From the moment you take that first step inside the legendary Millenium Biltmore Hotel you are whisked back in time to classic old Hollywood. Right when I walked in I was overwhelmed by the ornate beauty that the Biltmore possessed. This was a grand and elegant hotel. A true historical Hollywood landmark. The Biltmore has been around for 85 years and in the 1930s and 40s it hosted eight Academy Award Ceremonies. Everything about this hotel was gorgeous. Beauty was in the details, and there was a lot of attention paid to the details. From the lobby to the hallways to the corridors, this hotel was beautifully luxurious.
I stayed here for one night for two reasons. My friend Jonathan was coming into town and we wanted to go on vacation in Los Angeles, and the second reason was that my good friends Jennifer and Michael Paul were getting married the next day at Union Station which was five minutes away. Staying here for a night was probably one of the cooler things I have done since moving to L.A. 7 years ago. I always dreamed of staying in a hotel while living in a L.A., I just never imagined it would be this nice one.
After getting stuck in downtown gridlock, it was a relief to finally get my car parked and walk in the hotel. The service at the front desk was top notch, although I was a tad disappointed when the room with the two beds that I reserved was no longer available, and that they only had rooms with a king bed.
So luckily I wasn't one of those high maintenance a-holes, and I accepted their offer of a rollaway bed. Which was a weird thing considering I was a paying guest in one of the nicest hotels in L.A. A hotel of this magnitude, and a rollaway bed, just didn't go hand in hand. Anyhow, we get to our room, room 829 to be precise. And it was cute, old, but really nice.
After setting up, we chilled a bit, and then I was thirsty for a drink. So I proceeded to take the elevator down to the Gallery Bar. Here I settled on a table, with my Travel & Leisure magazine in hand and waited for some service. Immediately I was greeted by cocktail server Candy. She was upbeat and efficient, and offered great service. She gave me a small fancy bowl of nuts, macadamia, cashew, peanuts, almonds, etc. I ordered myself a Lemon Drop Martini, which was big, tart, and sweet, but be ready to spend money, it was $16. But having a vacation mentality, I just didn't care and focused on appreciating the moment. After 3 sips, I was buzzed. The crowd was eclectic and wordly, a tad older than me, and definitely a tad more established than me, or at least they appeared to be.
My favorite experience of the hotel, was the pool. In 2002, Los Angeles Magazine voted this the best indoor pool in all of Los Angeles. I remember reading that article 6 years ago, and I was in such admiration of the pool and the picture that was in front of me in that article, never did I imagine that one day I was going to be swimming in that pool. And it dawned on me as I was slowly swimming on my back, "you just never ever know what life has in store for you." On the way back from the pool I walked the hall ways and was smitten with all the old black and white pictures of the 1939 Academy Awards with Walt Disney and Shirley Temple. Overall, I had a wonderful experience at the Biltmore, I would definitely recommend it. Of all the hotels in Downtown L.A., check in to this place, there is history, the service is top notch, and the price was extremely reasonable.
Here are some helpful hints:
1. If you are strapped for cash and you want to save a little money, park in the lot across the street. It's $5 a day, and compared to the $40 that the hotel charges a day, you can save yourself $35, which is worth it, especially if you want to buy some drinks in the Gallery Bar.
2. If you are sharing a room with a friend, and its your name that reserved the room, be sure to put their name on the reservation so that they aren't waiting in the lobby til you get there.
3. Take advantage of the fine facilities. Every time I stay at a hotel, I HAVE to use the facilities especially the pool and the workout rooms. This really makes me feel like I am on a "vacation." The pool rocks, it's peaceful and private, and there is a great steam room and jacuzzi just steps away.
4. Be nice to everybody, especially the front desk, they hold the key... literally. But they also conduct the value of your stay. If you want a late check out, just ask nicely. We were able to move our 12 noon check out to 12:30.
5. Internet is not free, they charge $10, which I think is a rip off, and I feel like that should be a required amenity. I would much rather have free internet than their complimentary L.A. Times in the morning.
Millenium Biltmore Hotel Los Angeles
506 South Grand Ave.
Los Angeles, CA. 90071-2607
Phone: 213.624.1011
www.milleniumhotels.com
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