A Quieter Riot

Occupying the former "Riot Hyatt," where rock stars of the '70s like Keith Richards and John Bonham once tossed televisions off balconies and rode motorcycles through hallways, the redesigned property is the first American hotel in the new Hyatt-owned Andaz chain (London's Andaz opened in 2007, while two New York properties and an Austin hotel are also in the works). Working with $40 million, design firm Janson Goldstein raised local eyebrows last year when its team gutted the entire 14-story building and enclosed the infamous balconies. The makeover is indeed extreme, but effective. Hip without being obnoxiously so, the new aesthetic has made the hotel relevant again while clearly communicating Andaz's intentions: more style, less bile.