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A few weeks back Joanna, MJ and I spent six nights in a King Suite at the Andaz West Hollywood. It’s a property I know quite well (having lived down the road from it for 5 years) and it’s a property I’ve stayed at a few times in the past….but never with Joanna and MJ.
I’ve already discussed why we booked the Andaz how much it cost in a previous post so I’ll move straight on to the review.
Reception & Check-In
As with all the Andaz properties I’ve visited the check-in desk at the Andaz West Hollywood is a simple large desk housing a number of laptops which the staff use to check guests in.
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
There are a few high-backed chairs to the right of the reception desk (which is directly ahead of you as you walk in)…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
….to the left is a seating area with sofas and armchairs…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
…as well as a bar area which, depending on the time of day, is where guests can find complimentary coffee, teas, muffins and wine.
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area Drinks
On the bar are a couple of PCs for guests to use….
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
….while, built under the bar, is a refrigerator…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area
…housing complimentary water, milk and juices which guests are welcome to help themselves to throughout their stay.
Andaz West Hollywood – Reception Area Drinks
We were checked in swiftly and, thanks to my Hyatt status, our 2pm check-out time was confirmed before we headed up to our suite.
Andaz West Hollywood King Suite
The King Suites at the Andaz West Hollywood are around 800 square feet in size and comprise a bedroom, a large bathroom and a large living area with views of Sunset Boulevard.
As soon as you enter into the room you find yourself in the living area complete with 60″ flatscreen TV, a desk and chair and a long cabinet (which houses the mini-fridge)……
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
….and well as a sofa and a high table and chairs:
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
As we were traveling with MJ we had asked for a rollaway bed to be placed in the suite and this was waiting for us when we walked through the door:
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
MJ tells me that the rollaway bed was very comfortable and, as she seemed to love the suite from the moment we arrived, I’m going to take her at her word 🙂
There’s nothing exactly luxurious about the furnishings in the living area and I know of a few people who find the decor a bit modern and spartan….but the furniture is functional and comfortable and I quite like it.
The highlight of the living area is the small sitting area by the front windows overlooking the Sunset Strip (the “sunroom”).
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Living Area
The armchairs are very comfortable and, because the Andaz faces south, this area is bathed in sunshine for most of the day. That makes it a great place to relax with a book or, as I found out, a great place to get some work done as you watch morning break over LA.
Andaz West Hollywood – View South From The King Suite Living Area
At the opposite end of the suite to the sunroom is the bedroom.
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
As the suite name suggests, the bedroom is dominated by a kingsize bed with an armchair to one side.
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
There are double power outlets on both sides of the bed…..
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
….but be aware that they’re of the US variety so you may need and adapter if you’re visiting from overseas.
Facing the bed is another 60″ flatscreen TV (which is almost too big for the room) together with a storage cabinet which sits underneath the TV.
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
There’s a further cabinet with drawers sitting next to a good-sized closet by the entrance to the bedroom.
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
The bed was very comfortable and, despite the fact that the bedroom looks East down the Sunset Strip, we had no need of the earplugs the property provides.
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bedroom
Between the living area and the bedroom is the one large bathroom that the suite offers. There’s a door to the bathroom in the bedroom and another in the living area so it works quite well if you have a child sleeping in the living area.
The bathroom offers a large shower…..
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bathroom
….a deep tub…..
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bathroom
…a nice double vanity unit….
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bathroom
…and a toilet and sink which can be closed off from the rest of the bathroom:
Andaz West Hollywood – King Suite Bathroom
The room also offers a minibar (which somehow I failed to photograph) and in true Andaz style all the snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are included in the cost of the room – a touch I really like.
Andaz West Hollywood – Mini Bar Menu
Andaz West Hollywood – In-room Complimentary Snacks
The mini bar comes with water and variety of sodas and juices and, despite the fact there are numerous complimentary nonalcoholic drinks you can have in reception, there’s something nice about taking a drink out of an in-room minibar and knowing it’s included in the room price.
Andaz West Hollywood – Dining & Drinking
The property has one restaurant/bar called the Riot House which you’ll find on the ground floor to the right of the reception area (as you walk in).
Andaz West Hollywood – Riot House Restaurant & Bar
Breakfast is served here either as a buffet ($28 Adults/$14 kids) or a la carte and you can see the menu below (click to enlarge):
Andaz West Hollywood – Breakfast Menu
Andaz West Hollywood – Riot House Restaurant & Bar
I’ve had breakfast here when I had Hyatt top-tier status and it was complimentary so I can tell you that’s it’s not bad at all but, at minimum of $70 + service for the three of us, we chose to eat breakfast out during our stay.
