SLS Hotel at Beverly Hills

After much hype I decided to grace the SLS at Beverly Hills with my presence.   After reading many reviews I decided to give it the top to bottom once over.  Note:  Lots of pictures!

I didnt have any expectations.  I arrived around 3 PM and when I drove on to the property and it was like driving into no mans wasteland.

I drive in and out of nowhere, several people surround my ride.  I was like is this a Beverly Hills adjacent "mugging"?  Oh, it's just the valet staff.


RANKINGS
Check-in/Check-out [5 out of 5]
After being "helped" out of my car and my bags "taken" from me, I was whisked to check in.  I love the attention - yes I'm shallow!  A couple of people were checking in in front of me and a few people were checking out.  There is no dedicated Platinum/Gold check in line.  It took about 5-7 minutes to actually check-in. 

Once it's my turn to check-in, I'm made to feel as though I'm the only person at the property.  The person checking me in said, "we've been awaiting your arrival" [apparently they read my reviews].  I was told I've been given upgraded to one of their top suites, but it's on a lower level and they hope that's, "OK".   I'm escorted to my room, told about the hotels amenities and such. 

This property can send folios electronically.

Common Areas [4]
As a creative person, I loved the branding.  It's not for everyone.  But I got the message.
The outdoor library, the elevators, the pool tables located near the elevators on each floor along with the pool deck all work to ensure that all the square footage in the hotel is being used in some manner.

 

 

I love the murals in the Elevators

 

 

The inner corridor of the hotel is very W-esq, as it's a bit dark, but the other portions are modern, sleek and well lit.


Guest Rooms [4]
After a looong walk to my room, I arrive and I'm very pleasantly surprised.  The room is a nice sized suite although a bit uneven.  Its a nice space for a couple and if you want to entertain.
I love the privacy indicators.  They should be standard in every hotel.

Inside

Outside

Overall First Impression: Booya!

Parlor
Furniture & Decor: New, modern, slick and well maintained.  The blinds were jammed and one call took care of that.
Closet Space:no closet in the parlor portion of the hotel.
TV: Floor to ceiling TV and audio equipment wall.  Very high tech.  HD and lots of channels.  On the opposite side is the TV for the bedroom
Lighting: decent
Workspace: Table at end of the room doubles as dining and work table.  Due to the lighting placement, it makes the room unbalanced.
View: In a residential area, and the view is of the residential street.

Bedroom
Bed: Amazing!  It looks so comfortable it just calls to you.  High end linens, nice firm mattress and great accoutrements.  The bed was so comfy I didn't want to get out of it!
Furniture & Decor:  Same as parlor as there is a bench on same side as the parlor table.
Closet Space: No closet but there is a huge armoire.  The armoire is directly across from the bathroom.  This little area works as a dressing area.
TV:  Floor to ceiling TV and audio equipment wall.  Very high tech.  HD and lots of channels.  On the opposite side is the TV for the Parlor
Lighting: Lots of lighting.  One over the bench, one on the desk behind the bed and one in the "dressing" area.
Workspace: Very nice desk and stationary.  Plenty of sockets
View: Of a residential street.  The wall is an illusion as the windows are not the full length of the wall.   For someone like me who enjoys a lot of light that might be viewed as a negative.
Radio/Audio: ipod docking clock, first time I’ve seen this model.

 

 

 

Guest Room Bathrooms [4]
No pictures of the bathroom due to the reflective surfaces.  All the pics suck.  So use your imagination kids.  The bathroom has a cool sink and the mirror is the moving wall that separates the bathroom from the bedroom.  When open you can look directly into the bedroom.  The towels were super soft!  The area is large enough for two people but the size of the sink will make it hard for two people to use it at one time.

Sink: Small surface area, but definitely an art piece.  Toiletries are in large refillable bottle and are quite nice.
Shower: Nice spa/rain shower, but there was a bit of rust around the corners.  The bottles of the toiletries kept falling of the ledge when wet.  The shower had great pressure and the water temperature was great!  .
Tub: NO tub, but there was plenty of room in the bathroom for one.
Toiletries:  The large bottles were very useful, although I didn't use any of the products other than the hand wash and lotion.  Nice fragrance that wasn't overwhelming.

Housekeeping [N/A]
I was there only one night, but the room I was assigned had a broken window blind and rust in the bathroom.  At a high end property, those things should not be seen by a guest.  The response/recovery time to fix those things was immediate and the staff was professional and apologetic.

Club Level/Lounge [N/A]
There was no lounge.  I never found the reported "lounge"

Fitness Center [5]
The best gym I'd ever had the opportunity to use! It was gorgeous.  Plenty of machines, all brand spanking new.  The environment makes you want to work out.

Pool [1]
Overall, I enjoyed the property, HOWEVER, the pool and deck was my biggest let down.  On the surface, the space is creative and looks nice.  But the loungers look like ground zero for the H1N1 virus!  I met some friends up there and made some friends with some other guest.  I wondered why everyone was standing, then I looked down and we all comment how nasty the lounge chairs are and how one of the chairs in the wading pool itself is about to type over and the rusting.

