I love the Biltmore's lobby, the Rendezvous Court, and Smeraldi's Restaurant. The Old World murals, gorgeous high ceilings with artistic wood and plaster work, and the traditional furnishings qualify this downtown Los Angeles gem as one of the world's great historic hotels.
Having said that, I'm not sure I would stay there again. The night I checked in I couldn't make the TV work and called reception. They said they'd sent an engineer, but then called back to say it was the cable company's fault and they couldn't do anything about it. They were waiting for the cable company's visit "tomorrow."
I also noticed some fairly obvious deferred maintainance in the room. For instance, the ornamental drape over the bed was held together by a plastic twist tie because the bracket intended for this purpose was broken. I also learned that none of the rooms in the hotel come with mini-fridges, and the in-room safe was useless because it was located on a high shelf in the closet that I could barely reach. The hotel does not have a spa, but does have a fitness center and an indoor pool.
I should also mention that my room was on the more expensive Club Floor, but learned that the Club Lounge closes for several hours during the day and at 8pm every night. The staff in the Lounge were not helpful in anyway. The lounge offers one computer with Internet access, continental breakfast, and evening hors d'oevres.
I mentioned to two different staff members that my room lacked a robe, slippers, and coffee maker and both of them told me to "call housekeeping." I've traveled enough to know that in a hotel with an attentive staff, they would have taken care of it themselves.
Valet parking is $40 a day, which seems excessive, but really it was the staff attitude and the deferred maintainance that bothered me the most. Anyone who decides to stay here should know that room sizes vary widely. I saw a "standard room" on a lower floor that was twice the size of mine on the Club Floor (although it had the same small bathroom). I recommend specifying at the time of booking that you'd like one of the spacious rooms - whether Club Floor or Standard.
The beds were very comfortable and the bed linens were high quality. The location is also convenient for attending events at the Walt Disney Concert Hall and the Music Centre. I'm just sorry that staff attitude was so poor.
I wouldn't recommend the hotel to a friend for an overnight stay, but will continue to keep it on my list of must-see places in L. A. and no doubt will return for a meal or afternoon tea.
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