Metropolitan Apartel

I checked out early after a frustrating, uncomfortable stay at this strange ghost hotel. There was no front desk, and everything ran through offsite texting. The only staff I saw were two guys wandering with an iPad. The price was $250 a night, plus $55 nightly parking, and the underground lot was small, with first-come-first-served spaces that weren't guaranteed. Its ramp was so steep I scraped my car going in. At 4pm, I got a text saying the previous guest had left my room in very poor condition, so they were upgrading me. It gave me a room number and access code. When I went up, a housekeeper was mopping there. I expected a ready room, but she said it would take 10 minutes. It was already 4:30, and I was frustrated, so I waited in the 'lobby,' which was two chairs by an elevator. The two staff members seemed surprised to see me and asked if I knew about the new room. I said I was waiting for mine to be cleaned. It turned out that the first text referred to my old room. I hadn't received a code for the new one. They let me in with the master code, since mine didn't work, and texted a working code once I was inside. Then they told me to leave the new room by 11am and move back into the one I'd booked. I was only there for two nights, so that seemed ridiculous. One staff member said the old room needed its walls repainted. Was I supposed to sleep with wet paint? I left rather than find out, canceling my second night. The room looked superficially nice, but the materials felt cheap and the kitchen lacked supplies. At sunset, dirty, streaked windows caked with grime spoiled what would otherwise have been a beautiful golden hour. The bed was awful, with a cheap mattress, squeaky plastic cover, and cheap sheets that smelled strongly of chemicals. With no food, bar, pool, front desk, accessible staff, or security, this was nothing like a 3-star hotel experience. I feel a bit scammed by the hundreds of 5-star reviews. A good location didn't make the steep price worthwhile for such a bizarre, hands-off stay.

I booked Kasa Sunset Los Angeles through its website for about $290 a night, drawn by all the bright photos full of natural light. From Wednesday to Sunday, though, my room was pitch dark, with zero natural light. A huge advertising banner wrapped around the building and covered the windows. The listing never mentioned it, and the photos showed sunlight pouring in. I'll attach a photo so people can see what isn't disclosed. I complained right away and was told I'd move on Friday. That didn't happen. Then I was told Sunday, after more delays and back and forth with no urgency. Eventually I did get moved, but the replacement room had a constant low mechanical pulsing hum from the ceiling vent, 24/7. It wasn't subtle or white noise. It came through earplugs and made proper sleep impossible. During heavy rain, water began leaking through the windows and pooling on the floor. I emailed and got the usual generic reply that someone would look into it. Minutes later, water was gushing through a ceiling vent directly onto the bed. I'd run out of patience and faith in the organisation. I packed up and paid for another hotel on my credit card that night rather than stay where water poured through the ceiling. They offered a partial refund for the remaining nights plus one extra, but I rejected it. That doesn't remotely cover half the trip in a misrepresented dark room followed by noise and water in the replacement. I'm still waiting for a refund for Wednesday through Sunday, when I was in the room with no natural light because of the undisclosed banner. I've now initiated a chargeback with my bank. The building has roughly 60 units and no on-site staff at all. Everything goes through a remote overseas support team, so when water is coming through the ceiling at night, nobody is physically there to handle it. Completely unacceptable at these rates. The trip was meant to be relaxing, but it was stressful and disruptive, and the whole thing was handled terribly. Avoid at all costs. Any issue will have you tearing your hair out.

Those views are hard to beat: from my room I could see the Hollywood Hills, the Hollywood Sign, and the Griffith Observatory through huge windows that filled the space with natural light. The room was spotless, spacious, modern, and furnished well, with a very comfortable bed. The guest lounge is another standout, with a big TV, a large table for groups, and plenty of comfortable sofas. The fitness center was clean, spacious, and had several machines and plenty of weights. Kasa Sunset sits across from KTLA 5 and the Netflix building. The area felt secure and professional, a corporate pocket close to the action. The hotel has no full-time lobby staff. Entry is contactless, with building and room access codes sent by text. Service is mostly by text and was hit or miss for me: they responded quickly sometimes, but took a while when I reported loud yelling and screaming, and when I was looking for a remote in the fitness center. You'll only see someone in person during busy check-in and checkout hours. Underground parking felt very safe, though it costs extra. I paid about $165 for three nights, so factor that into your budget. Even with the occasional lag in digital communication, the room, location, and views make this a top Hollywood recommendation. Keep your phone charged for the entry codes.

I gave the hotel another chance because the location was so good, but on my second visit they canceled my reservation after I'd already landed in LA, citing a maintenance issue. They offered neither a replacement room nor meaningful help, so I had to book somewhere else at the last minute for much more. On my first stay, I returned to find my suite door wide open. Nothing was taken, thankfully, but the hotel couldn't explain how it happened, which raised security concerns. The suites are spacious, though a little worn. Nice location, but unreliable.