Today we found ourselves in Los Angeles for a quick weekend trip to visit a friend. Since our return flight left early in the morning we didn’t want to risk the famous LA traffic so we decided to pick one of the hotels near LAX. We knew we wanted to check out Santa Monica while we were there so we made the choice to stay north of the airport, making it easier to for us to get there. Upon arriving at the hotel we were very pleased with the lobby and decor, which had the boutique feel the Renaissance brand strives for.

The front desk had ambient green lighting and the lobby was filled with the recognizable Renaissance scent. It was very welcoming and the staff was friendly during the check-in process.

Room

Before deciding to stay here I reviewed the options online and it looked like the rooms had been recently renovated with newer decor, so I was excited when I received an upgrade upon check-in to see the room. Unfortunately, the King Suite they upgraded us to did not appear to have received a whole lot of updating.

The sitting area of the suite was very basic and not boutique feeling in the slightest. It essentially had the minimum furniture necessary to get by. It just felt very odd to walk into this room after being in the lobby, almost giving the feeling  of being in a different hotel.

On the plus side, the room was big and had a lot of open space. The lamps seemed new and the dresser was nice, then there was a huge tv facing the bed. If I had to guess I would say it was around 55 inches. So that was a definite perk.

One of the most important aspects of a hotel room is the bed, and this part did not disappoint. The bed and pillows were excellent and I was able to have a great nights sleep before my scheduled early morning departure.

The bathroom in the room was nice but nothing special. It had a typical bathtub shower with curtain and a toilet placed in the middle. The shower did have good water pressure and the bath products provided were AVEDA brand, which I found to be very nice.

Overall the room did the job for one night and I would return given another early morning flight, but I was disappointed based on the pictures I saw online before arriving.

Lobby and Amenities

The hotel lobby was not very big but it was nice and upon entering the lobby it is accented with 2 lion statues. The hotel also offers valet, event space, a nice pool (it was only in the 60s while we were there so there was no reason to use it), an Executive Lounge, and workout facilities.

The lobby has a lot of mirrors and various types of lighting to try and exemplify the boutique feel the brand strives for.

The lobby also has a piano over near the bar area, which during the evening they had someone playing on it. Always a nice touch.

We made it a point to check out the lobby bar and restaurant for a quick snack before heading over to the Santa Monica Pier. The bar wasn’t necessarily anything very big but it was a very pleasant place to enjoy a drink. The seats at the bar were mostly taken but there were a lot of open tables around to choose from. We ordered the fish tacos and a couple drinks. The service was very attentive, granted there weren’t very many people sitting at the tables, and the food came out quickly. The fish tacos were okay, essentially the basic fish taco you would expect. Around the back side of the bar they had a more lounge type area with couches and more TV’s which is touched on below.

Highlights

For us the best parts of this particular hotel were found in the lobby. There were some attractive decorations and the bar area had some really neat features. Unfortunately the Executive Lounge was closed due to it being the weekend so we were not able to see that.

Pictured above and located in the lobby behind the bar is a set of couches with multiple TVs and games to keep anyone looking to kill some time entertained. Given our short time in Los Angeles we did not spend much time here but if someone were simply here waiting for a flight in the morning this would be an excellent spot to relax for the evening and catch some sporting events.

Pros

• Excellent location near the airport
• 24 hour complimentary shuttle service
• Tranquil lobby

Cons

• Executive Lounge closed on weekends
• Some rooms lack renovations

Final Thoughts

Overall the room did not meet my expectation based upon other Renaissance hotels I have stayed in but it was more than adequate for the purpose it needed to serve. The bed was comfortable and it met my needs of being a convenient hotel near the airport. I would certainly try and get one of the updated rooms like they have in their pictures online next time. Then with the nice lobby, welcoming staff, excellent location, shuttle service, and comfortable bed, I would definitely stay here again before a flight. However, if staying in the greater Los Angeles area for a more extended period I would certainly pick a hotel closer to the action. If anyone else has stayed here I would be curious to hear about your experience below. Until next time!