 

 

 

 

Business Center [N/A]
I didn't' use it, but there is a large business center near the gym and spa.

Concierge [N/A]
Didn't use, but there is a concierge on staff located in the lobby across from reception. She was very busy whenever I walked past. From the looks of things it appears she earns her salary!

High Speed Wired/Wireless Internet Access [4]
Internet was good, throughout my stay.  I forgot to see if there is a signal on the roof deck and out door library and if it's free or not. 

Parking/Valet [5]
Lots of staff and they manage the cars very well.  Gave a bottle of water every time I left the property.

Dining [4]
I dined elsewhere, but between meals I had a burger at Tres.  The staff was great, the service was nice and the burger was off the chain!  It was fantastic.

 

 

 

Miscellaneous
Google maps does not display the property in the correct location.




FINAL IMPRESSION
Overall hotel cleanliness:
Boutique property that appeals to the hip, cool and artsy fartsy types.

Staff attitude, conduct & support:
Professional and accommodating.  The staff went out of their way to make me feel as though I was the only guest on site.

Location:
Good location if you want to be near the Pacific design center or the Beverly Center, but not if you want to be within walking distance to the heart of Beverly Hills.

Would I return?
Yes. But would compare price with other properties.

Would I recommend this as family friendly?
NO...NO...NO

Good for business travelers?
Probably not as this is more a boutique property aimed a leisure travelers and those with disposable income.

Good for a romantic get away?
Yes, nice rooms, and services. 

Would I recommend for someone looking for Dining/Nightlife?
Short drive to clubs, bar and night life.

Would I recommend restaurant?
Yes, home base to one of the hottest restaurants in LA.  Tres itself, should not be underestimated.

Value for price paid?
Pricey, but I left feeling I was treated very well and I wasn't just a number.

Overall property rating on a scale from 1 to 10 = 8.5

The Westin Bonaventure Hotel

Located on the edge of downtown the property is surrounded by 9-5 office buildings in a sea of concrete.  The area seems devoid of life and confusing with it's one way street.

Getting into the property can be confusing so watch the signs above.

RANKINGS
Check-in/Check-out  [4 out of 5]

After coming up out of the dungeon, er, valet parking area, I arrive in 1993 - I mean the lobby.   It is soooooooooo dated.  I arrive at reception and there is a dedicated gold/platinum line.  There are approximately 20 people in the general line and as soon as I walk up to the elite line, a supervisor waves me over.   He checks me in and tells me the additional (hotel specific) benefits that platinum members receive.  I've been preassigned a suite. 

This property does have the capability to send folios electronically.

 

Common Areas   [2]

The lobby, hallways, and other common areas are in desperate need of updating.

 

Guest Rooms [1]

 

I was assigned a suite in the platinum tower.  The room decor *felt* older than me!  From the dated peach wallpaper, to the multi-stained carpet, to the 27" tube TV, to the 3" "safe", it was ugly.  Just ugly. The room had holes in the wall and peeling wallpaper and the only thing missing was a dead body with a chalk outline.  Although "cleaned" the room appears to be dirty.

The room was inexcusable, so I called downstairs and I requested a move.  The supervisor who checked me in came up viewed the room and agreed it was bad.  He moved me to an identical room on a lower floor.  While moving he showed me a unfinished renovated king room.  The room was you expect of the Westin brand.  I was told the Kings are nearly completion and that the suites will be taken offline and renovated shortly.

I moved to the new room and think, "thank good I'm not going to spend a lot of time in the room itself!"  It's not a room that I would want to spend a lot of time in.

 

 

 

Overall First Impression:  Whoa!  Back to the future!

Bed:  Soggy.  I didnt even check to see if it was a heavenly bed.  There are mirrors above the bed which make the room feel like a porno set.

Furniture & Decor:  Old, tired, dated, and damaged.

Closet Space: only one closet, but since this was a one night stay, I didn't bother to use it.

TV: 27" TV in the bedroom and parlor portion of the room.

Lighting:  Lamps throughout the room and the floor to ceiling windows do help.

Workspace:  Desk with wire and wireless connections.  As an older hotel, there aren't many electrical sockets.

View:  Of a bank, with the Hollywood sign off in the distance!  WTF?

Radio/Audio:  Decent radio but no MP3 hookups

Guest Room Bathrooms [1]

For the love of all that is holy, did I just step into a 90's sitcom?  The bathroom is so tragic, I got vertigo brushing my teeth.

Sink:  Corner sinks, with wall to wall mirrors.  

Shower:  Heavenly shower, but didn't feel like heavenly

Tub:  No tub

Toiletries:  no body wash, mouth wash, but 3 pieces of shampoo and conditioner. 

 

Housekeeping N/A

No issues as I only spent one night in the property.

Club Level/LoungeN/A

No

Fitness Center [2]
The Fitness centers equipment is dated and I don't understand the lap and the individual workout pods overlooking the lobby.  

Pool  [3]

Nice pool and pool deck but it's a mile walk from the hotel.  You need to navigate through the "city within a city" to find the proper exit.
 

