ssullivan

I'm staying at the Torrance/South Bay Hilton in LA next weekend and was wondering if anyone here has had good/bad experiences there. What should I expect as a Gold, any problems getting HHonors benefits, etc.?

UK Stages

i've had good and bad experiences there (as a diamond). sometime last year, they added an hhonors desk with a dedicated employee who would call you upon check-in to ensure that everything was OK and would send up an ammenity (cookies or bottled water). on two recent stays, that person was nowhere in evidence, so perhaps they've dropped her.

you'll have to request your breakfast coupon; it's rarely given automaticaly. also, the coupon here now specifically states "continental" breakfast, whereas last year, they gave you a coupon for the full hot/cold breakfast buffet.

access to upgraded rooms is spotty; you'll have to ask... and be prepared to be underwhelmed. sometimes they'll give you an upgrade to a "suite," but it's often in the older, noisier part of the hotel... near the pool. (conventioneers often congregate out there late at night drinking)

check to make sure your points and miles have posted... this hotel is still not online and in synch with hilton's computer system ... airline and hhonors numbers are handwritten on your folio - and who knows where they get sent for processing - quite often, they don't post.

ssullivan

Thanks for the info, UK. This hotel wasn't my first choice for the weekend, but this trip was planned at the last minute and we wanted to use my HHonors points for a free stay, so I had to pick from what limited availability there was in LA this weekend. I'm less concerned about the speed of points and miles posting since this is a free stay and won't qualify for any points anyway. But I'll be sure to ask for the breakfast coupons and a suite.

Tennen

I'll be staying there next month, as I found a decent rate (61). I did a search, but nothing came up. Has anyone been there and can comment on the rooms, service, and exec. lounge? Three ppl to a room, all golds (two of whom earned the hard way). Thank you in advance for your help!

Motion122

Just did a stay there on the 14th of Dec. Book a regular room and got the exec. floor room upgrade. Exec. lounge is very nice and clean. Breakfast is nothing out of ordinary. Service is okay, the check-in agents seem to be on personal calls whenever I am at the their desk! Not sure if there are suites aval. Even an Exec. room might be too small for three adults. There are a lot of places to eat right around the Hotel and there is a great mall just across the street. Hope this helps.

Tennen

Thanks for the quick replies! I guess I should start searching through the archives too.

747heavy

I stayed at the Hilton Torrance last week -- 1 of about 7 Hiltons in the past 7 days. It wasn't a very bad experience, but I would have to say it was not near the top of my list. I was upgraded to the "Honors Floor" (not the Executive Floor because they were having a big wedding celebration that night and it would have been too noisy). The lounge is only open limited hours -- basically breakfast and evening -- although the printed information says they are open all day. The location is very convenient if you want to do shopping. They are right across the street from one of the largest malls in the U.S. (Del Amo Mall). A negative, however, is that they don't have any shuttle service to LAX. I agree with many other posts here that the Garden Inn LAX/El Segundo is a great place to stay if you want something near the airport.

Just my 2 cents worth.

indufan

Well, the headline says it all. I was informed last night that the water would be off from midnight to 5 AM. No problem...even though I wasn't quite done for the night when it was shut off last night, I easily worked around it.

Now, it's 7 AM and still no water. I am getting the run around from the front desk. "It's on but it has to circulate around the floors". "Just a few more minutes, sir", which is the second time I have been told the latter in the last half hour.

Obviously, the clock is ticking for me to be at work at 8 AM...and I pretty much can't go until I get water.

I don't get ticked very easily but this one is really building up on me quickly. I guess how mad I will be will depend upon how many minutes is a "few more minutes".

Ultimately, I guess I will have to ask for something from Hilton. Any idea what I should ask for?

rdchen

Looks like this is a business trip, so it won't do you any good by asking HH to waive the charge. I think you should ask HH to credit your account with points equal to the amount required for one reward night at this property.

kipper

I'd ask for the night to be comped, but since it's a business trip, it doesn't do much to help you. You can ask for bonus points, or perhaps a free night's stay there at another time, if you would stay there for a personal visit also.

indufan

It looks like it will be points, an undetermined amount at this time other than the Assistant GM said "a lot". He is going to let me know by tomorrow.

kipper

Do you finally have water?

indufan

Yeah, I finally have water. We will see what they offer for points. I held the big contract that we have out here over their head and how disappointed our customers were that I had to tell them that I would be late. In reality, they could have cared less than I was late on Monday because they aren't very ontime people anyway. And I told them that our company has about 15 more weeks here (true) and I pointed to the Marriott across the way. All of our other employees that are coming here will go wherever I tell them, pretty much.

Actually, the Assistant GM handled himself pretty well considering the situation. Good thing he wasn't here this morning when I was pissed.

MikesMiles

Does anyone have any experience at this facility? What should I expect as a gold?

RTWSTARALLIANCE

Preface: Here to see a client in Gardena. What a mistake to stay at this Hotel.

Status: Diamond.

Rate: Little over $100.

Transportation: Rented a car at LAX. Drove in.

Parking: Free.

Check-in: Upon checking in asked for a upgrade and quiet room. Given room on 11th floor (Executive Level) facing Hawthorne. Given voucher for one person. We are party of two. You can hear noise from the street. Did a room change and go the voucher changed to two people. After we made the room move we noticed this room did not have bottled water so called and asked that some be left at the front desk so we can collect upon our return. It was not there. We had put the do not disturb sign on the door. When we entered the room bottled water was on the shelf. Someone entered our room with the DND sign clearly posted on the handle. I called down to complain and got the duty manager who had a bad attitude.

Perks: The vouchers and some coupons that appeared after I complained about the Lounge being closed. More below.

Lounge: So I wondered why we were getting this voucher. Well I just checked and even with the Hotel continuing to sell Executive Level rooms with benefits of the Lounge it is closed. So no Lounge. Worthless.

Room: Room is standard fare for Hilton. A bit on the small side.

Bathroom: My wife is sick of this joint. The shower curtains are so old they interior one absorbs and transfers water to the outer which ends up on the floor. Now both curtains are in the tub. The water is also not that hot.

Internet: It is wireless. When you open for wifi signals there are more than a dozen. You have to call down to see which one works. You also have to use your credit card to pay for. So your info gets to fly over the airwaves. I am so disgusted with this place it is worth the risk. $9.95 for 24 hours.

Gym: Did not try.

Spa: I would be scared.

Eating venues: We will try breakfast tomorrow.

Local markets: Lots of things around.

Local area: Same.

Negatives: A mistake to stay here. Never again. Even the Marriott looks good from here and I have no status there. It just goes to show Hilton brand in the US has a long ways to go.

Closing: Outta here tomorrow.