The 727-room main hotel at 2025 Avenue of the Stars has beenrenamed The Century Plaza Hotel & Spa and is undergoing a$35-million renovation spotlighted by a 30,000 sf Asian-themed spa,says owner F. Francis Najafi of Phoenix-based Pivotal Century PlazaLLC.

The distinctive curved hotel, designed by Minoru Yamasaki as oneof the original centerpieces of the Century City mixed-use complex,will continue to be operated by Westin Hotels & Resorts, ownedby White Plains, NY-based Starwood Hotels & Resorts WorldwideInc., Najafi adds. In February 1999, he led Pivotal Group's$260-million acquisition of the Century Plaza.Another unit ofStarwood, St. Regis, will operate the 1984 tower, which will berenamed The St. Regis, Los Angeles and open this fall. Under thedouble-branding approach, the St. Regis will be positioned as anultra-luxury hotel--with room rates averaging $350 anight--compared to $220 at the Century Plaza.

By double-branding, the hotel's owners hope to broaden thedevelopment's appeal. The Westin will target urban professionalsand the meeting business, while the St. Regis is aimed at high-endvisitors.In addition to the signature spa, the Century Plaza, whichopened in 1966, is getting a complete transformation of its publicspaces, penthouse suites, dining areas, exterior grounds andmeeting facilities.