I booked the hotel under a friends recommendation, but after reading one of the reviews after our stay, I think he might have recommended The Hotel Whilshire.
If you take public transport, ie train, you will need to change three lines and take about one hour to get there from LAX airport. Don't do it if your plane arrives late at night and if it is your first time in LA. We took the train and bus option, and due to a delayed flight, we arrived at LAX at night. the trip planner I have prepared instructed us to change to a local bus at Vermont train station. Well, shall I say -It was the dirties, most offputting train station I have ever been to. there is no light in the lift and you could smell urine. I didn't feel save at all. Desperate to get onto a bus, at least there will be lights and a nus driver, we boarded the local bus 206, it took us along Normandie road, there were only two female passengers boarded the bus throughout our ride, and that was the only time I felt saver.
The hotel is in the middle of the korean town, if you are comfortable to explore the suburb at night, you will find some decent korean restaurants and supermarket, some restaurants open for 24 hours.
Now, the hotel.
When I heard the good review from a frequent traveller friend of mine, I went onto their website and checke out the rate. It is about 130 aussie a night. With the glamorous photos and intro they had on their website, I thought, I have just found a gem in LA to stay. Well, not so soon.....
When I got to the hotel, I thougt the lobby on their website seems grander. I thought I went to the wrong hotel until the front desk assured me that they can find my booking.
The room we stayed in is on the 11th floor, the lift took us up is quite old. We can definately smell cigarette odour in our room even though it states as a non smoking room. We can see hollywood sign from our window, that was a small excitment.
The furniture are out dated, but the room is clean. Only complain is the aircon. The is very noisy when you turn it on. WiFi is free but super slow in the room, guests go to the lobby to use the faster free WiFi.
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