In need of updating
We are dedicated Starwood members who have stayed in over 20 SPG properties here and abroad. We have been coming to the W Westwood for almost 7 years now. However, this last visit surprised us in that so much of the hotel seems dated and I was once again reminded by design oddities of the rooms.
When you walk in the hotel, the cushions on the furniture are flattened and dirty... not the kind of "first impression" a hotel should make. Second, when we got to our King Suite, several lamps didn't work, the grout in the shower had mildew/mold, the sleeper was awful (don't hotel owners know that La-Z-Boy makes the most incredibly comfortable SlumberAir sleeper with a blow-up mattress!?) and the sinks are almost non-functioning as the faucets are not big enough for the huge raised sink bowl so water splashes everwhere. And where is the world is one supposed to put the make-up bag? You can tell there are "issues" with space when the dryer has to be hung on the towel bar b/c there is absolutely no storage anywhere. 
I am a commercial designer and I can attest that the "celebrity designer" who did this place doesn't understand how guests use hotel rooms. For instance, in the suite which has 3 rooms, there is one room with the bed, one with a sectional and desk and one room with the sleeper and an enormous desk.... why not put a functioning bed in this second room? Who needs two desks and two sitting areas in a hotel room? How I would love the chance to help them redo this hotel!
Furthermore, the hallway carpets need replacing, the artwork at the end of the halls is dated (how easy would it be to update?) and the bar, owned by Randy Gerber, is no longer the chic hang-out in part because it hasn't been updated in years and has lost it's vibe.
Another frustration is the whatever/whenever. We were counting on using the Acura (which is touted as "available when you need it" on both Saturday and Sunday around 9a, but alas, they don't offer it until 10:30a... so it's not really "whenever." Too bad as I'm looking at buying a new SUV and would have liked to try the MDX.
The hotel also was having some operational issues... our friends had a confirmed spg suite reservation but no rooms were available when they arrived and they were put in a very small room. Housekeepers knocked at 8:45a to do room service...a little early on a Sunday for sure. And often, the calls to the front desk would ring without being answered. It seems as if for a Labor Day Weekend, they were understaffed.
The highlights of the hotel are it's great location close to UCLA, the parking attendants are nice (and offer free water); and we enjoyed dining at the excellent Nine Thirty restaurant and Backyard eating area although they kept running out of glassware (???). The small pool area is crowded but people seemed to be enjoying themselves. And when a 3.3 earthquake struck just 1/2 mile away, the hotel held steady... that's always good.