West Hollywood's iconic Standard hotel is the latest COVID-19 casualty
Right on Sunset Strip, the Standard hotel was where all the cool kids went.
Known for the dour doormen guarding the red velvet rope outside its top-secret club called mmhmmm, no riff-raff allowed please, it was the ultimate place to see and be seen.
When it opened 22 years ago, the Standard, with financial backing from both Leonardo di Caprio and Cameron Diaz, was a Nineties mecca of Hollywood glam. Think a Damian Hirst live art installation, giant Perspex egg chairs and acres of shag carpets.
But sadly, it's the latest institution to fall victim to COVID-19. Today, it announced it would shut its doors for good -- effective immediately.
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A representative of the hotel said that due to increased building leasing fees, it “rendered it unsustainable to operate the hotel.” She also said the hotel tried to renegotiate the lease with the landlord.
The Standard brand, with other hotels in Downtown LA, New York, Miami, London and the Maldives, is easily recognizable with its distinctive upside-down logo and high concept design, not to mention its hip cocktails and celeb-spotting opportunities.
The West Hollywood branch was the very first that hotelier Andre Balazs opened in the Standard chain of boutique hotels. It now operates under parent company Standard International and Balazs stepped down as the company’s chairman in 2017.
Coronavirus has dealt the hospitality industry a crushing blow in the past 12 months -- the Standard is just the latest hotel to succumb due to lockdown and severe travel restrictions, making it difficult for businesses to stay afloat.
Other major COVID-19 casualties include The Roosevelt in New York -- a true Big Apple institution -- the InterContinental Moorea in French Polynesia, the uber-chic Ace hotel in London, Luxe Rodeo Drive in LA and the Colorado Belle in Nevada, among others.
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- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
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Rewards Rate
| 10x | Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 5x | Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 3x | Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. |
| 1x | Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®80,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
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Why We Chose It
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase's Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 10 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.Pros
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more