It's not often I find myself staying in a hotel in my home town of Los Angeles. But with back-to-back days of flying in and out of LAX, I booked a room at the Hilton Los Angeles International Airport and bring you my review in this installment of "Road Warrior Tested."
Darren Booth | CNBC.com
The Hilton LAX is currently undergoing room renovations that began this past July with an expected completion of January 2013, said Ben Ly, Hilton's onsite director of rooms. I was upgraded into a completed room for my brief stay.
Date/Duration of Stay: ovember 2, one night.
Room Type: I booked the best available rate for a standard king bed room. As a top-tier Diamond member of the Hilton HHonors loyalty program, I was upgraded at check-in to an Executive Tower room with added amenities and lounge access. A detailed description of the room is below.
Rate: Base rate: $139.99. Total with taxes: $161.84.
Location: The Hilton LAX is located less than a mile away from the airport on Century Blvd., the airport's main access road. Complimentary 24-hour shuttle service is offered from each terminal and runs approximately every 15 minutes. Self-parking is available at a rate of $25 per day (valet runs $36 per day).
Darren Booth | CNBC.com
Room Details: I was booked into room 1726 on the top floor and found complimentary bottled water awaiting my arrival — an amenity for being a Diamond member. The room itself was sizable and offered an abundant amount of space.
I immediately noticed the upgrades since my last stay, which included a large flat-screen television, glass-top serving credenza and desk, leather chair and dresser containing a safe large enough to fit most laptops.
Inside the closet was a set of bath robes and slippers, as well as the expected iron and ironing board.
Bathroom: he only upgrade to the bathroom I could identify since my last stay was new wallpaper. It's very small compared to other Hilton properties I've stayed at. Hilton offers Peter Thomas Roth bath products, including shampoo, conditioner, body lotion and liquid bath wash.
Hotel Amenities: The lobby area is enormous and offers abundant seating surrounding a central staircase leading up to the second floor conference rooms and business center.
Multiple dining options are available, including a 24-hour bistro offering Starbucks coffee, breakfast pastries, light meals, sandwiches, salads and pizzas. The breakfast buffet is located in The Cafe — an all-day casual dining restaurant. For an upscale meal, Andiamo is open each evening for dinner and features recipes from northern Italy.
While I didn't take advantage of it during my stay, Hilton LAX has a 24-hour fitness center, as well as an outdoor heated pool and jacuzzi.
The Executive Lounge is located on the 16th floor, though it was closed for renovations during my stay. A temporary lounge was set-up in a second-floor conference room and offered continental breakfast in the morning, as well as drinks and canapes in the evening. Access was complimentary as a Diamond member. The Executive Lounge reopened November 19, Hilton's Ly said.
CUT// en Ly, Hilton LAX's director of rooms, tells CNBC.com in an email the lounge reopened on Monday, November 19.
Service: Check-in was incredibly friendly and efficient. I was thankful for the separate line for HHonors members as the main check-in line was quite long. I was thanked for being a Diamond member and provided with a complimentary access code for the hotel's Wi-Fi (normally $12.95 per 24-hour period). With a final room bill slid under my door in the morning, I simply dropped my keys in the Express Checkout box in the lobby and took the shuttle back to the airport.
Summary: Airport hotels can be hit or miss when it comes to services and amenities. Hilton's offering at Los Angeles International Airport is solid and is a viable option for road warriors and families alike.
For detailed information on the Hilton Los Angeles International Airport, click here.
