Elan Hotel

For a weeklong stay while my husband had heart surgery at Cedar Sinai, I needed a clean, comfortable, affordable hotel near the hospital. Elan Hotel covered all those basics. The location near Cedars was ideal, and being close to restaurants and shopping was a lovely extra. Millie and the rest of the staff were kind and efficient, and housekeeping kept the room spotless. It was quiet, too. The room had a refrigerator, microwave, coffee maker, and great pillows, with coffee and tea offered in the lobby each morning. Having the option to park my own car and skip valet fees felt huge. I can’t recommend Elan Hotel more highly.

Avoid this hotel. The safety and accessibility issues made for one of the worst hotel stays I’ve had. The neighborhood outside felt concerning: people were sleeping in front of and beside the building, and we were verbally harassed coming and going. Management did nothing about it. The garage also felt hazardous, and signs there disclaim responsibility for guest safety. Our booking specifically promised a two-bed room, but that wasn’t provided. The room we got was much smaller than we needed, cramped and awkwardly laid out, with poor furnishings and no sofa or comfortable place to sit and watch TV. The building seems to have been converted from an elder care facility rather than designed as a hotel. Accessibility was misrepresented, too. The room marked accessible didn’t give a wheelchair enough room to move or turn, so we had to shift furniture just to get around. Staff had told us the front wheelchair lift was working, but it was out of service when we arrived. It was the only accessible exit to the street. Even the coffee machine was broken. The property feels poorly managed and misleadingly advertised, and falls short on basic hospitality. There are better places to stay in Los Angeles.

The underground secured parking is a plus, and both the location and staff are great. Rooms are new and clean, but some basic comforts are missing. There’s no food or drink option on site, and they don’t provide tissues or a few other things I’d expect at a hotel. It’s an “upscale budget” place, though the prices don’t always feel budget-friendly, which may just be LA.

Karla at the front desk and Jessica the manager are so friendly and helpful. It makes a real difference when hotel staff go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. I’ve been returning on and off for six years for appointments at Cedar Sinai, and I’ll be back again. The hotel is within walking distance of the hospital and several good restaurants. Kings Road Cafe is a favorite of mine. I also appreciate the pricing for people doing business at Cedar Sinai. I take the train down from California’s Central Coast, and it’s a relief to find such a nice hotel at a good price. The recent remodel and room updates are pleasant to see, especially compared with how things looked when I first started coming here. And I love starting the day with a triple cappuccino from the lobby coffee machine.