OverviewThis property is situated among shopping, restaurants and business offices in the cultural district of downtown Los Angeles. Boasting a reputation for hosting celebrities and dignitaries, this property is well suited for guests who are looking for more luxurious surroundings.
Both smoking and non-smoking rooms are available, and there are non-smoking floors. All 683 rooms and suites include a flat screen TV with pay-per-view movies, a coffeemaker, an iron and ironing board, a hair dryer, marble bathrooms and bath amenities.
One-, two- and three-bedroom suites are available and provide more spacious accommodations configured with separate bedroom, living and dining areas. Select suites also include a conference room and/or a decorative fireplace. Rooms are furnished with one king bed or two double beds, while suites are furnished with king beds in the master bedrooms.
Executive level rooms are tailored to meet the needs of business travellers and include a glass desk, brighter lighting, MP3 clock radios and ergonomic leather chairs. Executive suites provide more spacious accommodations and are configured with a separate living area and marble bathrooms in the adjoining parlour.
Rooms on the club levels (top two floors) also include bathrobes, bottled water, turn-down service and access to the Club Lounge. This lounge offers guests a free breakfast, afternoon hors d'oeuvres, beverages, business services and private concierge.
Wi-Fi service is available throughout the property for an additional fee of $9.95 per 24 hours. Parking is available on site for an additional fee of $40 per day. Pets are not permitted.
The are multiple on-site dining options. Smeraldi's serves breakfast and lunch buffets, while Rendezvous Court serves afternoon tea, lunch and dinner. Sai Sai Noodle Bar (PanAsian cuisine) serves lunch and snacks, while the Gallery Bar serves martinis and other alcoholic beverages. The Gallery Bar also has a menu and an adjacent lounge area, and features live music on Friday and Saturday nights. Room service is also available.
Other on-site amenities include a health club (steam room, indoor pool, hot tub and sauna), a fitness centre, a beauty salon, retail and specialty shops, a 24-hour business centre, multi-lingual concierge staff, currency exchange, 70,000 square feet of event space, dry cleaning service, child care services and safe deposit boxes.
Subway access is less than a 5-minute walk away. The Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Museum of Contemporary Art are both located within a 13-minute walk of this hotel. The Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, LA Music Centre and LA Opera are all about 15 minutes away on foot. There are also several office buildings and shopping venues within a 15-minute walk.
The Nokia Theatre (LA Live!), the Grammy Museum and the Staples Centre, an arena and concert venue, are all about a 7-minute drive away. The Los Angeles Convention Center is about 8 minutes away by car. Shopping on Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is about 30 minutes away by car, while the Dolby Theatre, home of the Academy Awards, and the Hard Rock Cafe on Hollywood Boulevard are both about a 20-minute drive away.
The Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) is about 35 minutes away by car. (All walking and driving time estimates: Google Maps)
Verified by a front desk agent on May 14, 2013: Wi-Fi availability and fee, parking fee, pets not permitted.
The GoodReviews of this hotel that were sourced for this analysis were somewhat mixed. However, many guests agreed that the hotel in general was beautiful and luxurious and they liked its architecture.
Many reviewers found the location convenient for accessing restaurants, transit and entertainment venues in downtown Los Angeles.
The staff were frequently complimented. Guests said they gave friendly and helpful service. One guest said that the front desk agents were able to give good directions.
Several guests found their rooms to be generally comfortable, while a few other reviewers agreed that their rooms were clean and well appointed. A couple of guests found their beds comfortable. However, some other reviewers had concerns about their rooms (see below for more details).
A couple of guests described enjoyable meals at the on-site restaurants, while a couple of other reviewers mentioned that they enjoyed the fitness centre, pool and sauna.
The Bad
As mentioned above, there were a few common concerns found for this hotel, among the reviews sourced for this editorial.
Several guests found their rooms and bathrooms too small, while several reviewers thought that their room interiors were dated and in need of upgrades. A couple of guests complained that the in-room TVs had a limited channel selection.
A couple of guests thought that the $40 fee for parking was expensive.
Booking.com gave this property an average score of 7.5 out of 10, based on 164 guest reviews.
TripAdvisor.com ranked this hotel #114 out of 300 hotels in Los Angeles, with an average score of 3.5 out of 5, from 1,149 reviews.
The author called the hotel on May 14, 2013 to verify some information.
