Open since 1914, The Langham Huntington, Pasadena, Los Angeles, is a heritage property in Southern California that transports guests back in time the moment they step through its doors. With 17 acres of lush gardens overlooking the San Gabriel Valley and more than 50,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor event space, including multiple ballrooms and breakout rooms, the historic landmark has been featured in many films and TV shows and is a popular destination for corporate gatherings of all sizes.
One of the property’s unique venues is the recently refreshed Tap Room bar, which opened just after Prohibition’s end and pays homage to the charm and glamour of the 1930s. Despite the economic downturn, the hotel prospered during the Great Depression with a key base clientele of Hollywood elite and others of high wealth status, says Leslie Marks, the hotel’s director of marketing and communications.
“The resort benefitted from the strong supervision of the hotel manager at the time, Stephen Royce, who got creative with solutions like issuing [legal tender substitutes like] scrip to meet guests’ cash needs when financial institutions closed in 1933. [Scrip was] used by even the most prominent of visitors, like Eastman Kodak and Edward Bausch of Bausch & Lomb,” Marks says. “It was the same time period that saw the 41 Picture Bridge paintings created and installed, and, as the hotel had recently opened as a year-round resort, this was a prime time for pool games, fashion shows, and other guest programming.”
With dark walls, a bar, fireplace, piano, comfortable seating, and an outdoor terrace overlooking the resort’s Horseshoe Garden, The Tap Room is the ideal setting for enjoying live music in the evening from area musicians such as the Paulie Cerra Trio, Christopher Linman Duo, and Jon Proulx Duo that perform classic 1950s and ’60s jazz and contemporary soul. In early June, The Tap Room completed a refresh that included an updated interior with new furniture and artwork.
“All the furniture and art is new—we wanted to give the bar a more comfortable, lounge-like, residential feel in a configuration that allows for more capacity, but in a way that never feels crowded,” Marks says. “The green marble on the front of the bar was uncovered after being hidden for many years, and we were excited to see that it fit perfectly with the new design. And then, to reinforce the concept of the bar being a hub for live music, particularly jazz, the art [previously] on the walls was replaced with historic photographs of jazz legends.”
The bar menu also was updated, featuring new signature cocktails and zero-proof options with names tied to the history of the hotel, whether it’s an illustrious personality of the past or some part of the grounds or building.
“Post-Prohibition meant a return to a spirited, effervescent, optimistic, and electric atmosphere at the hotel bar, and we want to celebrate that feeling with this refresh and new menu,” Marks says. “We give a little history [behind the name of] each [drink,] along with the cocktail description, and I think those tidbits of information make the experience a little more fun and whimsical for guests. Our staff’s current favorites are the Sammy the Diver cocktail, named after Sammy Lee, the first Asian American to win Olympic gold and who used to train at the hotel pool in the 1940s; as well as the Hallie Parker zero-proof cocktail, a beautiful and delicate pink concoction with pineapple, yuzu, mint, honey syrup, coconut, and soda water, named for Lindsay Lohan’s character in [1998’s] ‘The Parent Trap,’ which was filmed right here at the hotel.”
The menu also offers playful, yet refined bar bites sourced from area producers and rooted in seasonality. Highlights include the Dena Pub Burger with mushrooms, caramelized onions, and gruyere cheese; a Scotch egg with Italian sausage and mustard aioli; the Oak Knoll onion rings with pink pepper and dill ranch; and the indulgent Kaviari Caviar Dip served with house Kennebec potato chips. Guests can end their evening on a sweet note with dessert items such as the coffee Basque cheesecake with espresso sauce or the sticky date/fig pudding.
“The Tap Room transformation marks just one chapter in our broader propertywide enhancement journey that began last year with our reimagined guest rooms and continues throughout this year with thoughtful enhancements across the resort—including revitalized landscaping, elevated outlet experiences, cottage updates, and other exciting additions to come,” Marks says. “While our 17 acres have always been beautiful, the refresh is going to completely transform the entire property into an even more lush, beautiful, and immersive place to explore—a true botanical wonderland! We also are excited to share that our ballroom and meeting space is going to be refreshed, scheduled to be completed at the end of the first quarter next year.”
The Tap Room is available for partial and full buyouts for private events and accommodates 100 to 130 people comfortably, including the outdoor terrace. The terrace, which feels separate from the rest of the bar, offers attendees the chance to enjoy the nice weather outside, accompanied by beautiful garden views.
“A classic venue like The Tap Room has the ability to complement a really wide range of events —with beautiful wood paneling, a cozy fireplace, beautiful sconces, lots of small vignettes, and a view into the gardens. It lends itself just as well to a business function as it does to a cocktail reception or holiday party,” Marks says. “We’ve even had a baptism celebration here! The team also is really wonderful at customizing menus and setups to make sure everything is a fit.”
