Tag Archives: Andaz

Business travel isn’t always glamorous

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If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I enjoy my trips to Los Angeles. I have favorite hotels, restaurants and people to see.

Sometimes the trips don’t go quite as planned though. Case in point: this most recent trip.

The weather was mostly terrible. The exception was Saturday. I flew out a day early to see a college friend and her family.

MB

My favorite hotel, Andaz WeHo was priced above my daily limit for LA so I  stayed at a new-to-me hotel, a Kimpton property.

I checked into the Hotel Wilshire Sunday afternoon. Continue reading →

I fell in love (with a hotel)

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How hotels can make guests want to return over and over again.

  • When a guest checks in and implies that they’re having a bad day, upgrade their room.
  • Be popular with celebrities so other guests get a star sighting or two during their stay. But greet every guest – celebrity and civilian – with the same warmth and professionalism.
  • Don’t charge for wireless.
  • Offer good hair dryers.
  • Have a cute little cafe on a terrace near a sun-splashed pool.
  • …and a gym with a pool view offering beverages, headphones and working equipment.
  • When you hear that a guest [politely] logged a noise complaint in the middle of the night, comp the $45 room service breakfast when she checks out even though she didn’t bring it up. Tell her you picked the suite you gave her for its quiet and that you’re sorry for what happened.

The Four Seasons hotel in Beverly Hills did all of things and more. A front desk employee named Kris bowled me over with his kindness. Thanks, Kris!

After the awful experience I had at my original LA hotel this trip, the Four Seasons made my trip end on a happy note–all for only $30 per night more than the Ant Hotel.*

Enjoy a few pics I took during my too brief stay at the gorgeous Four Seasons.

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*I get a corporate rate through my company. 

Related posts:

Five things I would do if I owned a hotel

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I travel a lot, particularly on business, so I spend a good amount of time in hotels. This year-to-date, I have spent approximately fifteen nights in hotels already.*

Here are five things I’d implement immediately if I ran a hotel.

1. Provide high quality hair dryers.

If you care about female business travelers, this is a must. I want to look good, but I don’t want to lug my Rusk Speed Freak in my suitcase, OK?

This evil little hair dryer pictured below is the worst-of-the-worst, but a Conair without heat control and a worn out motor doesn’t win a prize either.

evil little hair dryer

Hotels should treat quality hair dryers as an upsell opportunity like they do robes. If someone steals the hair dryer, add $250 to the bill. Easy.

2. Offer breakfast for room service 24/7. 

Continue reading →

I went to Los Angeles (again)

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The trip looked a lot like my January visit in some ways, albeit with the addition of Das Boot.

I shared the best salad ever with a new client at Magnolia on Sunset: haricot verts, figs, gorgonzola. We sat outside where the people watching is best described as hilarious.

I stayed at the Andaz on Sunset, which I adore. Last time, I faced the Strip. This time, the Hollywood Hills.