JDRD63

So I have been reading this board for a while but never felt compelled to post a trip report before, but my stay at the Residence Inn Beverly Hills definitely warrants it! I just stayed there for 10 days (partial points and cash) while my condo was being worked on. What a well run, clean and nicely furnished hotel this is. I had a large open studio queen that was very comfortable and newly renovated with the new Marriott bed (extremely comfortable and plush here),the kitchen area was great and fully stocked with plates, silverware, pots, etc...., and great color scheme throughout. The first RI I was at that had real black granite counters in the kitchen, bathroom and on the dresser top. I guess it is Beverly Hills though, but nice touch. What was really nice was durting my stay the hotel was installing new LG 32" LCD televisions in every room in addition to new Speakman shower heads and the curved shower rods that are prettyu standard now. The TV's are awesome and I do not know of many full service four and five star hotels that have them already. The alarm clock was even Ipod compatible. You just plug your MP3 player into the back and you can listen to and wake up to your own music out of the radio speaker. Even the free High Speed internet access worked every time with out fail. Cant remember the last time that has happened for me.

The staff is great at this hotel and by day three they all knew my name and could not do more for you. Everyone from the breakfast ladies (which by the way it is a full breakfast buffet with an omelette attendant cooking your eggs to order!), the front desk, valet, and housekeeping were extremely well trained and super friendly. Not surprising though since I met the General Manager of the hotel and he is pretty sharp and his background is full service Marriott hotels and resorts. He was down in the fitness room of the hotel overseeing the installing of three new Life Fitness cardio machines which were definitely needed and appreciated since I used them most evenings. They even got the ones with individual TV's and headsets so you can tune into what you want to watch. They do not have a pool at this hotel since it is a 7 story high rise that was formerlly a hospital, but they have huge jacuzzi next to the fitness room.

The location while not in Beverly Hills proper is only blocks away and the hotel is centrally located to alot....great shopping, restaurants, the beach is straight 15 minute drive down Pico Blvd to Santa Monica and there is grocery store, drug store and strip mall a very short walk from the hotel. There are two restaurants, Factors (real Jewish) Deli and Spark Grill that have menus in the suites and deliver right to your door....I have to tell you the selection, price and food beats any hotel room service menu I have ever seen.

Needless to say, I was very pleasantly surprised at this hotel since I was expecting the typical RI which are not as well kept and service oriented as this one. I am glad I discovered this place so I now know where I will be telling all of my out of town visitors to stay!

ohmark

Welcome to Flyertalk. The RI sounds great. Are you sure you're not the general manager??

jopalenc

I "lived" there for work for about 8 weeks. It is a nice property.


-J

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the trip report. Sounds great - will recommend it to others. Sounds much better than the Ren Hollywood which seems to get lousy reviews. This could be an alternative...

Cheers.

holtju2

I have spent at the Renaissance probably about five weekends in the last year or so. It is not that bad. As a Platinum I have always upgraded to one of the suites after I have enquired at the front desk.

The RI Beverly Hills is next to the Crowne Plaza that IMHO is not in the BH.

SkiAdcock

The OP mentioned that it's not in Bev Hills proper...

Cheers.

NeoOfTheCRS

Trip advisor had a few reports of the RI BH not being in the bes/safest of neighborhoods, with homeless setting up shop in the lobby. Did this area/hotel seem safe?

SkiAdcock

It's not a bad neighborhood. Just a few blocks away is Fox Studio, plus a couple of golf courses, and across the street is a small shopping center w/ a Ralph's, diner, etc, if I've got the cross-streets correct.

Cheers.

holtju2

Yep. I have been to that Ralphs couple of times. It just opposite of the RI.

bigguyinpasadena

This is fairly typical of TripAdvisor,and one of my biggest problems with the reviews there.
This hotel is in no way located in a "bad"neighborhood!It is an innner city(and I am not using that as a euphinism for a ghetto)of los angeles.It is not BH and they are wrong to call it that,but it is in a real life upper working class neighborhood in los angeles proper.The term mid-town would be a better description,but then you frighten of the suburbanites who think they are going to be staying downtown.

So you get a person from a small town/subburb thinking they are going to be staying in a Beverly Hills(of TV and Movie fame)hotel for under $200 a night!They fail to do thieir homework and are stuck on Third(or Beverly)street in a commercial/residential corridor far removed from Rodeo drive.They are Pi***d off that this is not what they were(mistakenly)expecting so they write a silly review that this hotel is in a ghetto with homeless folks all around!

I take Trip advisors reviews with a large grain of salt-and try to figure out which reviews are credible and which are grudge matches fought by folks that did not get the Four Seasons when they won a 3 star hotel in LA on priceline for $60 a night.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Such sage advice. I average the reviews and comments -- and I hate to say this, but also look at from where the poster comes from as well as their perecieved/asserted status in a hotel program, as some areas are notorious for very demanding residents (my area of course excepted ).

On many occasions the asserted status stated by the poster is likely entirely bogus as they either use the wrong type of "metal" to denote their status -- calling themselves a HHonors Platinum member or a Marriott Diamond member, for example, or they just expect the world because the had signed up and now are a member of a free hotel rewards program.

Thank you very much BigGuy and the rest of you for giving the real deal about this property as I have a scheduled stay there in late July. ^

SkiAdcock

NJ, do an updated report after your stay if you have time. Cheers.

NJUPINTHEAIR

Will do if I actually stay there. There is an M11 rate with some sort of shopping award I believe, or I have a Standard award rate for 1 night -- the same as the nearby Courtyard (?) and I thought that all things considered I could go for the extra space and/or breakfast.

However, the hotel is not right near my wife's LA office -- Hyatt Century Plaza is -- so if I get a reasonable PLN rate, we will stay at the latter.

My stay is not until July 22, 2007 so it still is some distance in the future, but will gladly do so!

NJUPINTHEAIR

Sorry, to advise, but I did not stay there.

Was pursuing the SPG promotions this summer!

GregWTravels

What, no concrete pond?!? Where are the critters supposed to cool off?