West End Hotel

I'm glad this motel has improved and no longer has those two managers. When David & Louise were in charge, they made tenants give them their credit scores, then used that to decide who would pay an extra $200 a month. Staying at a hotel or motel shouldn't depend on your credit score. They also made you change the name on the room every time, and each new name had to reserve it for more than 30 days to get a tax-free stay after that period. It was a scam. And don't listen to Jim Krisvoy. He wasn't living at this motel in 2018, so he wouldn't know who was managing it then.

The building isn't maintained well. There's chipping lead paint, roaches, no air conditioning or heat, and I felt harassed by the building manager. The first time I met him, Arthur Chang said he'd accidentally come across my Facebook and seen my modeling pictures, then asked me to show him more. Later I heard from another tenant that he was asking people if they were sleeping with me, where I was, and who they were texting. I was livid when I got a message about it. I can't imagine feeling more creeped out. The owners and management also charged what I believe were illegal taxes after the first 30 days, along with $200 fees without receipts. They represented themselves as a hotel and charged multiple tenants, then filed invalid eviction papers when people asked for their money back. The Housing Dept and City Attorney have responded and are investigating. My lawyer was shocked when I showed him videos of the owner's wife Anita Tabaroki and the manager threatening me to pay $200 without a receipt. I'll update once they're served in the wrongful eviction suit.

It's a handy place if you need to be near Culver City or Sony Theatres, with restaurants, a movie theater, and a Trader Joes all within walking distance. The rates are lower than elsewhere in the area, and they have weekly and monthly options, so it could work for a longer stay. Parking can be tricky, though there are garages nearby. The manager is the mother of the gentleman usually at the front desk, and they live on site, which has its benefits. He's a nice guy and likes biking, so invite him for a ride if you want to get on his good side.

For a short stay, I would recommend this place. The longer you stay, the more it seems David and Louise are trying to scam you. When I was there, they managed the place and charged me monthly. They said I needed good credit to get a hotel room, so I filled out a form. Then they told me my bad credit meant I couldn't stay after 30 days. Since when does hotel credit affect a security deposit? David said I could stay if I changed the name on the room every 30 days. What that did was put a different person on the room each month so they could charge me taxes. He'd pocket the $150 to $200, even though, as I understand it, after 30 days of living in Los Angeles a stay becomes tax-free. Changing the name kept me from getting that tax-free credit. That wasn't even the worst thing they did, but it happened so long ago that I'm trying to let the rest go.