Business Center  N/A

Didn't see one.

 

Concierge  N/A
Didn't use

High Speed Wired/Wireless Internet Access   [4]
Complimentary for Platinum guest.  $14.95 for others.(IIRC)  No speed or drop issues.

 

Parking/Valet [3]

The valet is overwhelmed.  Lots of workers, but took a long time to actually receive the car, even after calling from room and giving a 10 minute headway.
 

Dining [3]
Checked out Bona Vista lounge.  Platinum members, receive a free drink.  The drinks were yummy, but the decor, music and ambiance were lame.  The drinks were over priced for the location and the view isn't worth the markup.

 

FINAL IMPRESSION

Overall hotel cleanliness:

Carpet stains in numerous rooms at a location that is billed as a "luxury" is unexcuseable.  Right now the property is "marginal" at best.  Once renovations are complete, it might be worth a second look.  Until then, those with taste similar to mine, should avoid this property.

 

Staff attitude, conduct & support:

The physical plant, not withstanding, the staff was very pleasant and professional.

 

Location:

An urban wasteland.

Would I return?

Maybe, if the price was right and I could find things to do nearby.

Would I recommend this as family friendly?

No.

Good for business travelers?

Located in the business district so the location could be beneficial if your need to be downtown.

Good for a romantic get away?

Not unless you're trying to revisit the '90's

Would I recommend for someone looking for Dining/Nightlife?

No

 

Would I recommend restaurant?

NA
 

Value for price paid?

Good

Overall property rating on a scale from 1 to 10 = 5

 

W Los Angeles - Westwood

I haven't had a stay at this property in a long time and since I was going to maximize miles in LA I thought I would stop here. I knew the pool would be closed, which meant there would be very few kids on sight.

I arrived about 10AM and after a long flight all I wanted to do was relax. My room was ready, I was upgraded to a huge suite. Sweet! The hotel was eerily quiet which is a good thing. So far this stay has been at 180 degree change from my last stay.

The property seems cleaner and brighter than I remember. This is the brightest W I've every stayed in. As with most W's the elevator has a gimmick, I actually like the mini photo booth camera.

I've stayed in a smaller suite at this property before, but this room is definitely an upgrade. I love being upgraded and this room fits me to a T!  The room is Hollywood casual and in good condition. Décor is sparse, but light and appropriate for its location.   In the corner is a glass top desk.  There are plenty of electrical sockets for your devices and a wired port.

For a parlor room so large, I felt a dedicated small dining area could have been incorporated into the room.  Instead of having the glass table as a multifunction piece. The suite has a good view of the Westwood/UCLA area and gets great light.

The bedroom is a great size large.  There is a wall mounted flat screen with HD channels, although I felt the channel selection was poor.   There is a nice sized closet.  The bed is the standard W Bed with nice linens.

 

 

Nice size bathroom. Accommodates two, but again, for a suite so large, it felt as though "something" was lacking.  There is one large sink with counter space to the side. Enough space for two people but it would be a tight fit at the sink area.   Nice sized shower with rain shower-head. Good pressure and water temperature, this bathroom has no tub.  Standard W toiletries. 

 

As with most W's there is no lounge.  But there is a small fitness center and pool with a very nice landscaped yard.  In spring and summer the pool is lovely, however, the pool is closed for the winter and renamed "chill". This was appropriately noted on the properties website.

 

 

In room Internet access is a $14.95.  I had a good signal and I was never dropped.

If you need access to the internet, there is a wired station just behind the reception desk. It's $7.95 for 15 minutes.  If you have a wireless laptop you can access the internet in the living room and pool area for free.  

Valet parking is $32 a night. You pull right up to the front of the hotel.  The valet staff get a big thumbs up as they were very fast and overly helpful. 

FINAL IMPRESSION

Overall hotel cleanliness:

Tight, light and clean perfect for the 30 something visiting LA

Staff attitude, conduct & support:

Staff was much improved. Very helpful.

Location:

Decent location in residential area and convenient to UCLA.  Basic restaurants and retail with everyday essentials is close by.

Would I return?

Not sure. Had two issues after check out. 1) Platinum amenity was not posted. 2) Charged for using the munchie box. This is my first time having to follow up on a Platinum amenity posting. I emailed the hotel and the amenity was taken care of within 24 hours.  Then the munchie box charged showed up on my credit card.  The hotel apologized profusely and removed it without question.  I don't like having to followup up on the basic service/operations, as it annoys me and outweighs a good experience.

Would I recommend this as family friendly?

Yes.  Although kids aren't the W Hotel Brands target audience, this location is teen friendly.

Good for business travelers?

Depends based on where you need to be in LA.

Good for a romantic get away?

Yes, nice rooms and property

Would I recommend for someone looking for Dining/Nightlife?

Not really as things in LA are spread out, so it depends on what your plans are.

Would I recommend restaurant?

ninethirty restaurant is on site, but didn't try it.  The menu looks to be all over the place, but hey I like a challenge.  Maybe next time.

Value for price paid?

Good

Overall property rating on a scale from 1 to 10 = 7