NEW OTANI HOTEL PROVIDES AN OASIS IN DOWNTOWN L.A.

Byline: -- Eric Noland

At any other hotel in downtown Los Angeles, this rooftop space would surely be devoted to a pool, a sunbathing deck and an open-air bar. That, certainly, is the case a few blocks away at the trendy Standard.

But Japanese sensibilities prevail here at the New Otani in Little Tokyo, so the roof of a third-floor wing at the hotel is given over to the Garden in the Sky. And it's a gem, a sprawling, split-level ode to nature laid out by Sentaro Iwaki and based on a 400-year-old garden in Tokyo.

What a peaceful island it represents in the concrete sea of downtown, providing respite for business travelers worn down by a day's labors or leisure guests footsore from sightseeing.

Waterfalls mask the hum of traffic below, and small birds flit here and there -- they use the pool at the top of the waterfall for a bath. Refreshing breezes often waft through.

The landscaping is immaculate, as you might expect. There are azaleas, Indian hawthorn, heavenly bamboo, sweet gum trees and Japanese black pine, among some 50 varieties of shrubs and trees. Curving pathways course through it all, punctuated by stone lanterns.

A few days ago, the Summer BBQ Beer Garden was set up here, with drinks and appetizers served from 5:30 to 9 p.m. (through mid-September).

The garden's large pond, meanwhile, laps up to the picture windows of the hotel's Thousand Cranes restaurant, which serves a traditional Japanese breakfast (broiled fish, dried seaweed, steamed vegetables, rice, pickles, miso soup) and becomes a fine-dining establishment by night, with sushi and other Japanese dishes served by kimono-clad waitresses.

While the garden is the New Otani's best feature, its next-best attribute is its location -- on the western edge of Little Tokyo, convenient to Union Station, and within walking distance of the Music Center, Disney Concert Hall and other downtown attractions. As such, this hotel is a good option for any guests you might have coming in from out of town.

We had a room that faced east, which afforded a view of the sunrise over the San Gabriel Mountains. It was also a relief to be in a hotel where you can actually open the windows and let some fresh air in.

Opaque wood-and-paper screens can be slid to cover the windows -- a nice design touch -- although there are conventional black-out drapes, too.

And yet, the New Otani, built in 1977, has the look and feel of a hotel that would benefit from some upgrading. In the tiny bathroom, you practically had to step over the toilet to get into the shower-tub. And what a jarring color scheme in there: beige wallpaper and pink shower tile. There were also assorted cracks, scuffs and spots in the room.

Travelers accustomed to the luxurious touches in many modern hotels will go wanting here. No uber-thread-count bed linens, just a cotton-polyester blend from China, covered by a bedspread rather than a duvet. There were no robes, no room safe, and the mini-bar was empty (a front-desk staffer later said the bars are stocked only on request). On the plus side, the bath towels were pleasantly plush and the toiletries were high-end Tarocco products.

The hotel service was friendly and responsive, and the price is certainly right: Rates range up from $125 per night for a double, and even at busy times it's commonplace to find something for under $200.

One other nice feature at the New Otani: a free shuttle van that runs guests to points around town. We hopped this for a dinner date at R23 in the Artists' District, and found it as convenient as a taxi, and infinitely cleaner.

120 S. Los Angeles St. Room rates from $125. [phone]; www. newotani.com.

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An elaborate chandelier that resembles paper lanterns and an indoor garden are among the lobby features of the comfortable New Otani Hotel in Los Angeles' Little Tokyo neighborhood.

Eric Noland/Travel Editor