Fodor's Expert Review JW Marriott Los Angeles at L.A. Live
900 W. Olympic Blvd., Los Angeles, California 90015, United States See on Map
As with most JW Marriott’s, guests can expect a similar level of comfort, service and amenities. The benefit of this particular incarnation is that its location is in the most exciting part of Downtown LA. Being next to LA Live, the hotel enjoys a mix of business travelers, families and sports and entertainment types performing next door, while inside has a social scene of its own with restaurants, bars and congregating spaces.
room
Cookie-cutter rooms are outfitted with traditional furnishings, writing desks, coffeemakers and stunning views of the city.
YOU SHOULD KNOW Wi-Fi is not free and will run you $15/day for regular service and $17/day for enhanced high-speeds.
bathroom
There’s nothing particularly noteworthy about the bathrooms, save that they’re all marble with nicely tiled walk-in showers. They're fine.
lobby
The giant and-ever bustling lobby is the social heart of the hotel and spreads out to include bars, restaurants and ample social space. Couches and lounge chairs host guests as they pull up to the gLance Bar to watch sports and drink beers. Other visitors file into Ford’s Filling Station for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Off the back of the lobby is also a mixing room for craft cocktails.
pool
A guests-only pool sits atop the 4th floor with great views of Downtown and a full bar.
spa
The spa is courtesy of the Ritz-Carlton and is a large treatment space that offers massages, facials, body wraps, signature services and more.
gym
A standard fitness center provides guests with enough cardio machines and free weights for a complete workout.
dining
Ford’s Filling Station serves Cali-cuisine all day and is the main restaurant in the hotel. Illy Espressamente is the in-house coffee-shop inside the lobby with great coffee and danishes. For a finer dining experience, guests can head to the attached Ritz-Carlton where WP24 By Wolfgang Puck dishes out an eclectic modern Asian menu.
YOU SHOULD KNOW The menus on the hotel’s website show lunch and dinner options at Cézanne, which isn’t available. Also, don’t be fooled by the French-sounding names--there’s little here that resembles French cuisine.
drinking
Beyond the gLance Bar, which is perfect for watching games with pals, The Mixing Room in the back of the lobby is for craft-cocktail-connoisseurs and has a great patio looking over LA Live.
Every month, The Mixing Room offers mixology classes and free tastings. Be sure to inquire with the hotel for when.
LOCATION
Getting Around
Practically next to the hotel is LA Live (have we mentioned that?), the Staples Center (home of the LA Lakers, LA Clippers, LA Kings) and the Los Angeles Convention Center. It’s a very walkable part of town and within minutes you’ll find bars, restaurants, theaters, and shopping. A metro stop is about a block away and can get you to other parts of the city like Universal Studios, Hollywood or Santa Monica. If you want to grab a taxi, you’ll find plenty around here, but it’s just as easy to get an Uber or Lyft ride. Renting a car around here isn’t necessary.
Restaurants
With LA Live at the back of the hotel, guests have their pick of a dozen or so restaurants. Carnivores can dig into steaks at Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar, taco-lovers can nosh at Rosa Mexicano and Italian food fiends can find fabulous pizzas at Live Basil.
WHY WE LIKE IT
Marriott travelers will find a lot to love at this location. There is a bevy of amenities with the pool, spa and fitness center, and the lobby is a hub of social activity surrounding bars and restaurants. Being next door to (wait for it) LA Live gives visitors tons of entertainment options, and the metro is close enough to get around to the rest of the city. If you’re in LA for a convention, want to see a game or just experience the incredible downtown culinary scene, staying at this hotel will give you unlimited access to all.
QUICK FACTS
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