, lights in
the rooms line the walls and give the illusion
of a runway guiding you to relaxation.
“The experience is meant to support the
modern traveler,” says Ahmed Elassy, the
hotel’s General Manager who has spent the
past 20 years in the hospitality industry.
“But along with that priority, it’s important
to provide a respite for the hardworking,
growing community.”
That’s where Flora—the rooftop bar at the
AC Hotel—makes a huge impact.
According to Chris Adams, the owner of
Ellis Adams Group who created the concept of
Flora, his goal was “to create an environment
that felt like an unpretentious escape.”
“I wanted to evoke the feeling of sitting on
your own patio with friends, but elevate that
experience with fun and amazing cocktails and
refined bites. It’s an escape above the city where
you can come for a drink after work, and then
find yourself still [there] late into the night
and not even realize the time has flown by.”
On any given night, especially once the
corporate crowds clock out for the day, the
rooftop takes El Segundo into after-hours mode.
A stunning fire pit runs across the center
of the space. Cozy, modern furniture gives
everyone a place to relax and converse. Delicious
cocktails like the “Front Porch Sour”
and “Cali Fizz” provide a unique beverage
experience. Not to mention, the food—avocado
toast, margarita pizzas, french fries, tasty hummus—
is something everyone can enjoy and
pairs well with any drink options.
It’s also worth mentioning that all the herbs
and garnishes for drinks and food items are
grown directly onsite at the rooftop’s garden.
A local farming team called Logan’s Gardens
manages the plot of over 200 different edible
plants and flowers.
Eddie Sanchez, Flora’s manager, boasts that
“you’ll make a lifetime of memories as soon
as you walk in the door.”
At the end of the day, the AC Hotel is a
place that welcomes all visitors. Whether you
book a room or not, you can still relish in the
atmosphere and treat yourself to some incredible,
first-class comforts. •