For our 4 day L.A. stay we wanted something larger than a regular hotel room to be our retreat, and we wanted to be in the Marina del Rey area. The first thing we checked were the reviews on TripAdvisor. This hotel had consistently good, and some rave, reviews for hotels in this price range.
There was free covered parking right next to the lobby. Some of the other similar hotels in the area lacked that. The entire staff was friendly and accomodating through our stay. Our two room suite was very clean (with exception of the carpets), charmingly decorated, the mattress and many pillows very comfortable, t.v. sets were in bedroom and sitting room, sliding french type doors separated the two rooms. It was a wonderful retreat. The sitting area and bedroom windows looked down onto a small courtyard nicely done with patio tables, chairs, umbrellas. Right next door is a convenience/liquor store. and a few minute's walk down the street is an excellent Italian restaurant which I highly recommend. The free breakfast was typical Holiday Inn Express, high on the carbs, but plentiful, with hard boiled eggs for us protein lovers.
There were some minuses that, if fixed, would put our stay in the excellent category: The lobby was small, cluttered, shabby and definitely could use an update. (However, the small, sparking clean fish aquarium in the anteroom to the lobby was a welcoming touch that somehow made me feel better.)
Smokers congregated in the courtyard area, often late at night. and we like our windows open. We didn't notice a smoke smell but that could be a problem according to room location.
Another small discomfort: The large heating/air conditioning unit was placed above the windows in the sitting area. The fan blew downward and felt like sitting in a strong wind.
Definitely deserving an F grade was the filthy, and I mean filthy, carpeting in hallway and room. Ugh. Very puzzling given the pristine condition of the rest of the room.
Would I stay there again? You bet! I would hope, though, for cleaner carpets!







