I recently stayed at the Westin Long Beach for a couple days while in LA on business. I’ve stayed here once before, but I didn’t review the hotel since I was only there one night. This time I thought it was worth it for me to review it since I actually got to spend more time here than I expected. More on that later. The hotel is situated almost across the street from the Long Beach Performing Arts Center and a very short walk to the water too. It’s on the main drag in LBC too so there’s plenty to do and eat around here.

I checked in around 6 PM and the lobby was very quiet it was just the two check in agents, a couple bellman and one other guest also checking in. I love being a Starwood Platinum because most of the time I get an upgrade to a non-standard room. A couple times I’ve even been given a presidential suite or some other pretty cool rooms. In this case I didn’t get the presidential suite but I did get a corner room on the 5^th floor. The last time I was here I got a two room suite, and it was nice, but this one was nice too. The check in desk called it a junior suite. It was very spacious and had plenty of room to stretch out and enjoy the room.

 

 

The room had a couch with large glass coffee table, plus a working desk and dresser with a good sized flat screen TV. I love the Westin beds and pillows, they are always so damn comfortable. And this time they sure didn’t disappoint. Also because I was on the corner I had windows on two sides, with the main length of the room almost covered in windows, sadly with a view of an office building. The side window had a small section that had basically had a peep hole of sorts and a view of the next buildings parking deck and my hotels roof.

Normally I spend my days at a client site and really only use the room for sleeping, the occasional early or late night conference call or room service dinner, when I can’t find the energy to leave the hotel. In this case I was scheduled to be here for two days conduction a client onsite, then heading to another part of So-Cal, for the rest of the week. But due to so scheduling issues, my job was cancelled ½ way through the first day. Normally I’d come home when this happened, but since I still had work the balance of the week it was not really an option to go home. So I had to rough it at the hotel a lot longer than I expected. Which meant working from my room. And due to the size I felt very comfortable.

 

 

 

 

 

Also as a Platinum I have the opportunity to either have complimentary breakfast or extra points (when they don’t have a lounge). In this case since there was no lounge I took breakfast. Here again it’s a gamble as to what you’re going to get and in this case the hotel restaurant was not too bad for breakfast. I didn’t take any pictures but they had a hot section with eggs, bacon, potatoes and pancakes. As for the cold items they had yoghurt, some super nice fresh berries, meat and cheeses plus breads and cereals. It was a pretty nice spread, although in my case on day one the breakfast was fully stocked on day two it was decimated and really needed a refresh. On day two it didn’t look that busy, so I must have missed the big crowds, and they just haven’t reset breakfast yet. I want to say that on day one I was there at 7 am and on day two about 8 am.

Overall it was a nice business hotel. They do charge for parking $16 for self and $24 for valet. Self was easy and straightforward, and for the cost difference I used it. My only gripe was the “business” center. They didn’t have one they had two computers almost next to the check in desk and they charged $6.95 for 15 minutes and 65 cents per print. What is this the 90’s? Since they don’t have free Wi-Fi, this was super lame. I did get free internet due to status, but I had to print a few things and it was a hassle. They only charged if you used their internet to make prints. If you used your own computer and printed via print me the prints were free. But the hassle of brining my computer downstairs or trek to the room print and then come down here. Total pain in the butt. Really for a higher end hotel this is utterly stupid I did tweet the hotel and a week later am still waiting to hear back.