Great Hotel. Needs great management. Have an afternoon drink at the bar, look around sneek into the pool, DONT STAY
I frequent Downtown Los Angeles and normally stay at the Bonaventure. We had a drink at the bar at the Millennium Biltmore and we were intrigued. The bartender made us two great drinks and set the metal Boston shakers with the excess behind our drinks like a milkshake when you were a kid. The bar snacks were peanuts in a raised silver dishes with the Biltmore Angle (a motif carved into the bar and running throughout the hotel). What bar serves peanuts, and in silver? We were smitten. 
We asked the front desk for a tour. Always happy to get away he printed a list of vacant rooms and showed us three of different levels and the pool. They had us at the pool. It is in the basement and the theme is ocean liner deck. Since it was built in the 20's think Queen Mary, It is beautiful with painted Greek athletic terra cotta tiles punctuating the fully tiled floors, walls and pillars. The Biltmore angle adorns everything. There is a steam room, sauna, two showers and a Jacuzzi elevate and behind glass. There are real 30's teak deck chairs. It is beautiful. 
The guest rooms are a hodge-podge. Built with 1500 guest rooms in the 20'd before the King bed was, well, king, it was reorganized by the Millennium Hotel Group as part of a major renovation and now has just under 700. Kudos to them for doing that, but the bathrooms, while gorgeous with white marble, are tiny and want for counter space and the rooms are odd shaped and range from narrow and long, to small with a desk in a former closet to huge beyond your pay grade. It is a crap shoot. Also there is a central elevator bank and your room can be a hike, but it is a grand-dame hotel and thats how it is. 
The manager told me he would love to lure me away from the Bonaventure and that he would waive the valet charges (very high everywhere in LA) and offer a late check-out. 
Fast forward to this month. We make plans to see a play in LA with all four of our parents. I call the hotel, no free parking, we don’t do that. The hotel quoted me a rate higher than on their website, but I can have a late check-out. OK done deal. We pay in advance to get the discount. 
Check-in after the matinee was a breeze. The valet was great. We get our three rooms, have dinner and the parents go to bed. We go to the bar. The silver dishes of peanuts are replaced with ceramic ramekins of potato chips. I like potato chips as much as the next guy, but come on. There is a jazz combo with drums crammed into the tiny bar. Thankfully we powered down our one drink on their break. The old bartender was there. She is great. 
In the morning we have a nice splash in the pool. I asked at the gift shop if they have anything with the Biltmore Angle, the symbol of the hotel, on it. I get a blank look and “that would be a great idea”. Really, you spent millions renovating this gem of a hotel where the academy awards were born and that never occurred to you? 
We gather the parents to have a walk downtown. We go the Philippes the Original and the LA Grand Central Market, Angels flight and the Bradbury Building, then back to the hotel. The key does not work. The maid cannot let me in. I have to hike back to the phone bank and call security. On the way, the cell phone starts to ring with frantic parents and I see several other shut-outs. 
I tell security to please take care of the parents first. When they go to their rooms, they cannot let them in until they see my ID because the rooms are in my name. We get that sorted and he tells me we have to go to the front desk because they automatically lock all the doors at 12:30 and if you have a late checkout you need to go to the front desk and have your key reactivated. 
I gather all the keys and go to the front desk. There is a line to the end of the room with people having the same problem. While in line the cell phone rings some more. The parents have had enough and a are ready to go home. I go back to the room, let in by my wife since my keys don’t work, and we plan the exodus and pick up the parents one by one on the way out. You cant check out on the Television because that was not part of the renovation and there is no mention of a dropbox. I brave the line (truthfully thinned out a little now) and settle up for two drinks and a newspaper. How was the stay? 
Why awful. 
Want to talk to a manager? 
Sure. 
Well tough, he is busy. He will call you
Five hours later I get a call. The manager is unhelpful, hard to understand and seem bothered to be wasting his time. Sorry, I cant do anything. Someone higher up will call you. I am still waiting for that call. 
I asked them if this was the impression they wanted to leave. Their silence indicates it is. 
