I have stayed here a few times and would agree that the experience can be hit or miss. I recently went up for a one-night trip with my children over the Christmas holiday to do some sight-seeing in L.A. We found a good rate on Hotwire ($78 plus tax was around $96 total). Parking (with in-and-out privileges) is $22.50/day.
The first room we went into was filled with smoke, so we trekked back downstairs and were put in a room on one of the "Starwood Preferred Guest" floors, which didn't seem to be any different from the others. The clerk was very friendly and apologetic and I would say the service was good at the front desk. At another time, when I had lost my parking pass and needed a new one, the clerk was very helpful and then took a look at my kids and came back with two Westin Adventure Kids backpacks plus goodies inside. I felt they were trying to make our stay nice.
The downside is that, while the hotel is close to LAX, it's in the neighborhood close to LAX. It's not someplace you'd want to walk around outside. Walking out front would be like walking on the side of a freeway. Also, the housekeeping was pretty poor. Our room had a noticeable layer of dust along the entire desk/dresser/minibar area and the bathrooms were very average, especially for something rated as a four-star hotel in Hotwire. The beds were comfortable, like other Westin beds, and the room was fairly quiet, but that may have been different if the hotel were more full.
The hotel has a heated pool on the third floor. It's an average-sized pool and the water temperature is heated but not terribly warm. We went in in the evening, when it was in the 50s outside, and the pool felt pretty cool. The jacuzzi was much better, though you can't sit in the jacuzzi and watch your kids in the pool because there are steps and a wall between the two. So if your kids want to swim, be prepared to stay by the pool and save the jacuzzi time for later.
The gym is currently being remodeled (as of December 2011). I didn't check out the temporary gym that they had in place.
As far as location is concerned, as I mentioned it is minutes from LAX on Century Blvd. We used the hotel as a home base to do activities in Santa Monica. With L.A. traffic going either on the 405 or up the Pacific Coast Highway, it's about 30 minutes to Santa Monica.
Having said all of this, my kids thought this was a WONDERFUL hotel. They say it's definitely a four-star hotel and one of the nicest they've been in. Don't they remember the stay at the Hyatt Regency in Maui? So, evidently, it made a great impression on them and hopefully that accounts for something. My tip would be to check Hotwire and try to get a good rate. At less that $100 a night, you'll feel it's a good value.
hotel reviews