sapguy

Just checked out of the WSC.
Overnight self-parking is $18, not too bad really.

Parking at TGIF and elsewhere is risky, and could involved towing, not sure.

wstarwoodfan

18 a night for self parking or 25 for valet is a bargain! I just stayed at the W in SanFran and it was 50/night!

What is so expensive at 18 a night? The hotel doesn't even own the structure there.

tommy777

Welcome to Flyertalk, wstarwoodfan.

If this was downtown in a city or near an airport, I would agree with you, but this hotel is in a business/shopping area and they should charge accordingly.

BlissWorld

Not only that, but this is OC we are talking about (OC native here). NO ONE, and I mean, NO ONE pays for parking

ironmanjt

Personally I love this property.

Big pros:
- Price almost always $139 or less on weekends
- Great location
- 3 for 4 on suite upgrades as a plat (lots of weddings though on weekends, so I can understand how others missed out)
- Strangely, I've never once been charged for internet

Cons:
- $18 for parking. Ug.
- Frequently rude front-desk staff. At least once I got "I don't HAVE to give you a bigger room you know." My request for a manager was followed by "I *AM* the manager."

Those two smallish bad experiences in mind, I will definitely keep returning. Way too good of value.

BlissWorld

Don't let them get away with this. Be sure to write down the name shown on their tags and report to corporate customer service immediately. When reaching a resolution with corporate customer service, do not take points, ask them to have the check in agent call you to apologize personally. @:-)

skunker

Ironic in that EVERYONE, and I mean, EVERONE has a car in the OC and they all seem to be driving at the same time.

wstarwoodfan

if you were in a downtown city the parking would be more like 36/40 for self parking and 50+ for valet. Other hotels in the area charge guests for parking as well.

The structure is not controlled by the hotel, nor is valet...the company who runs the parking in this area controls everything.

In regards to upgrades at the hotel- I've stayed here quite a bit myself, and have gotten into long discussions with the staff regarding it since I am a regular and here is how it was explained to me-

This hotel has a lot of sports teams who stay here, as well as high profile clients/groups. 90% of the time when they do say they have no suites cause of a group, they honestly dont have any suites. This hotel sells out constantly where others in the area have rooms available.

When asking for upgrades, don't demand them. It will get you a lot further at any hotel. At this property, an upgrade is a higher floor, a corner room, or a park side room. The suites are avail if they have them for plat or vip members.

just my 2 cents.

W2B Globetrotter

You've got to be kidding me comparing parking in OC (a suburban sprawl) to SF (a highly conjested city). ALL the hotels near the W SF charge around $50/nt incl the Westin at Market St. Even the public parking structures near the W SF charge a high rate (~$35/day I believe). Apples to oranges.

But $18/nt at Westin SCP is not totally unreasonable since they don't run the adjacent parking garage. The Sheratons in Anaheim and now Garden Grove charge from $12 to $16 for self parking. The Irvine Hyatt charges a similar overnight rate and worse at the Hyatt in Huntington Beach. And have you seen the parking fee at the St Regis Monarch Beach? There used to be free street parking out front but the city of Dana Point god rid of that too Basically, most of the hotels in OC recognize parking as a profit center and will fully utilize it.

Excuse me but what sports team? There's no sports venue anywhere close to the Westin SCP. And high profile clients/groups? Uh...they would be staying in Newport Beach or Laguna Niguel...not Costa Mesa.

I simply don't buy your/their excuse for lack of upgrades. In 2007 as a plat, I received a suite once (the 1st time) out of five weekend stays (and this wasn't during peak wedding periods) and I've never demanded them. Constantly sold out? Sorry, but I've never noticed a "no rooms available" for a weekend booking.

They had a wholesale turnover in the Front Desk department sometime in 2007 and the current crew are just flat out stingy and non-welcoming. That's why I haven't visited them at all in 2008 until I hear of more favorable reports from other Plats here on FT.

BlissWorld

Never pay parking in OC!

tommy777

Why would I care that the hotel doesn't own the parking structure and outsources valet? I have stayed there many times myself and no matter how you slice it, the parking they charge is a rip off and they make a bundle on parking. The parking structure is empty on the weekend except for WSCP guests. The gates are also open early in the morning and late at night when the structure is not manned.
Parking at the Radisson by the airport is free, the Hilton as well. Valet at the Hyatt Huntington Beach is 25 bucks a day, but there's parking available in the neighborhood for free. Also, across the bridge beachside you can self park for 8 bucks a day.

