9 Days of Ritz
I am reviewing the Ritz-Carlton Downtown at LA Live.
I had to stay downtown while my daughter was busy at USC before her apartment building opened. We felt this location was the best: easy to get to USC and at LA Live which has a number of restaurants. Also the Marriott was booked. This property is beautiful and consists of three floors above the Marriott hotel. It is extremely expensive because of this. I have to say the girl who made my reservation was brilliant and found every available discount and I added Marriott points to bring the price down further. My opinion is if you are paying top dollar then everything should be first rate. The staff here is excellent, the spa is fabulous, the rooms are newly done and beautiful; however in this long a stay things were evident that you may not notice in a shorter stay.
First the lobby is very small and the residences next door pull their cars in here as well. Your car will be put in the same garage as the Marriott. The charge is $40.00 per night. Is it $40.00 a night at the Marriott? Once I just gave my name as my daughter had the ticket and it took 30 minutes to get the car. I guess they do not register the car with the guests name in the computer as do most hotels. Second, while the people at the front desk are lovely they don't always seem connected to everything else. I was given a very different bill on check out from my original reservation so now I have to figure out the whole thing but I must say they were very nice when I complained. I arrived exhausted and sick from the east coast and felt I needed TLC so I paid extra for the club lounge which was well worth it and made my trip tolerable. The staff is completely professional and attentive. The food is excellent. They seem to know what is going on and were very eager to help with any problem that arose. My room had many problems. First it faced the plaza. It was extremely hot and being on the 25th floor, it was hotter. I had to leave the curtains closed all day so the room became the black hole of Calcutta. The air conditioner did not work properly for five days. The last engineer informed me that it needed a new motor and he would put one in. I was offered a new room several times but I was sick, I was tired and I had all my daughters bags for college so I said no but the hotel did offer.The other wierd thing was that the phone never worked on the nighttable. The engineer said it was unplugged but it never worked which meant you had to get up and walk all the way across the room and answer the phone.Also my back was killing me the entire time and the pillows were either mushy or hard. The bed was just not that comfortable. I am home now and my back is fine and I woke up in a my own bed without a problem. Maybe it is just the bed in this room but someone should check it out. The maid came at 2:30 every day. This isn't great if you come from the east coast and are exhausted and want to lie down. Evidently they don't show in the am because they clean the Marriott as well. The room had some fun ideas. There is a tv in the bathroom mirror. I never used it but it was interesting. The shower and bath area are combined, It takes a minute or two for the shower water to get warm but you are on a high floor so that was to be expected. My daughter enjoyed the soaking tub. You can't really use both at the same time if you want privacy but it is spa like and pretty. I paid for the club because the Ritz charges for Internet and since I was sick I didn't feel like running around. I also felt like being taken care of and you are taken care of from the minute you walk in the door. I also did all my business and e-mailing there as there was a printer available. The food was well prepared and beautifully presented and the room is large and comfortable. My att/iphone only worked near the windows so there I sat trying to get things done locally and in New York. I tried to get the hotel car at least 4 times during my stay. It was available on a limited basis and it was never available. I heard every excuse: Mr So and So is using it (what, I thought it only went within a certain radius and dropped or picked you up, it is only available on a first come basis, maybe you'll get it tomorrow. Well, I used my LA Car service and they are completely dependable. I have stayed at most of the best hotels in LA and they have always picked me up, helped me out without my having to ask or beg.Needless to say, I gave up on the car but you would think that in a nine day stay I could get one ride.So if you are staying here one or two nights fine but if you are staying for a while unless you are celebrity you need to figure it out. It seemed as though some sort of communication was lacking. Also the cramped drop off and small lobby were not a gracious entry however perhaps it was supposed to feel private: very private. I think that the staff struggles to make it work. I was a little surprised at check out. I was in a rush and it seemed as though no one expected me to check the bill. Also I really got tired of having to try to get things taken care of. It seems as though there is some disconnect here. I have to say the WP restaurant was delightful and the spa was great. I should have just gone there!! Here are the two funny parts of the story. I had my Trip Advisor bag with me- hmmm maybe I was going to write everything down. Also though I am currently overweight, not twenty, and jet lagged, I do possess a platinum American Express, I have a business and have travelled all over the world. I have stayed in many, many hotels (some of the world's finest) and I am old fashioned and have certain expectations depending on what I am paying for. I do feel the more expensive a hotel, the more they have to live up to and I expect to be treated as well as any guest. My Dad used to say "It's the same dollar". I had to laugh because when I got to the airport, the guy who checked my luggage at the curb(loved him) said he took the top suite in this hotel for his new bride at almost a thousand a night and he couldn't figure it out either. Someone said it is basically a businessman's hotel. I happen to really like the Marriott chain. On the whole , I think they run a great business and I have stayed in Courtyard's where I was taken care of to the max. I just don't understand why the Ritz which is the top of the line doesn't run perfectly. Maybe I am just too picky, maybe not. Would I stay here again: yes BUT they are completely booked when I wanted to return so there you have it. It is a great place to stay downtown in terms of convenience. I have to say the staff was great. I do think it can be improved and as someone with an MBA in marketing who has been a pr dierector of a corporation, I think it needs a little coordination to be the absolute jewel in the crown.