SkiAdcock

I'm not sure the Torrance Marriott being near a large mall is better than an office park location . Also, the MB Marriott sits on a 9-hole golf course, so if one's room is on that side a nice view (as well as being able to play the course/access to the golf club). The MB exec lounge is open daily. The TM is open for brekkie only on the weekends. Given both Torrance/MB Marriotts are close to good restaurants, on-site restaurants probably don't play a factor. MB Marriott is much closer to the freeways, as well as LAX. On-site self-parking is $8 more at MB than TM. I'm not sure what inferior physical plant means.

Let's face it - they're both biz hotels so not like a JW, but they're not Motel 6s either. So the bottom line is both TM & MBM are good choices if a FTer is in the South Bay.

Manhattan Beach Marriott (golf course side):




Cheers.

ned

Location

glnsf

I also used to live in MB, and until recently, I have stayed at the property 4-10 times a year for the last 12 years. I haven't experienced the negatives that others are referring to. In fact, I see it as a great property for a business hotel. I liked being able to have a quiet balcony room overlooking the golf course. I found the staff to be better than average. I liked the restaurants within walking distance, and being a runner, I loved being able to jump on the MB/HB running path just a couple blocks from the hotel. To me, the location is much more peaceful than being in the midst of the busy area of Hawthorne Blvd and Del Amo.

By the way, I haven't been there in a few months, but in recent years the lounge has been open for breakfast on weekends, if we want to update the sticky (unless my info is outdated).

DJ_Iceman

To be completely impartial, I agree completely. Hence my reaction to a previous poster's recommendation for Manhattan Beach "in a heartbeat".

t5campbell

I have stayed at both hotels, and prefer the MB over Torrance. Yes you will have to drive more from the MB, but the staff is friendly and good. You are closer to the water, and LAX. As for restaurants there are several around MB. Torrance definitely has more of a Biz type feel to it.

ned

If you want a feel for the area around the two hotels compare the price of homes around each. Let us know what you find.

DELee

I have never picked a hotel before based on local home prices and I don't think that the OP should either.

As I mentioned in my response to the initial post, I think that of the three properties, the Concierge Lounge at the Torrance Marriott offers Platinums and their guests the best value - I would encourage the OP to call to talk with the properties to find out what services they'll have open during the times that the group will be staying. For instance, I and my family have been disappointed at places such as the San Mateo Marriott during Christmas and New Year's when they'd shutdown the Concierge Lounge - we were comp'd breakfast in their restaurant but it wasn't the full service experience we'd wanted.

I personally think that a family that has 18-20 getting together, all that are adults (boomers to post-millennials), they will have far more options close by (i.e. walking distance) at the Torrance Marriott. Besides what's available at the Del Amo Mall, there's the shops and eating establishments on the southwest corner of Torrance and Hawthorne.

If self service is an interest, there's a BevMo there and also a Smart and Final Extra on the northwest corner if you want to buy items and keep them in the room's fridge. I suspect that the greatest challenge will be finding places that will accommodate a group of this size if they go out to eat that will be open on some of the days during the Thanksgiving period.

From a driving perspective, the Manhattan Beach Marriott is closest to a freeway (the I405). How much that is of value is still not clear since it sounds like most of their activities will be local. Either Marriott or the RI will offer fairly easy access to the multitude of places along the beach (Riviera Village, Redondo Pier, Hermosa Beach, Downtown Manhattan, etc.).

I would also encourage the OP to contact the three properties to see if there's a good/great deal that each hotel might offer a group of that size. Maybe one request would be to comp parking for all in the party - that would be a major savings at either Marriott. Another might be to build a package that includes suites for either the larger family sets in the group or if any bring younger kids.

David

SkiAdcock

I wouldn't choose a property totally based on the home values, but it is something to consider.

I (respectfully) disagree w/ DELee, however, on some things & agree w/ him on others.

For me, being next to a major road w/ a big shopping mall & 15 minute drive just to get to the freeway (Torrance) isn't that interesting. And the MB is much closer to both the freeways & the beach. Also, the OP said they'll be doing some dinners in MB. Plus the MB has a golf course view (see up thread).

Whichever full-service property the OP decides on, he should check on the lounge access during Turkey Day holiday (and what they do if the lounge is closed). Having said that, lounge access may not matter for the most part unless the relatives are booking club level rooms (I'm guessing the elders aren't Marriott elites).