 My Review:
I frequent Downtown Los Angeles and normally stay at the Bonaventure. We had a drink at the bar at the Millennium Biltmore and we were intrigued. The bartender made us two great drinks and set the metal Boston shakers with the excess behind our drinks like a milkshake when you were a kid. The bar snacks were peanuts in a raised silver dish with the Biltmore Angle (a motif carved into the bar and running throughout the hotel) molded in it and are original to the hotel. What bar serves peanuts, and in silver? What a treat. We were smitten. 
We asked the front desk for a tour. Always happy to get away most clerks are happy oblige as was this one. He printed a list of vacant rooms and showed us three of different levels and the pool. They had us at the pool. It is in the basement and the theme is ocean liner deck. Since it was built in the 20's think Queen Mary, It is beautiful with painted Greek athletic terra cotta tiles punctuating the fully tiled floors, walls and pillars. The Biltmore angle adorns everything. There is a steam room, sauna, two showers and a Jacuzzi elevate and behind glass. There are real 30's teak deck chairs. It is beautiful. 
The guest rooms are a hodge-podge. Built with 1500 guest rooms in the 20'd before the King bed was, well, king, it was reorganized by the Millennium Hotel Group as part of a major renovation and now has just under 700. Kudos to them for doing that, but the bathrooms, while gorgeous with white marble, are tiny and want for counter space and the rooms are odd shaped and range from narrow and long, to small with a desk in a former closet to huge beyond your pay grade. It is a crap shoot. Also there is a central elevator bank and your room can be a hike, but it is a grand-dame hotel and thats how it is. 
The manager told me he would love to lure me away from the Bonaventure and that he would waive the valet charges (very high everywhere in LA) and offer a late check-out. 
Fast forward to this month. We make plans to see a play in LA with all four of our parents. I call the hotel, no free parking, we don’t do that. The hotel quoted me a rate higher than on their website, but I can have a late check-out. OK done deal. We pay in advance to get the discount. 
Check-in after the matinee was a breeze. The valet was great. We get our three rooms, they ran the gauntlet from closet to huge. Ours has brown water from the taps, but it’s a grem dam hotel, and that’s the news. We have dinner and the parents go to bed. We go to the bar. The silver dishes of peanuts are replaced with ceramic ramekins of potato chips. I like potato chips as much as the next guy, but come on. There is a jazz combo with drums crammed into the tiny bar. Thankfully we powered down our one drink on their break. The old bartender was there. She is great. 
In the morning we have a nice splash in the pool. I asked at the gift shop if they have anything with the Biltmore Angle, the symbol of the hotel, on it. I get a blank look and “that would be a great idea”. Really, you spent millions renovating this gem of a hotel where the academy awards were born and that never occurred to you? 
We gather the parents to have a walk downtown. We go the Philippes the Original and the LA Grand Central Market, Angels flight and the Bradbury Building, then back to the hotel. The key does not work. The maid cannot let me in. I have to hike back to the phone bank and call security. On the way, the cell phone starts to ring with frantic parents and I see several other shut-outs. 
I tell security to please take care of the parents first. When they go to their rooms, they cannot let them in until they see my ID because the rooms are in my name. We get that sorted and he tells me we have to go to the front desk because they automatically lock all the doors at 12:30 and if you have a late checkout you need to go to the front desk and have your key reactivated. 
I gather all the keys and go to the front desk. There is a line to the end of the room with people having the same problem. While in line the cell phone rings some more. The parents have had enough and a are ready to go home. I go back to the room, let in by my wife since my keys don’t work, and we plan the exodus and pick up the parents one by one on the way out. You cant check out on the Television because that was not part of the renovation and there is no mention of a dropbox. I brave the line (truthfully thinned out a little now) and settle up for two drinks and a newspaper. How was the stay? 
Why awful. 
Want to talk to a manager? 
Sure. 
Well tough, he is busy. He will call you
Five hours later I get a call. The manager is unhelpful, hard to understand and seem bothered to be wasting his time. Sorry, I cant do anything. Someone higher up will call you. I am still waiting for that call. 
I asked them if this was the impression they wanted to leave. Their silence indicates it is. 
It is a great property. It deserves better management.