Gateway Hotel Santa Monica

This is our regular stop when we visit LA, and we've stayed here several times. The rooms are clean and comfortable, parking is convenient, and the location is great. The staff are consistently great every time. Special mention to Martha at reception, who was friendly, welcoming, and accommodating.

The room was comfortable and usually not too noisy. I liked the teal accent wall, the spacious bathroom, and its newer fixtures. We were in a disabled room, which was helpful since the bed was low for my mom, who's 4'6". The rate was $200-240 a night, with parking around $17 nightly in the same building. Ask about a medical rate if you're there for medical reasons. The restaurant right next door made it easy to leave Mom in the room and run down for delicious food. Breakfast included cereal, fruit, yogurt, milk, juice, granola bars, hard-boiled eggs, hot pancakes, coffee, tea, and instant oatmeal. The room had a mini fridge, but it didn't work until we asked for a replacement after two days. We had leftovers and couldn't reheat them, so the rooms need a microwave or at least one somewhere in the building.

The calm, quiet feel and convenient location near the hospitals and Santa Monica Pier suited me well. It's an older hotel, but it's been nicely upgraded, and everything was clean and comfortable. Staff were respectful and friendly, check-in went smoothly, and checking out was just dropping off the key and leaving. Paid parking is available. The hallway carpet had a faint old or damp smell, noticeable if you have a strong sense of smell, though it wasn't awful. The guests seemed mostly middle-aged, so it wasn't a party atmosphere, which made things peaceful. I arrived in a Waymo, my autonomous chariot Casper the Driver, and it was quiet, easy, and readily available around Santa Monica. My DoorDash order stayed at the front desk instead of coming up. There was only one person working, so I understood. I'd stay again for the quiet, cleanliness, and easy in-and-out.

After two stays that weren't back-to-back, Gateaway Hotel in Santa Monica has become my go-to in Los Angeles. It's affordable, quiet, and near a lot of West LA landmarks. The place is clean, parking is available, breakfast is plentiful, and the staff are friendly. I can't recommend it enough.