Stayed at Hollywood Hills hotel & Apts again - lovely pool and easy to get around but a couple of strange things happened this time.
My daughter booked three nights from UK but we were unable to book the further two nights we wanted, so we had three nights in one room and two nights in another room that I was able to book once in California. Room 404 was delightful - lovely view, comfortable and clean. Room 204 was a disappointment - lovely view of a roof, and room generally in need of a refit. Strangely, on making the booking for the two days, I was quoted $143 per night, which became $144 upon check in and $154 when we checked out (plus tax). This for a room that reception staff assured "had a better view" than room 404. Strange that the room rate increased AFTER I had checked in and stranger that they deemed a room with a view of a roof to have a better view than the view of Los Angeles from room 404!
Even stranger is that the hotel listing on Ebookers (and comments on TripAdvisor) inform that drinks and snacks are "free" yet on checking in (at the Magic Castle hotel down the hill), we were provided with a snacks price list, and required to pay for the few snacks we asked for. The Australians (17 in one party) on the other hand in...Stayed at Hollywood Hills hotel & Apts again - lovely pool and easy to get around but a couple of strange things happened this time.
My daughter booked three nights from UK but we were unable to book the further two nights we wanted, so we had three nights in one room and two nights in another room that I was able to book once in California. Room 404 was delightful - lovely view, comfortable and clean. Room 204 was a disappointment - lovely view of a roof, and room generally in need of a refit. Strangely, on making the booking for the two days, I was quoted $143 per night, which became $144 upon check in and $154 when we checked out (plus tax). This for a room that reception staff assured "had a better view" than room 404. Strange that the room rate increased AFTER I had checked in and stranger that they deemed a room with a view of a roof to have a better view than the view of Los Angeles from room 404!
Even stranger is that the hotel listing on Ebookers (and comments on TripAdvisor) inform that drinks and snacks are "free" yet on checking in (at the Magic Castle hotel down the hill), we were provided with a snacks price list, and required to pay for the few snacks we asked for. The Australians (17 in one party) on the other hand in the Magic Castle hotel were observed to regularly go to reception with a "shopping list" of snack requirements, which were provided free of charge. I was stunned, even, to see people in the pool have "popsicles" (lolly ices) delivered to them in the pool. Lazy or what?
Did the nightly increase of $11 (plus tax) on my room rate for room 204 help to fund the demanding snacking habit of guests in the Magic Castle?
This visit, I felt there was an "us and them" differentiation between quests at the Magic Castle Hotel and guests at the Hollywood Hills Hotel & Apts. But the Hollywood Hills is an incredible place and the history of this hotel and grounds is amazing, and the pool area is a haven of peace away from the hustle of Hollywood Boulevard. I would choose the Hollywood Hills over the Magic Castle, which in my opinion tends to be claustrophobic, particularly around the central pool area at night, as well as sometime overpowering cooking smells from the rooms.
Hollywood seems much busier than in recent years (we witnessed one tour group of Chinese being given seven minutes in the large tourist shop on the corner) and there is talk of pedestrianizing Hollywood Boulevard. Local buses and the Metro are easy to use. It's worth a trip to Santa Monica Pier (see the sign at the end of route 66) and Long Beach is about 45 minutes away on the Metro (the $2 water taxi ride of the harbour is a delight).
I'd go back to the Hollywood Hills hotel but next time I'd ask for a room on a specific floor, and get a written quote for the room rate, and for clarification over who is to pay for snacks and who isn't!
The female reception staff are delightful. And can anyone enlighten me - what's with this "FIJI" water at $4 per bottle :) ?.More
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