The West Coast’s first Conrad hotel recently opened its doors, occupying a prime spot within the Grand LA—a $1.3 billion hotel, residential and retail complex designed by famed architect Frank Gehry. 

Located in downtown Los Angeles across from Gehry’s iconic Walt Disney Concert Hall, the 28-floor, 305-room Conrad LA is also home to two rooftop restaurants and a poolside bar led by celebrity chef and World Central Kitchen founder José Andrés.

Outfitting the Conrad
In partnership with development group Related Companies and José Andrés’ hospitality firm, ThinkFoodGroup, HSM’s Project Procurement team had the honor of sourcing all Operating Supplies and Equipment (OS&E) required to open the property and realize the design vision.

In total, our procurement experts sourced more than 2,000 individual items to outfit the Conrad’s guestrooms, restaurants, spa, public and staff spaces.

Working with over 75 unique suppliers, HSM conducted a comprehensive procurement event to obtain items including guestroom OS&E; operational necessities like uniforms, housekeeping and laundry goods; and products needed to keep the Conrad’s security, engineering and Food & Beverage (F&B) teams running.

Sourcing, negotiating, delivering, installing
Our team helped ensure all items met quality standards for the luxury brand, while also securing the best pricing by using the strength of our negotiated contracts and supplier network.

“Our team is a bit of a niche group within HSM, as we assist managed Hilton properties with both the sourcing of products—whether prototypical or bespoke—and the physical procurement, delivery and installation of those items,” said Jason Bramhall, HSM’s Senior Director of Project Procurement. “The tactical arm of our purchasing platform works alongside a parallel team that strategically sources and negotiates the best possible products for the best possible price, and the combination of these two resources provides an incredibly beneficial outcome for our owners.”

The results
Working within a compressed timeline, our Project Procurement team successfully sourced and obtained all of the necessary OS&E items in just 11 months—a testament to the group’s effective supplier management strategies and ability to navigate extended lead times when ordering.

HSM also provided key stakeholders with weekly status reports and conducted weekly calls to offer updates, shifting to daily conversations once the hotel’s property operations team came on board. Comprehensive communication efforts were integral to our team’s mitigation of any potential challenges facing the Conrad’s grand opening.

Reflecting on the feeling that accompanies completion of such momentous projects, Bramhall remarked, “One of the most satisfying moments for our team is to take something that has been created in concept or design and ultimately deliver those tangible items that can be looked at, touched, and experienced—both for our development partners and for all the guests who will be welcomed at this hotel.”