AC Hotel Pasadena

The king room was clean and comfortable, though so dim that I had to switch on every light. That wouldn’t be convenient for anyone putting on or taking off makeup. We were in town for Halloween for four days, and the crowds were huge, so staff were sometimes too busy to answer questions about how the restaurant worked. I understand it wasn’t their fault, but I never quite figured it out. Parking was another frustration: we paid and specifically asked staff to charge our electric car, but it wasn’t charged at all. The next day I had to find another charging station, which caused a big delay. Picking up the car also took at least 15 minutes each time. I hope they can improve that. Even with those issues, my first stay at AC was a good choice and better than I expected. I’d book again when I’m back in LA.

Shrawak and the rest of the front desk team made our Valentine’s weekend such a pleasure. Everyone was incredibly friendly and helpful. The hotel has a stylish interior, and our room was spotless. It’s right on Colorado Blvd in Pasadena, surrounded by shops and an easy place to get around on foot. Parking next door was convenient and affordable. I’ll come back next time I visit LA.

The staff were genuinely kind and helpful, which was the one bright spot. As someone who stays with Marriott often, I’m unsure I’d come back. The floor hadn’t been vacuumed, and there was hair and other debris on it. I also made several housekeeping requests that never got handled. On two of my three nights, I had to call the front desk because weed smoke was getting into my room, even though the hotel is supposed to be non-smoking.

Uurth is right next door, and there are plenty of food spots along the street. The facility feels new and was very clean, so it’s a good place to stay overall. My room didn’t have much space for hanging clothes or storing things in drawers. The phone was also frustrating to use. The minimalist design has gone too far when you have to work out how to get a dial tone. That’s a problem with the provider, not the person using it. Parking was the other downside: valet was offered to us, and we chose it, but it was around $50 a day. There’s a garage next door, and I wish there were a more reasonable option.