The Westin Bonaventure Hotel and Suites, Los Angeles

The room on the 31st floor was quiet and peaceful, with a great view. Room 3141 was thoughtfully accessible, with the shower wand, towels, controls, and amenities all within wheelchair reach and at the right height. There were plenty of well-placed safety bars. The bed was fluffy and comfortable, there were lots of outlets, and the desk had a dedicated place to charge my wheelchair. I asked for a microwave and got one easily. A safe and mini refrigerator were already in the room, both positioned at wheelchair level. Hotels everywhere should take notes. The location is close to DTLA and very convenient, just steps from the 5th Street and 7th Street Metro stations, with access to the 16, 18, 20, and 720 bus lines. The huge hotel has color-coded towers, meeting areas, and special-event spaces. I stayed in the Red Tower. Dining ranged from upscale restaurants on site to more affordable options about a 10-minute walk away, including some of the best Mexican street food around. The concierge was outstanding and got me checked in despite arriving 10 hours early. As an elite member, she graciously waived the early arrival fee. Staff were friendly and attentive from the first day to the last. The doormen remembered me and welcomed me every time I returned. There was even a great food truck parked out front daily, serving some of the best burritos, chips, and salsa I’ve had. My only frustration was the $30-per-day destination charge, which wasn’t clearly explained verbally or on the website, especially since I didn’t intend to use the $35 breakfast buffet or spa. I had a fantastic 10-day stay, and the accessibility, comfort, location, and hospitality were all on point.

The location is convenient and the room was alright. But noise made sleeping difficult: the walls are thin, and sounds from next door and the hallway were extremely loud until 3 a.m. The front desk staff had quite an attitude and didn’t explain the mandatory destination fee features or directions around the hotel very well.

I’ve stayed here around four or five times over the last two years, and I really do like the service and pleasant atmosphere. There’s a bar serving food 24 hours a day for night owls, plus two panoramic restaurants. The hotel is old but generally well maintained and very well located in the heart of Los Angeles. The part that looks run-down is the shopping mall area, which is nearly deserted, with only about a dozen open stores among all the empty spaces. On our most recent four-night visit, they didn’t make up the room on time on two days. I had to ask management, and it felt like they’d forgotten to clean it two days in a row. Parking is expensive at $52 a day. Breakfast is about 40 USD per person for the buffet, which lacks some basics, including more fruit, cheeses, a wider selection of yogurts, and more side dishes. I’d go à la carte instead. The three-cheese omelet was very good and about 28 USD.

The rooms are on the small side, but the views are impressive, with wide city panoramas that look especially beautiful at night. The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites has a convenient downtown Los Angeles location near attractions, convention venues, restaurants, and transit. It’s an iconic building with distinctive architecture and nostalgic charm, and has appeared in plenty of movies and TV shows. I like the classic LA history and retro feel. Service was the biggest letdown. We were there for a week-long convention, with most attendees staying at the hotel, but many on-site restaurants had very limited hours and were badly understaffed when open. On several days there was one bartender and no servers, despite the hotel being full. Families and attendees faced long waits trying to get food or drinks before scheduled events, and many had to leave the hotel to find something to eat. It was frustrating and inconvenient. The room service app was unreliable too. When it didn’t work, staff gave different responses, and in some cases we were essentially told we were “out of luck” and couldn’t order at all. No backup option was offered. The chronic understaffing and inconsistent service during such a major convention felt like a missed opportunity, and the hotel likely lost significant revenue. Better staffing and more reliable food service would help this property live up to its potential.