Looking through the previous reviews I can't believe we stayed in the same hotel. We stayed at the Valadon for 5 nights in August, as part of a family trip to Hollywood from the UK. Could have booked for longer, but were concerned by all the adverse comments on this site. We needn't have worried, the Valadon was much better than we had hoped!
We were pleasantly surprised with the appearance of the Valadon - decor is light and modern, with corridors lined by framed works of modern art.
We booked 2 Junior suites on the second floor. These were roomy, well sound-proofed, modern and very comfortable, including the beds! Carpets were fine. Rooms were air-conditioned, not a noisy box on the wall, as in so many places, but a fully programmable unit. They also have a natural effect fire, but we'd no need for this in the middle of Summer. TV had a vast selection of channels, so the younger members of the family were happy. There was a mini bar had we felt the need, and although no coffee maker was provided, that didn't bother us. There was a phone, (but we didn't succeed in dialing out!) and even a fax machine, although this had the disadvantage of providing a flashing light all the time, even at night.
The decor in the bathroom was more dated than the rest of the room, but was clean, and again was very well equipt, even including a bathroom cabinet and phone.
The hotel has a rooftop pool and hot tub, with spectacular views, up to Sunset Boulevard on one side, and across LA on the other. Pool size was a disapointment - probably no more than 30 foot in length - enough to play around in, but not for serious swimming.
Hotel staff were very helpful for tourist questions, and there's internet access available in the lobby if needed. There's also a small gym if that's your thing.
Main disadvantage of the Valadon from the family perspective was that there is no dining room, so if you want to eat in the hotel, e.g. for breakfast, it has to be by room service. This is available 24 hours a day, good quality, but is an expensive option compared with other hotels. We had breakfast served by the pool a couple of times, which was very pleasant. We did notice a dining room adjacent to the pool, but it wasn't open when we were there, or maybe just in the evenings or for corporate events.
There are some very good restaurants within 10 minutes walk from the hotel, but being on Sunset Strip they can be a little pricey for a family. Eating out for breakfast is a short drive, (Mel's Diner, or I-HOP are close by).
The hotel is situation immediately downhill from Sunset Strip ( about 5 minutes walk) in a quite residential area. It's quite a steep climb. Santa Monica Boulevard is the same distance the other way. We were concerned that this central location may have made it noisy late at night, but quite the contrary. There's limited parking in the road, but there's gated parking for hotel residents, accessed with your room key. Thus is convenient, and at an extra charge, but we knew this beforehand. Space is limited, and parking is tricky if you're driving anything over a mid-sized car.
We were highly impressed by the Valadon, and can't understand the adverse comments. Maybe different types of rooms? We'd definitely stay there again!
