The Westin Long Beach

We arrived at 10:30 in the morning, and they happily checked us in early and upgraded us to a suite. Later, we found a lovely welcome note and treats in the room. The room and facilities were great, the pool was nice, and the gym was very well equipped. We had a fantastic time at the Westin. I’ve stayed here many times before, and it’s always been good.

The room had a musty smell throughout, which I didn’t enjoy, but it was comfortable overall. There was a small refrigerator tucked into a cabinet and a coffee maker. Staff were friendly and helpful. The location is good, with plenty of places to eat and shop nearby, plus a restaurant, bar, and coffee shop inside the hotel. The convention center is also walkable.

Three days later, I noticed they’d charged $83 for parking and also taken a destination fee, neither of which had been mentioned. For what we paid for one night, it was the worst hotel stay we’ve ever had, with hidden fees on top of everything. The bed was lumpy and left our backs hurting all night. It didn’t look made either, more like someone had sat on it. The shower tile had mold in spots, the shower head barely flowed, and the tub drained very slowly. The bathroom mirrors were peeling, and the door wouldn’t close all the way. We won’t make that mistake again if we go to California.

The stay was fine overall, but housekeeping could be more consistent and responsive. When I checked in, there was only half a roll of toilet paper and about a third of a tissue box. My room phone didn’t work, so I asked a housekeeper in the hall for more when she was cleaning next door. She initially refused, and only gave me one of each after I explained the room had started out with so little. There was also quite a bit of noise from the cleaning next door, so sensitive sleepers might want earplugs. I asked housekeeping for a kettle and was told they didn’t provide one, but the front desk gave me one immediately. It seemed like a communication gap between departments.