The 100,000 square foot hotel is the only branded hotel in the Playhouse Village
Pasadena, Calif. - April 23, 2025 – R.D. Olson Construction, an award-winning general contractor in California, today announced the completion of AC Hotel Pasadena. The $60M Marriott hotel was completed in 21 months and is the only branded property in Pasadena’s Playhouse Village.
“The modern design of the AC Hotel Pasadena brings a nice juxtaposition to the historic Playhouse Village,” said Bill Wilhelm, president, R.D. Olson Construction. “Welcome Group Inc, a longtime partner of ours, entrusted us to add a unique perspective on this property while still carrying forward all the fan favorites of the AC Hotel line.” Located at 550 E. Colorado Boulevard, the AC Hotel Pasadena holds 194 guestrooms alongside a rooftop bar and lounge with sweeping mountain views. To provide easy access to the hotel’s in-demand bar, R.D. Olson Construction implemented a public-access elevator from the first floor.
Additionally, the 100,000 square-foot hotel features a bar and cafe serviced by an on-site kitchen. The project also offers 5,000 square feet of leasable space on the first floor along with an event space for planned gatherings. Centrally located in the heart of Pasadena, this AC Hotel provides guests easy access to a walkable neighborhood of nearby restaurants, shops, museums and events at the Pasadena Convention Center.
The Pasadena property is R.D. Olson Construction’s second property for Welcome Group Inc. Other AC Hotels the firm previously constructed include locations in Beverly Hills and South Bay in California alongside a property in Maui Wailea in Hawaii.
The AC Hotel Pasadena was completed on time in 21 months in spite of some challenges the construction firm encountered. Most notably, the team had to navigate the extraction of an underground building, which was only discovered during the construction process.
Alongside Welcome Group Inc., other longtime partners on this project are architects AXIS, structural engineers Saiful Bouquet, with interior design by Wild Muse (formerly known as Design Force).
The hotel is located at 19 S Madison Ave, Pasadena, CA 91101.
About R.D. Olson Construction
Founded by Bob Olson in 1979 and led by President Bill Wilhelm, R.D. Olson Construction commemorates over 45 years of building and is one of the top 40 general contracting firms in California. R.D. Olson Construction is a premier builder of hotel and multi-unit properties for several national hoteliers and developers, including Marriott, Hilton, Hyatt, Ritz Carlton, MBK Living, Related Properties and Meta Housing, and has a robust portfolio of renovation projects including Atria Senior Housing, Chapman University’s Reeves Hall, the conversion of the historic Bank of Italy Building into the Nomad Hotel and more. The firm also has a rich history as a builder of office, retail, restaurant, education, senior living and recreational projects. Learn more atwww.rdolson.com.