Residence Inn by Marriott Los Angeles Westlake Village

The room was nice, and the bed was comfortable. The pillows were amazing, and having a real fridge and an ice machine in the freezer was convenient. It was quiet, the rest of the staff were nice, and nobody hassled us when we sat on the ground to smoke and have our morning coffee. I added stars because of those things, but there are some frustrating issues. The night desk woman was a bit snotty, and we were given misleading information when booking. We were told smoking was allowed outdoors away from entrances, but at check-in the desk said the hotel wasn’t smoker friendly and that the only place was by the basketball courts, requiring a walk off site just to smoke. We also couldn’t smoke by the pool. In reality, smoking seemed allowed outside the outer ring, 20 feet from the doors, where you can see the butt catchers. There’s just no comfortable spot unless you sit on the ground or use one of two lawn chairs hidden in the dog walking area. We asked for a second chair for our room. They said they’d send one if available, but it never arrived and nobody followed up. The hotel could improve things by adding a proper seating area for smokers, perhaps a gazebo near the pool with signs and ashtrays. As it is, the setup makes us feel unwelcome because of our habit. I doubt we’ll find somewhere better in Cali, but I wanted the hotel to know how it could make the experience five star.

The suite has everything we need for a comfortable long stay, and the bed is incredibly comfortable. We’re spending 13 days at the Residence Inn Marriott in Westlake Village while moving between houses, and it’s been perfect. Everyone on the team has been friendly, accommodating, and eager to make things easier for us. Breakfast has a lot of options, and I especially like the crustless quiche and cold brew coffee. The pool is a great place to relax between busy days, and I’ve been able to work from the hotel the whole time without any trouble. We feel very well looked after and are grateful for the hospitality. It really feels like a home away from home.

We got back to our room around 10pm after leaving for an event a little after 5pm. It had been about 80° during the day and 64° at night, with the thermostat set to 69°. After a while, a noise like a NASCAR engine idling outside filled the room. I called the front desk to ask what it was, and they sent a maintenance man. He was a little rude when he came in and said it was our air conditioner. I asked how we were supposed to sleep with that annoying noise. He asked whether we wanted the AC off. Of course, but we also wanted a controlled temperature. He just went over and switched it off. It made for a very uncomfortable night. If you stay here, make sure they don’t put you in room #242. We had checked in around 3:30pm and left for the event shortly after 5pm.

The staff were quick, friendly, and did what they could when our room’s AC had a problem. When it couldn’t be fixed, they moved us to another room nearby, so the switch was easy. Breakfast was standard but filling. The pool was nice, although the jacuzzi looked a little green. I mentioned it to the staff, and someone came right out to clean and fix it. It was better the next day. Hotels aren’t perfect, but the staff here did a great job making our stay enjoyable.