Starwood Preferred Guest - LA - meridien vs Renaissance?

Will be in LA for the weekend and have previously stayed at the renaissance in Hollywood. Nice room but service was snotty and lobby is not comfortable. Also traveling with a smoker and ren has no smoking while Meridien does (not deciding factor). Does anyone know if any rooms have balconeys for smoking? Meridien lobby looks nicer in photos.Also like that Meridien seems to have Asian decor

Have read some reviews about the le meridien and many talked about dirty, stained rooms. If this is so, I will not go to Meridien.

Any recent info? thanks!

Just got back from LM BH. It's a beautiful lobby and garden (website photo was probably an oversell though), but room itself is barely a so-so. Think Sheraton level or lower grade Westin. Dated, clean, but not appealing. I was upgraded to a Junior Suite as a Plat. Service however was very good, contrary to some of the past thread I've read. Over night parking is about $30 w/ tax and everything, although I think Ren's not much better in that regard. Restaurants around LM is much better than Ren however.

The BH LM has been sold and is shutting down next year for a complete rebuild. It will reopen as a high-end luxury boutique hotel (not *wood). So some of the staff are leaving, and hotel maintenance and renovation has been on hold for a few years. There are really 2 parts to this hotel, a tower and the low rise section. Most of the low-rise is in much better shape than most of the tower (rather surprisingly, you'd think the tower would be better). It is almost like 2 separate hotels. The suite I had was in the low rise and was a notch above Westin quality for furnishings, including a very comfortable bed (different from the Heavenly bed, and definitely better, with nicer sheets). There are no balconies in the low-rise section, but the windows open. Also there are a dozen "ground" floor rooms which have a huge patio in a courtyard, which would be ideal for your purposes.

Stay away from the LM BH. Stayed there last month and the customer service is awful, not to mention the rooms are dated - lobby was much nicer.

I didn't get the room I reserved and was downgraded, a complain to hotel mgmt and SPG cust svc got me a whopping 1,000 points. In addition the parking valet smashed my travelling partners vehicle and wasn't even going to mention it to us until we pointed out that we watched him do it.

I can't emphasize enough avoid the LM BH.

I live walking distance away from the hotel and have let everyone know where I work to stay away from this place and to tell visitors to avoid it as well. If you want to be in this area, let me know and I will come up with other recommendations for you.