I stayed at the Custom right after they launched several years ago... The kitchy/trendy mix was actually fun and somehow made the indoor-outdoor carpeting in the room and the less-than-Ikea brand furniture tolerable.... not to mention the fact that some rooms don't even have a closet but just a cheap metal rack. It reminded me of what the W was trying to do with that weird little hotel near Lake Michigan in Chicago. The Custom featured lots of sheep stuffed animals, an incredible vending machine area with things like smoked salmon in a ready to eat bag, and a cool lobby/bar/pool. Then, they dramatically raised their rates and got trendy - the weekends would be impossible with lots of young locals crashing there after drinking by the pool or in the bar. I stopped staying there. I returned in December of 2012 when I was once again able to get a $99 rate... The new owners got rid of the stuffed sheep but they kept the furniture... The oddest thing is that they removed the giant, artsy (and kind of creepy) portaits in the elevators - and replaced them with nothing... Now, the elevators just look ratty and take away from the overall impression. The dark and dingy hallways somehow look creepier too... and the absence of the sheep and "fun" features of the old Custom make the room just look kinda cheap. It was also so dark, It was hard to do any work... and right in the middle of a terribly important work email, the WI-FI dropped and I had to start all over... I avoided the $12 breakfast in the lobby - I don't like eating out in the open in what feels like a makeshift area ... and it didn't look like it was even worth $6. Actually, the biggest positives are the things that surround the hotel - the best frozen yogurt store in Los Angeles (and believe me, I've tried dozens), a great Italian restaurant nearby and some other good choices as well... A Ralph's Grocery right next door, along with a fancier one down the street; a nearby golf range, tennis courts and bowling alley - not to mention being just minutes from Marina Del Rey and the beach and just about 10 minutes or less from LAX. You can find free street parking within 2 blocks of the hotel - avoid the costly overnight charge. What I think is really poopy is that if you DO pay to park, the valets are simply going to drive your car into a part of the Ralph's parking lot - and yet, if YOU wanted to park there yourself, there are all these mean signs saying they're going to tow you. What a scam. Bottom line - if you can get a rate of $99 or less, it's worth it as a clean, affordable option near LAX - with MUCH nicer surroundings than any of the hotels directly by the airport on Airport Road (the giant Hilton, Sheraton, Raddisson, etc)... this is a stress-free area with good options for eating and fun all within a block of the hotel. Just don't expect a comfortable room or a nice elevator!
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