Holiday Inn Express Los Angeles Airport Hawthorne by IHG

The staff were really nice throughout our three-night stay, and asking for a few extra things was never a problem. Our room was super clean, with no cockroaches like some other reviewers mentioned. The area is bad, though it’s by the airport, so you can’t expect much. There was less trash around than in the rest of L.A., which seemed littered everywhere during our stay. The biggest room issue was the awful water pressure. Washing long hair would take 30 minutes, and even filling a bathtub for a bath would take ages. Our room was next to housekeeping, and the washer and dryer were running when we arrived, shaking the whole room. We asked the front desk about switching rooms, and they said the laundry would be done by 8 p.m. at the latest, but we could move anyway. I worried it might start again at 4:30 a.m.; they assured us it wouldn’t, and it didn’t. I’m glad we stayed put because I think the walls are thin, so that kept us away from noisy neighbors. Breakfast always had sausage, which I don’t like, but the pancakes, eggs, and cinnamon rolls were good. There’s no biscuits and gravy, despite what the website says. I probably wouldn’t stay again because of the location and the weak water pressure, not because of the hotel itself.

The hotel is nice, but manager Wendy seemed not to care that we keep returning as IHG members. We called three weeks ahead to request the room we usually get and were told it wasn’t guaranteed. My husband spoke with Wendy, who came across as cold and indifferent. She said our requested room was taken and that we’d be assigned a first- or second-floor room, which he had said he didn’t want. The room we’d asked for was booked the day before check-in. We had to call IHG to get a better result, which is disappointing.

The staff made an incredible difference when we were in a real bind, especially Risa. After United Airlines put us through a travel nightmare, we had nowhere else to go and needed an emergency booking. Everyone took such good care of us, from the front desk to the cleaning staff, and my wife and I felt absolutely saved. The renovated rooms were quite nice too, but the people were the real highlight. I hope they read this and know how much they helped us when we needed it.

We stayed with family on vacation, and the staff were friendly and very helpful. Breakfast was really good, with plenty of choice, and there are lots of food options nearby. The place felt relatively safer than the surrounding area, and the gated parking garage kept our car indoors for a modest daily charge. The two-room suite is a very good size. The rooms could be cleaner and better, which is why I’m giving four stars, but the hotel is decent and I’d stay there again.