Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel — Hotel Review Rating: 4.0 Pearls

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Oyster Hotel Review

Reporter: Paul B.
Updated: November 9, 2009

 Scene

Like an aging Hollywood starlet, the 300-room Roosevelt, which first opened in 1927, still has a spark of something special, even if its special glow has long faded. Host to the first Academy Awards and, over the decades, the temporary residence to a roster of stars longer than a summer blockbuster's credit reel, the landmark hotel sits on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, just steps from today's home of the Academy Awards, the Kodak Theatre. Guests, provided they bring enough cash, can certainly play the part of a movie star in the ornate Spanish-style lobby, the hotel's numerous bars, and the sleek steak house Dakota.

The Roosevelt became a Thompson hotel in 2005, and despite the brand's reputation for chilly service, most of the staff was cheery and helpful, an experience I also had at other trendy L.A. hotels the Standard Hollywood and the Mondrian. However, the Roosevelt's storied history, massive pool, and prime Hollywood Boulevard location are tempered by small rooms and an exhausting nightly party scene. Not even guests can get on the list at A-list favorite Teddy's, and the party at the poolside Tropicana bar goes until 2 a.m. (Good to know if you book one of the cabana rooms that overlook that scene.) Those caveats aside, many guests choose to stay at the Roosevelt specifically for the party scene, which often includes internationally known DJs dropping by and celebrities spending the night. The similarly priced Sunset Tower, another historic Hollywood hotel, is much calmer -- in part because it has only 74 rooms.

 Service

Despite Thompson Hotels' spotty service reputation, I found everyone from the valets and front desk to waiters and housekeepers to be warm and helpful. After calling the front desk to request toothpaste, it arrived in 14 minutes.

• A concierge, on duty 7 a.m. to 11 p.m., can help with the usual services, though access to Teddy's nightclub is one thing he or she won't be able to guarantee.
• Poolside waiters and waitresses were particularly swift in taking and fulfilling orders, even when busy. Bartenders at the Library Lounge are some of the most creative in L.A.
• Room service is available around the clock, and 25 Degrees restaurant is also open 24 hours a day.
• $30-a-night valet parking

 Location

The hotel is in the heart of the Walk of Fame on Hollywood Boulevard and just steps from the Kodak Theatre, the home of the Academy Awards. Other Hollywood attractions, like Grauman's Egyptian Theatre, the Chinese Theatre, the Knitting Factory, and El Capitan, are also within walking distance. Dining options in the vicinity are plentiful. Los Angeles is a sprawling city of almost 10 million people and a veritable spaghetti bowl of highways. Traffic can be infuriating -- and parking can be nonsensically expensive -- but renting a car makes touring the city much easier than relying on limited public transportation options.

• Universal Studios is three miles away, a short drive on Highway 101.
• The Hollywood Bowl concert venue is a 10-minute drive.
• Rodeo Drive shopping in Beverly Hills is five miles distant, at least 15 minutes by car.
• Santa Monica and L.A.'s beaches are 11 miles, or at least 30 minutes, away by car.
• Bob Hope Airport in Burbank is 10-mile, 25-minute drive from the hotel. In traffic, it can take 90 minutes to reach the hotel from Los Angeles International Airport, which is 25 miles away.

 Rooms

At 300 square feet, my king superior room in the main tower was smaller than average for the price. (The London's base room is more than double the size; rooms at the Chamberlain and the Beverly Hilton start at 350 square feet.) But the Dodd Mitchell design, completed in 2005, manages to squeeze plenty into the space, including a flat-screen TV, desk, two bedside lamps, and a king-size bed. True to Thompson form, everything's branded, from Sferra linens to C.O. Bigelow toiletries to Dean & Deluca minibar snacks.

• King-size bed with high-quality Sferra linens, a nice duvet, and four pillows
• 32-inch flat-screen LG TV
• Strangely for a room featuring a photo of Mick Jagger, Lou Reed, and David Bowie, the only stereo choices are an old CD player or a clock radio; no iPod dock.
• Ample minibar, though an advertised "Shag Bag," a Thompson standard, hadn't been replaced.
• $10 a day for Wi-Fi
• Bathrooms in the main tower are small -- this is an 82-year-old building -- but well designed; stocked with C.O. Bigelow lavender-peppermint shampoo, conditioner, and bar soap.
• Small shower-tub combo but good water pressure
• Surrounding the pool are 60 cabana rooms with similar amenities and furnishings. They can be noisy, depending on how wild the partying becomes; that said, many guests find the proximity to the pool an asset.

 Features

There's plenty to do at this iconic property. Three bars -- including Teddy's, which guests often can't get into -- complement two full-service restaurants, one of which is open 24 hours. The massive pool is busy, but not packed, at all hours. A relatively large fitness center has top-quality equipment and is well maintained. The historic lobby is a Hollywood Boulevard tourist sight in its own right.

• Three bars, including one poolside
• High-quality fitness center is free to guests and open 24 hours.
• Large meeting spaces but no business center, just two computers and a printer for guest use at the front desk
• No proper spa, but massages, which start at $145 per 50 minutes, can be arranged in an outdoor but secluded "massage garden."
• Small boutique stocks souvenirs, candy, magazines, postcards, jewelry, sunglasses, and swimsuits.

 Pool

The massive 80-by-30-foot pool, featuring an underwater mural by British artist David Hockney, is a major draw not just for daytime lounging but also for nighttime debauchery. Before lunch, lithe twentysomethings lounge away the previous night's fun while slowly sipping cocktails. In the evening, groups rendezvous over beers to plan out the night's fun. Even later, big-name DJs and guest hosts like Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke keep the crowds -- including those who might be trying to sleep in their poolside rooms -- energized until 2 a.m.

 Family

The Roosevelt's smaller-than-average rooms and focus on fine dining and late-night drinking make it a poor choice for families. The Magic Castle Hotel, just a block away, is much more family friendly.

 Cleanliness

My room and bathroom were in good shape, save the worn edges of the platform bed and desk. Public spaces were similarly well maintained. During my visit, one of the hotel's two elevators was out of service, leading to long waits that elicited much grumbling from guests.

 Food

With both fine and casual dining restaurants as well as poolside food service, guests can eat around the clock at the Roosevelt. (Room service is available 24 hours a day too.) A poolside bar, a dimly lit cocktail den, and an exclusive nightclub round out the broad array of food and drink options.

• 25 Degrees, a casual restaurant with an entrance on Hollywood Boulevard, is open 24 hours. Its supremely delicious hamburgers and almost-as-good omelettes have a cult following that extends well beyond the hotel.
• The more formal steakhouse Dakota is open for dinner only, though there are plans to offer weekend brunch. Its small bar is better suited to waiting for a table than dining; there's live music on some nights.
• The poolside bar Tropicana does a brisk business in $15 cocktails and cheaper beers. Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke has done two surprise DJ sets there; he's one of many international talents that drop in to power the party.
• A much quieter and more refined scene can be found just off the historic lobby at the dimly lit Library Bar, where bartender Matthew Biancaniello crafts precious cocktails for mixology fanatics; small bites from Dakota's kitchen also available.
• Teddy's, a nightclub and bar, is in the hotel but not operated by it. Unlike at the late-night lounges at the Standard Hollywood and Mondrian, where a room key doubles as a VIP pass, the door is so tight that even guests can't easily slip past the velvet rope.

 Bottom Line

This 300-room Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, literally an L.A. landmark, combines the shimmer of silver-screen history with a cutting-edge party scene centered around a massive pool and bar. A terrific casual restaurant is open 24 hours, and service is surprisingly good. The rooms, though well designed, are smaller than average for L.A.