Also, if there are going to be 18-20, might be worth checking into a small group rate, but if there are kids involved, the room block might not be large enough to get any kind of discount. Having said that, odds are rooms are going to be cheap on a holiday weekend, given both properties are basically biz hotels. (Just re-read up thread - 1/2 the folk staying are doing AirBnB, so no discounts will be given).

Cheers.

SportsTech

Appreciate everyone's contributions; I am going to call the Torrance property tomorrow and get an update on the likely state of the renovations, and what they'll be doing with the lounge over the T-day weekend. Two elites in the group (including this elder!), only 5 rooms total but room rates are 135 a night so no need for a discount.

I called re renovation status a week ago but it was the Friday before Memorial Day and I couldn't find anyone who knew the plan. Hoping to hear that there will be a good block of updated rooms we can count on by the end of November.

In re locale for this group, I think food and drink (and a decent sports bar) would probably be high on the list. This will be the first 'road trip' for this group; for the past 20 years, we've been meeting at someone's home in suburban Chicago with plenty of room to spread out. But it's time for the next generation to take over, and they picked LA... wouldn't have been my first choice but I'm sure 'a good time will be had by all'. Thanks again for all your good advice.
=ST

SkiAdcock

Sounds like a fun trip - enjoy!

DELee

So what happened? Which properties did you and the group pick? How are they/did they work out?

David

tkey75

Last year I had a great week at the RI (after moving there because my client booked me in the Best Western San Pedro - eesh). The room I had was brand new and the outside common area was the nicest I've ever seen at a RI. Decent pool, plenty of seating/tables and multiple grills. I did some shopping at the Whole Foods not too far away and settled in. The location was meh but I was commuting to Terranea each day so it was the best option.

SportsTech

After a fair amount of research, I booked the Torrance Marriott Redondo Beach on Fashion Way - rate was good, property looked good, advice here was supportive. And then the younger generation (the ones with small children) said, "We're not staying there, we're going to the Residence Inn on Marine Way in Redondo Beach" (it's really in Torrance/Inglewood, but it sounds better to say it's in Redondo Beach).

I'm not an experienced Residence Inn traveler, but this property is better than I expected: it's recently refurbished, in good shape, staff is friendly and well-intentioned. Guessing that the $12 parking charge isn't enforced all that often, but not certain that's true. The free breakfast is typical for the Hampton Inn/Fairfield Inn/Hyatt Place types of properties that I believe are Residence Inn's competition, and the coffee was excellent.

One note of caution/advice: the Residence Inn is on "Hotel Drive" between a Hilton Garden Inn and a Homewood Suites... and immediately adjacent to the San Diego Freeway (405). As in, if you have a room on the northeast/freeway side, you WILL hear traffic. The soundproofing isn't terrible, and it didn't keep me up - but Thanksgiving isn't a high traffic period, either. Ask for a room on the other side of the building if you don't want the noise. There are train tracks on that side, but there aren't a lot of trains on them.
ST

DELee

Bummer on not being able to stay at the Torrance Marriott. Recalling the discussion earlier, the RI (and the HGI and Homewood Suites) are fairly freeway accessible ('tho a little bit of driving around to get to the 405 entrances on Inglewood Boulevard).

Why I'd asked is that I finally found some pictures that I took back in June near sunset - but that languished on a memory card for want of an upload.

Here are a few shots of the Torrance Marriott and the Del Amo Fashion Center/Mall. The Marriott's lobby was remodeled in the past year so the decor is a bit more stark than the traditional reds and golds:




The menu at their restaurant, 21 square (a reference to the 21 square miles that Torrance occupies) and decor:





Lobby bar, one of their outdoor areas with fire pit and the joint indoor/outdoor pool:






My wife and I had some appetizers and a drink at 21 square and then walked across Fashion Way to the mall:





For completeness, a shot from next to Nordstrom's of the DoubleTree across Hawthorne Boulevard:



We poked around the mall a little, decided that Frieda's (upscale Mexican) was too noisy and then went to Brio's ("coastal") for dinner on their patio:










We then had to walk back to the Marriott because we'd parked behind it in the Sears Outlet parking ("free") instead of the hotel's parking lot.



Just to show for comparison purposes, here's a screenclip out of Google Maps that boxes the Torrance Marriott and its parking structure in red, the Sears Outlet parking lot ("free") in green, the DoubleTree in yellow and a yellow arrow pointing at the entrance to the RI that tkey75 referenced earlier:



Hope you found an interesting place to kick back and watch some of the Thanksgiving football games.

David

SkiAdcock

Thanks for the pics David!

Cheers.