Decided to use the Elite Offer: Buy 1 weekend night get the 2nd free this weekend at the Marina Del Ray property in LA to take the kids to the beach in Santa Monica. $249 a night was the rate.

Firstly, concierge lounge was closed all weekend.

Secondly, only the lobby bar was open, and service there was just poor. Forgetting orders, slow service etc. Don't understand service staff who don't get it that if they come round more often, they'll sell more, and their tips will get larger with each new sale.

Thirdly, at checkout they lost my Elite Offer voucher so had to do battle with them to comp the second night per the offer. Eventually they caved and let me have the 2nd free.

Fourthly, they charged $30 for two 1 minute and 1 two minute phone calls. I haggled with them on that because no one in the hotel could actually tell me the phone call rate and got that down too.


I guess there's a different view of weekend travellers versus weekday biz travellers.