Dinner is also served in the Riot House (menu below) but as we almost never eat in the properties we’re staying at (we prefer to explore and eat away from the hotel) I can’t say how good or bad the dining experience is.
Andaz West Hollywood – Riot House Restaurant & Bar
Andaz West Hollywood – Riot House Dinner Menu
The bar area of the Riot House is set up principally as an eating area during meal times…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Riot House Restaurant & Bar
…but it goes back having more of a bar feel at other times of the evening.
The staff are friendly and the drink selection is ok if on the pricey side (click images to enlarge menus):
$35 for a glass of Saintsburys Pinot Noir is a little cheeky when the bottle is likely to have cost the bar less.
Andaz West Hollywood Roof Deck
The Andaz boast the highest pool in Los Angeles but this has a little more to do with the fact that Sunset Boulevard is already at a pretty decent elevation than the fact that the pool is on the roof deck just above the 14th floor.
Still, regardless of how the pool gets its claim to fame, it a very nice place to relax when it isn’t crowded.
Andaz West Hollywood – Roof Deck Pool
At one end of the pool is a small bar (which wasn’t open during our visit as it was out of season)….
Andaz West Hollywood – Roof Deck Bar
….and to once side of the pool (and overlooking Sunset Boulevard) are some comfortable cabanas:
Andaz West Hollywood – Roof Deck Cabanas
The views eastwards down Sunset and on towards Chateau Marmont and Hollywood are great….
Andaz West Hollywood – Roof Deck Views
…and, if look past the Sunset Tower hotel which sits across the road from the Andaz, you can see Downtown LA in the distance:
Andaz West Hollywood – Roof Deck
The roof deck is one of my favorite parts of the Andaz as it can be a beautifully warm place to relax. It’s especially appealing out of season as it’s generally very quiet but the weather is often still warm enough for you to lie out in the sun (LA has a habit of being warm regardless of season!)
Andaz West Hollywood Gym
The Andaz has a well equipped gym overlooking Sunset Boulevard on the hotel’s mezzanine level.
There’s a good combination of cardio machines…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Gym
….weights machines…..
Andaz West Hollywood – Gym
…and free weights on offer….
Andaz West Hollywood – Gym
…and with headphones, towels and water all provided….
Andaz West Hollywood – Gym
…as well as a handy set of suggested jogging routes….
…I’m not sure there’s much else that guests could want. As a non-resort gym this one seems to have most options covered quite well.
Service
As I mentioned out the outset, I’ve stayed here a few times before but the service on this occasion was easily the best I’ve had at the Andaz WeHo.
The staff are always friendly (at least in my experience) but on this occasion it was a few small things which the staff did that went a long way to making the visit a great one.
These things ranged from room service that was extremely prompt to housekeeping who not only serviced the room in a very timely manner but who also, unprompted, noticed that a few champagne flutes would be of use to us and had them sent to our room while we were out one afternoon.
The overall vibe we got from the staff on this visit was a very positive one (so much so that I even sent one of the managers an email of thanks…and I don’t remember the last time a property gave me reason to do that).
Nothing was too much effort, requests were handled promptly and there was always a smile from each member of staff that we encountered. There’s nothing groundbreaking in any of this but it all added up to a very pleasant experience.
Thoughts
Negatives
- Parking is valet parking only and at $39/night gets expensive very quickly.
- $28 + service for breakfast is expensive so it really pays to have Hyatt top-tier status if you’re visiting
- The bar is expensive…even by West Hollywood standards.
Positives
- Our suite was exactly what we needed and really contributed to a great stay. There was plenty of room for all three of us, the views were great and I loved the sunroom part of the suite.
- The staff were friendly, prompt, efficient and even proactive – I can’t ask for more than that.
- Complimentary non-alcoholic drinks in the reception area and in the room’s mini-bar are a nice touch and the complimentary wine on offer in the reception area of an evening is nice too.
- The gym is well equipped and, across all of my stays at this property, has never been overcrowded.
- The roof deck is a great place to relax…but get up there early during prime months as space can be at a premium when the weather is truly hot.
- The Andaz’s location within West Hollywood is great as a lot of eateries/cafes and bars are within walking distance and, if you’re prepared to tackle the hill on La Cienega, you can even walk to the likes of Nobu and Koi.
Bottom Line
We really enjoyed this visit to the Andaz West Hollywood and it was a combination of a suite we really liked and great staff that made it for us.
If you’re planning to valet park, eat in a lot and use the bar on a nightly basis then make sure you budget for all of that….but those are costs that are within your control (you can always go out to eat and use Uber rather than renting a car).
As a place to stay it was hard to fault the property on this visit and we genuinely all had a really good time for the 6 nights that we were there…..now I just have to figure out how to earn another 192,000 points so we can do it all over again!
