Tuck Hotel

Check-in was a hassle from the start. Nobody was at the front desk, so I had to text a number and wait with no acknowledgment until someone finally showed up. Getting into the building and room meant dealing with several door codes, which felt impersonal and disorganized. I booked for one night, and with replies only coming by text after delays, there wasn’t a practical way to sort things out while I was there. The room looked modern but was long and narrow, with the bed pressed against a wall and the closet door opening right beside it. There were no nightstands or bedside lights. A mini fridge sat awkwardly next to the bed, and one switch controlled the overhead lights from just one side. The bed was very firm, and the sheets looked synthetic. The air conditioning kept the room cool, but under the covers I got uncomfortably warm. The bathroom shelves had what looked like scratches or burn marks, there was used soap in the shower and a dirty towel, and the exhaust fan didn’t seem to work. Steam streaks on the walls were already there when I arrived. A full-length mirror directly facing the toilet felt uncomfortable and unnecessary. Street noise was minimal, but hallway sounds carried, and I could hear people walking past. The photos made the place look nice, but comfort, cleanliness, and basic hospitality were consistently lacking.

The room was clean and spacious, and the location is excellent, with public transit easy to reach. The multiple locks made the place feel secure. Still, I wouldn’t stay here again. The hallway and outside noise carried straight into the room. I was on the third floor and could hear everything, so this is a bad choice for a light sleeper. Worse, the doors don’t lock automatically when they close. Housekeeping left my door ajar and unlocked just a couple of hours after check-in. I’d made sure it was shut before I left, so seeing it open was shocking. I arrived around 1 p.m., two hours before check-in, and was told I’d have to pay a $35 early check-in charge even though my room was ready. With nobody there in person to hold my bags, I felt I had to pay. I checked in and paid on my phone. There was no one at the front desk when I arrived, so I called from outside. Someone who I think was another guest let me in. Checking in by phone was chaotic: I was told someone would meet me, then got called back instead. The whole process was disorganized. Next time I’m in LA, I’ll stay somewhere else I can trust.

The photos made the place look stylish, and at more than $300 for a single king room I expected something nicer. Fungus gnats were flying around, and there were black, curly hairs on the freshly made bed. The toilet paper holder came apart from the wall easily, and there were tiny picture hooks in the bathroom walls that we were apparently meant to use for towels. The room didn’t look like the photos. It got worse after that. There were no updated features like USB charging ports. My boyfriend sat on the bed casually in the first five minutes, and the noise it made had me worried it might give out. To get airflow from the window air conditioner, we had to move the curtains and put them on top of the unit. Hallway noise and an event space below our rooms made it hard to fall asleep. There was also a loud buzzing electrical sound from next door, though I couldn’t tell what caused it. There was no coffee, water, or microwave in the room. The hotel has two gates to get into the lobby, and extra parking was $30 overnight on the street over. I wanted to like it because it looked cool and seemed worth paying extra for some style, but it wasn’t worth it, even for our one night.

We were close enough to walk to our downtown business contacts, which was a great location. But the neighborhood was so noisy that we couldn’t get meaningful rest, and we ended up checking out early. At the rate we paid, the rooms we got seemed below the standard of the others. It would have been a better stay if I’d received the extra bed padding I requested.