When it comes to "suites" I wouldn't bother with getting upset about not getting an upgrade at the WSCP. Like I wrote in previous posts, I complained to the GM after ceveral strike outs. They blocked a "suite" for me for my next stay. It was two adjoining rooms, one which was not refurbished. So the "suites" there suck. And when you finally get a "suite" upgrade, it's not in the ONLY room category that gives free internet, deluxe rooms, so you get a sucky "suite" and have to pay for internet.

Not a very well run Westin even if it's a cheap one

Windward Side of Life

Looks like no one has posted anything on this property for a while so I'll give a brief review as just spent one night there w/ the family over the past weekend.

Booked a traditional dbl/dbl room at 119/nt. Prior to arrival noticed I had been upgraded (slightly, I am only gold after all) to a park view room on SPG floor w/ free bottled water. At check-in mentioned that I had noticed I had been given an upgrade to park view room and asked if I could trade the park view for a room w/ two queen beds instead of the two doubles. Pleasant FDC Chris cheerfully said no problem, can have the two queen beds and the park view/SPG room. Very nice. Admittedly it's not a big deal on his part to do it but appreciated when it's done cheerfully and not grudgingly or as if it's an inconvenience.

Hotel seemed to be fairly well booked for a Friday night. Our room was sufficiently updated and comfortable. Wife loved the new Westin bath products. The gym was a little limited in its offerings but was busy Saturday morning at 8 AM. 20$ for the parking seemed a little steep to me, considering the area and that it was a weekend, but, sigh, what can one do? All staff encountered were courteous and helpful. All in all a very pleasant experience and was actually our favorite stop on our holiday weekend tour of the L.A. area during which we also stayed at the Westin Bonaventure (ok, but wouldn't revisit) and the Sheraton Universal (also nice, would revisit).

SNA1K

Wow Windward...it looks like things have changed since your stay last month. Considering this is supposed to be a nice "Category 4" Westin, it is no longer a full-service hotel. Take for example:

* There is no longer any room service between 11am and 5pm. Yes, you read it right--not the middle of the night but the middle of the day!
* There is a sign on the desk to use their "grab and go" for coffees, etc. and that it is open until 10pm. I went down at 7:15 and they were closed for the night. The only way to get a snack was to get in the car and drive somewhere. There are no vending machine on the property.
* The platinum "upgrade" was a standard king room on the 13th floor, with a broken shower head, and a faucet handle that came off in my hand. Oh, no free water either.
* The heater/AC is louder than most wall units at a Motel 6.
* No robes.
* No view to be seen through the layers of dirt on the windows. It appears to be about 4 years worth!

I'm anticipating that this be rebranded a Four Points in the near future.

camargo

I did a mattress run here last night.

I booked the cheapest room on the Starwood site (that morning) and got two doubles for $109.00. I checked in about 7:30 PM and the first question I was asked was, "would you preferr a King room instead?" Well, of course. So they put me in a King room on the top floor. The whole check-in was quick and easy and I thought the staff was very friendly.

Very nice, comfortable, clean and quiet room. About a 37" HDTV. Brought my own snacks and wine and climbed into their bed (which I always love) and proceeded to watch the tennis semis from Cincinnati and some exhibition football followed by a movie on HBO (which I don't have at home). Slept great and woke up the next morning feeling really refreshed.

In the morning I got up, cleaned up and spent much of the time enjoying the Tazo tea (they also offer Starbucks coffee in the room) while I watched the finals of the tennis. (Federer is just too, too good. ) BTW, they included one free bottle of water.

Bath was nice size, lot's of marble, typical tub/shower combo and, for those that are wondering, it did include two bars of soap (although I really don't think a whole lot of those fufu leafs that they are using, )

I used the self park and I was charged $20.00. But it's easy and convienent and pretty consistant with other hotels in the area. With the weather as nice as it has been here recently, a two minute walk is actually a pleasure.

I noticed that the previous poster noted that the windows badly needed to be cleaned. On Sunday morning I looked out the window with full sunlight and he was absolutly right. Ugg! The good news that I bring you on that front is that they are currently going through a two-week professional window cleaning program and they just finished the first week so that problem should be taken care of shortly.

onetake

Self-park is now $20 / night.
Valet is still $28 / night.