W Hollywood

The W Hollywood is simply excellent. That’s hard to admit, considering my prior review from 2020, but the new General Manager and the dedicated staff have transformed this property in ways that are truly amazing. I’m the most negative person in the entire world, and I can find faults with almost anything, but (between us) the W Hollywood is truly fantastic for travelers looking for a combination of elegance, relaxation, and mid-tempo positive energy 24/7. So, where do we begin? First, let’s talk about their restaurant. We all know that there are very few hotel restaurants that you’d ever go to if you weren’t staying there. We all know that typically, Marriott hotel restaurants don’t try hard because they have a guaranteed customer base, especially for busters like me that have “free breakfast” through Marriott. So, it’s hard to admit this, but the W Hollywood’s restaurant is simply perfect for what it is trying to be. Do you want a hotel breakfast with 30+ options? They have that. Do you want breakfast *outside* in a peaceful, welcoming, beautifully curated space? They have that. Do you want service so overwhelmingly good that the day you leave the property you feel compelled to write a lengthy review? They have that. But, let’s keep this next part between us. There’s a guy on the restaurant team, Josh, who treats busters and losers like me as if I was the most important person on Earth. Josh brought such excellence every day that I honestly wondered if he had previously served at a Michelin starred restaurant. If I was in hospitality, I’d have immediately made him an offer to join my team. Similarly, the food-beverage delivery team that manages all of the restaurant orders also delivers with a smile. Daniel, on that team, comes out and presents your meal as if it’s your birthday or an anniversary. It made every morning feel magical. Which again, is hard to admit, since I wake up grumpy and ready to critique the world. Ok fine, their hash browns weren’t perfect – more oil or butter would have been helpful. But, back to the good stuff. Let’s talk about the W Hollywood pool. This is hard, because I don’t want everybody learning about what has to be one of the best high-end hotel pool areas in the larger metro area. Let’s get honest. A number of years ago, before the new GM, the team at the W Hollywood envisioned the pool to be a place with 24/7 Vegas New Years level energy. They tried that. It failed. So, they reinvented it. And it’s simply amazing. Imagine a hotel pool where you go there and there is actually a place to sit, without 100 people showing up at 9 am covering seats with towels and then blocking you from sitting down at 11:30 am. Imagine a hotel pool bar with an actual mixologist who creates authentic cocktails based upon his actual experience serving really good drinks and caring about things like how the drink is presented visually and with seasonal ingredients. Imagine a hotel pool where there’s an actual kitchen *at the pool* and your snacks and food come out delicious and fresh without the awkward 15 minute delay that other properties have, as they transfer it from 4 different kitchens. Staff like Leslie stopped by, seriously, maybe 15 times in 3 hours to make sure we were doing ok. Managers like Diana made sure that all of the annoying guests like me felt valued when we had weird requests like “I demand more ice in my drink because it’s too sunny up here!” Too much attention to detail! I’m used to being ignored or overlooked for hours! Bottom line - there’s nothing more amazing than having a hotel food and beverage pool experience and feeling like it was prepared at a late night speakeasy by an expert with 30 years’ experience. Thanks, Expert Mixologist Ben! When you’re ready to write your mixology book, I’ll place a pre-order! Mixologist Ben apparently curates amazing custom cocktails by the season. So, though I won’t be back in LA for a while, can’t wait to see what he has in store for next summer. Next, let’s talk about the guest service experience. Marriott Lifetime Titanium here. 1800+ nights. Believe me, I know what it’s like to leave a property and wonder: “Do they simply hate their guests?” Well, the W Hollywood caters to people like me. Their management team is simply unbeatable, and spends most of the day proactively solving problems and making sure you feel like a valued guest. Micaela at the front-desk – knew the answer to every question I had during my stay, even before I asked. Jeff, who was quietly managing multiple parts of the hotel, was simply amazing – always willing to answer questions and demonstrating that hotel guests should be valued. Kid you not – he exuded such knowledge and kindness that I wished we were friends in real life. Imagine a hotel guest service team where the people you interact with do things like actually remember your name, and then greet you, kindly, by name, when they see you. WHAT? Imagine a guest service team where you casually mention that you like the color blue, and then the next day, your entire meal or experience or room is suddenly accented in blue, including Jeff’s pocket square. Because I’m a demanding traveler who expects everything to be flawless, of COURSE I had an issue or two while I was there. Question – how many times have you been at a property, and had a concern, and then waited and waited only to get no answer or feel like you were ignored? But, here’s what separates W Hollywood from the rest. One day, I got unnaturally upset that my breakfast order wasn’t prepared *exactly* as it was ordered. I casually mentioned it to somebody at the hotel later. Shortly thereafter, Jessica, the Food and Beverage Manager, reached out to me to learn more. She then spent time fully learning the details, and said that she’d take the feedback to the team, and it wouldn’t happen again. The next day, not only was the problem solved, but the team actually said “thank you” for the feedback. WHAT? You know what would happen at most of the elite properties you might pick – you’re either ignored, or put on hold, or they summarily dismiss you. The W Hollywood is 100% in the opposite corner. There’s more. Yes, valet is expensive. But, wow! Can’t say I ever waited more than 90 seconds from the time they scanned the ticket until the car came out of the garage. Amazing. Is the hotel’s beautiful but casual restaurant Michelin starred? Of course not! But, you’re in Los Angeles. Enjoy it for breakfast or lunch and then break the bank down the street a few blocks and you’ll be ok. Does the hotel bar stay open until 2 in the morning? NO! But, if that’s your vibe, and you want a 24/7 hotel party, there are plenty of spots that will cater to your needs. Bottom line – There are a TON of elite hotels in the larger LA area. I get it. It can be hard to figure out the differences. But if you’re a discerning traveler who wants to fully decompress and feel like you’re a celebrity when you’re not, and want to experience full luxury, dedicated service, and walk away feeling rejuvenated and refreshed, THIS is the place. The entire team is built around making sure you feel valued. And for annoying negative people like me, THAT is simply amazing. Thank you, W Hollywood!

Just writing a review simply for Micaela! She got some great energy and will keep people happy every time they come downstairs. Yall give her a raise! Lovely girl!

Not a bad stay, room was very good! Thank you for the upgrade to the Suite. Doorman didn’t help me with my bags, check in was good, platinum benefits explained, resort charge as ever needed to be paid but FNB credit almost gets that taken care of, albeit you end up spending more trying to use it to order a drink. Location was not what I expected but a solid W Hotel. Can Recommend.

I came and visited the W Hollywood hotel today and had an amazing experience, the valet was seemless, the HR ladies were very welcoming and friendly, and the hotel atmosphere and ambiance was very calming, upscale and luxurious and very pretty! I was greeted by Diana and served an amazing honey lavender iced latte by Jae K! Both are incredible, made my day and next time I'm in the area I will definitely be stopping by again! Their lobby bar, outside patio area and indoor cafe were also very polished and beautiful. Great place to stop by and get some work done as well, highly recommend, and shout out again to both Jae K, and Diana!

Had a great time here. All the staff were all wonderful and Trish specifically was extra accommodating and ensured that our stay was perfect!