Billy Bandit

I spent a night at the Westin Bonaventure this weekend (my bday) and it was a great experience! I used one of the promotions that came up recently ($45 and 2800 points). When I checked in, I was told that I had been upgraded to a SUITE (I didn't even have to ask). Not having to ask is a really nice thing I was also offered a choice of platinum amenities at check in. I read a bunch of positive reviews about the hotel here and I guess I'm just adding my own now. The suite was in the Green Tower (square) and was on the 28th floor was a nice view of the buildings downtown. The suite was VERY spacious IMO. 2 large rooms, 1 full bath, 1 half bath, microwave, and the rest was pretty much your standard suite. It was much bigger than the Superior Suite I had at the Palace recently (but obviously the bonaventure is a much newer hotel). Does anyone know if this is how all the suites are at this hotel? The hotel is very nice and I had no idea that it has been featured in so many movies. I highly recommend the Bona Vista lounge which is a revolving lounge on the 34th floor. I had a great time and will definitely be back to this Platinum friendly hotel!

mauld

Sounds like you had the same suite I was given. Yes, I agree it was pretty spacious. As a Platinum, I was there on a business discounted rate for only one night, and was not expecting anything so grand, but was very pleasantly surprised Especially as I later found out, the hotel was very full with a model/actress convention.

JNelson113

Agree about this being a platinum-friendly hotel. I had the same experience of being pre-blocked to a suite in the green tower, so I didn't have to ask. From reading the comments of others here, it appears this property gets the upgrade gold star.

Bostom

Me too: a weekend cheapy Friday night before we left on a cruise last year got us a very nice suite with what seemed like a heavenly bed, Mrs. See's chocolates, bottled water, etc.

And I totally agree: not having to ask makes all the difference. So why doesn't it happen more often?

Calvin

I'd like to add my positive experience as a lowly Gold Preferred. I used an award (only 2000 points in March 2001 when it was a Cat 2 hotel) on a Sat night before the LA Marathon. When I checked in, they had me in a standard room. Then when I mentioned I was a Gold and asked if an upgrade was available (nicely, mind you), they gave me a spacious suite. Only if had known earlier I would have invited some friends. This hotel is A+.

dhammer53

I stayed at the Bonaventure in LA last night.

On check-in at 8pm (2000h), the gal at the front desk welcomes me and says, "We've upgraded you to a suite Mr. dhammer53."

I've been Gold since December thanks to a challenge given to me from Austin.

For the princely sum of $79, I got a 2 room,
1 1/2 bath suite. And that bed!!!

I don't know how anyone can stay anywhere else, when Starwood treats you so well.

The above was not a commercial for SPG.
Just a thank you.

Dan

777 global mile hound

Maybe they new you had a birthday coming up
(Grin)
Hopefully you made it alive out of the area!!
That downtown scares the -- out of me at nite.....To many one way streets leading to ARRGHHH!!!You must know your way around.....
But its great they are minding the program so well....Hope you had one heavenly nite!!

ajnaro

I have been to the Bonaventure on a weekend and was also given a lovely suite without having to ask! It is one of those rare Starwood hotels that really does follow the rules.

squeakr

While I LOVE the Bonaventure (it was my 1st Starwood as a gold member) - the sad part is that they are able to be so generous becuase they have very little business on weekends especially. There was an awful rape of an FA there a year or so ago (maybe a bit longer) , and the word was that security is VERY lax there, so AA I believe pulled all their flight crews from the hotel. The cavernous nature of the hotel itself was said to have contributed to the problems crews had getting in late at night.

edited for realy awful syntax

[This message has been edited by squeakr (edited 03-10-2002).]

Scotch

We have plans to stay at the Bonaventure over the weekend. There are so many restaurants at this hotel -- can someone recommend a good breakfast, lunch and dinner place? How's the quality of the room service meals? How are the excercise facilities?

JNelson113

Room service is pretty good. For breakfast, we would eat at the lobby level cafe, which had a buffet. At lunchtime, I would swing by one of the fast food places on the third or so floor of the mall. The middle eastern place was great. We ate dinner at a brewpub-type place on the third or fourth floor that was nice.

Aside from these options, if you're willing to walk outside a little ways, there are some restaurants right across the street as well as a few blocks down.

[This message has been edited by JNelson113 (edited 03-13-2002).]

Bookexp

It really depends what kind of food you are looking for.

For breakfast, I will go to Pantry. They serve good old American breakfast. It is one of the oldest restaurants in downtown. The restaurant is owned by the former LA mayor, and they served very good sour dough.

Lunch I will go to Chinatown for dim sum or BBQ. If you don't know which one to choose, just follow the crowd. It's also a good place for shopping. There is an restaurant called Originally Phillips, which claims they "invented” French Dip Sandwich. They still serve coffee for a dime (or 15 Cents).

I haven't been to Westin Bonaventure for a while, but remembered there is a roof top restaurant serves nice afternoon tea.

Dinner you can go to Water Grill, which I will say is one of the best restaurants in downtown area.

I don't know you are driving; parking is not too bad during weekend.

danpic

Scotch,

Exercise Facilities: Based upon a walk through the hotel, they look weak. BUT, next door is probably the best YMCA in the country, the Ketchum YMCA..perhaps the hotel has an access deal with them?

Food: Since your visiting on a weekend, I highly recommend you call any place you plan on going to (especially outside the hotel) in advance to see if they are even open at the times you desire. I have to second the Water Grill as mentioned above. Also fitting into either the lunch or dinner catagories, and within a 5 minute safe walk would be: Pinot Cafe, Checkers at the Wyndham (Thomas Kellars last stay before wine country), Ciudad (two hot tamales chicks place), or Engine Co. #28.

Enjoy!

Pushpak

Why would anyone eat dinner at the Bonaventura with one of the great nuevo-pan-Latin restaurants - Ciudad - right across the street? (I could eat there 5 night running and not complain!)

A couple of years ago it seemed pretty darn impossible to get a reservation. But on a post-911 visit, I found Ciudad no more than three-quarters full. While the stark modernist interior makes it quite noisy and it's not exactly cheap, the consistent quality and sheer exuberance of the food makes it one of my favorite restaurants anywhere.

I agree with Bookexp's Chinatown lunch recommendation. I'd only add that while it's close by, the walk is not exactly scenic - I'd take a cab. (I wouldn't drive; parking in Chinatown can be murder, especially on weekends.)

Enjoy your stay!

Pushpak

squeakr

totally agree on Ciudad - ne of the most ourstanding meals we've ever had in LA - we kept to the small plates one night and larger enterees another and they were all excellent - it's very trendy but the waitstaff had noneof the obnoxo attitudes some trendy places exhibit. We did need to makke rez tho - we were only able to get seated at 6 PM pm a Sat and 8 :30 PM on a Fri.