Hotel Reviews
Looking for a posh SoCal hotel to spend a romantic weekend or a decent place to park the in-laws? Check out these looks at lodgings by Times hotel reviewer Valli Herman.
The Keating
The lobby of the Keating, the color of a cherry-red Ferrari, makes a loud statement. The San Diego lodging was designed by Italy’s Pininfarina.
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The Westside hotel is so careful to wrap its environmental message in comfortable, chic surroundings, you might miss it.
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The new hotel has spotty service, but it can boast of a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and sensual decor that’s hard ... not ... to ... touch.
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The rooms are small but beautifully decorated. Locals and those who may not be able to afford the stay flock to its gorgeous lobby for a peek.
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The closest hotel to SeaWorld has yet learned the true meaning of family fun.
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This remodeled and renamed hotel offers a beautiful setting, but poor service keeps it from soaring.
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New features at the family-friendly Rancho Mirage hotel include mini water park Splashtopia.
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But the brand-name spot doesn’t let a gimmick get in the way of good service and fun.
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The extended-stay hotel in West Hollywood lacks sufficient amenities for long-term guests.
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Noisy, spirited and highly hip, the California mod-style Thompson Beverly Hills is at its best in the evening -- if sleep isn’t a priority.
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The small hotel charges a bundle for its lush facility but has forgotten one important component: old-fashioned service.
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Like a late-night gambler at 10 a.m., the newest Vegas mega-resort is not yet fully awake. It is quietly elegant (yawn), but the best may be yet to come.
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The Orlando’s lively locale, reasonable rates and superb Italian restaurant make it a place to send visitors who would love their own digs.
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In Del Mar, Calif., gilded elegance meets modern amenities at the luxe resort.
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Empty your wallet, then sit back to enjoy the view at the Malibu Beach Inn, which reaches for the stars but falls a little short.
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The Westside hotel and spa stays in chic shape with a $35-million upgrade.
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The JW Marriott is all about pools and parties.
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The red-carpet treatment awaits visitors to the newly renovated classic in Beverly Hills.
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The Marina del Rey hotel, 17, works to reinvent itself. One moment it’s sublime, the next . . . not so much.
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Santa Monica’s handsome, cozy Oceana offers an idealized vision of the region’s lifestyle. But for top prices like these, the service is a bit relaxed.
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The pricey Surf & Sand has plenty of pluses, including peerless ocean views. But lagging service and a stuffy room undercut a visitor’s enjoyment
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Reality TV meets reality at the Parker Palm Springs, whose imagined owner’s ‘quirky modernist’ tastes rule the roost. Bravo, indeed!
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This elegant haven tucked away in the mountains isn’t pure heaven, but the wine comes close.
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The resort offers a tantalizing menu of indulgences, but guests have to take the initiative and plan to make sure they get what they want.
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The hotel in Newport Beach could have settled for cushy good looks, but it didn’t. Its service charms and disarms.
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The car-themed hotel designed by a famed auto company looks amazing, but amenities and service are disappointing.
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Beanie Baby baron Ty Warner spares no expense in his makeover of the Biltmore. Some of the changes fall flat, however.
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The elegantly casual Portofino Hotel is glammed up but still anchored.
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At Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Mom and Dad can get a massage or hit the links. For the kids, there’s Camp Ojai. Even Fido is welcome.
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Wood paneling, shiny chrome fixtures and a noisy lounge culture are hip again.
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The hotel offers a mind and body tuneup. And a little pampering, of course.
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San Diego’s makeover madness: Among buildings being made fabulous again, the US Grant is notable. A $52-million redo puts it squarely back in 1910.
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The ex-Regent has a new name, but hosts the same buzz-worthy, almost famous scene. And it’s still in the heart of Beverly Hills.
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