JW Marriott Hotel Los Angeles at L.A. Live Rating: 4.0 Pearls

Downtown, Los Angeles, California

The 878-room hotel is located in the L.A. Live center, also home to the smaller, 123-room Ritz-Carlton, many restaurants, a bowling alley, nightclub, Grammy museum, the Staples Center, and the Nokia Theatre.

Just three blocks from the Los Angeles Convention Center, it stands to reason that the hotel attracts lots of business travelers. And while there’s enough for families to do, the hotel’s surrounding area is generally pretty desolate (except for during sports games or concerts at the neighboring Staples Center or Nokia Theater), and a car is needed to get pretty much anywhere in the city.

That said, the J.W. Marriott at L.A. Live is sleek and tastefully decorated, with splashes of color to spice up the predominantly white rooms. The huge atrium-style lobby is inviting and looks modern, though not as modern and trendy as the nearby W Hollywood. And while it’s certainly a step up from a regular Marriott, as you would expect from the nicer J.W. chain, it falls short of being truly luxurious (like its neighbor the Ritz-Carlton, for example).

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Being in downtown Los Angeles is great if you’re going to a sports game at the Staples Center, a concert at the Nokia Theatre, or a business meeting at the Convention Center. In fact, the J.W. Marriott is the closest hotel (besides neighbor Ritz-Carlton) to all of these attractions. But otherwise, you won’t find much to do in the way of entertainment. The area is pretty desolate when no events are going on, and you will have to rent a car to get just about anywhere. There are nearby bars and restaurants, but they are mainly large chains.

• In the L.A. Live center, along with the Nokia Theatre, Regal Cinema, Staples Center, and many restaurants and cafes
• Right off Harbor Freeway
• 11-minute walk to Los Angeles Convention Center
• 4-minute drive or 30-minute walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art
• 8-minute drive to Dodger Stadium
• 15-minute drive to Universal Studios Hollywood
• 20-minute drive to Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive
• 21-drive to the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• 21-minute drive to Santa Monica Beach

Deluxe Room

Rooms start at 375 square feet and most come with an option for two double beds or one king. But be warned, having double beds makes the room feel smaller than it actually is, as you’re giving up floor space to fit two beds. But business travelers will appreciate the rooms’ thoughtful touches: well-placed electrical outlets and very comfortable desk chairs.

All rooms include:

• Wi-Fi, wired, and wireless internet available for a fee per day
• 42-inch plasma flat-screen TV with 75 channels, including HBO
• Free newspaper delivery by request, Monday to Friday
• Free coffee maker, coffee, and tea
• Iron and ironing board
• Colorful marble bathroom with Nirvae Essentials bath products, a hairdryer and JW Bathrobe
• Minibar
• Safe big enough for a laptop
• iPod dock
• Rollaway beds and cribs available for free (rollaways not allowed in rooms with two double beds)

Room types:

• Deluxe: 375 square feet; king or two double beds; some connecting rooms available; four person maximum occupancy
• Executive King: 525 square feet; king bed; two person maximum occupancy

Suite types:

• Junior Suite: 651 square feet; king bed; sleeper sofa; sitting area; two person maximum occupancy
• Griffin Suite: 754 square feet; king bed; living area separate from bedroom; extra guest bathroom; two TVs; sleeper sofa; two person maximum occupancy
• JW Suite: 1,120 square feet; king bed; separate living room; extra guest bathroom; option for extra bedroom; kitchen; sleeper sofa; plug in high tech room; two person maximum occupancy

The pool

• Concierge available daily.
• Beautiful, long, heated pool, a Jacuzzi, and plenty of lounge chairs.
• 24-hour, 3,000-square-foot Fitness Center. Most machines have individual TVs.
• Next door, the Ritz-Carlton Spa offers a hair salon in addition to regular treatments.
• 40 meeting rooms available, with more than 100,000 total square feet of meeting areas
• Hotel makes efforts to be “green” by using fluorescent light bulbs and water-conserving shower heads.
• 24-hour room service
• Business center provides a copy machine, fax machine, messenger service, and overnight delivery and pick up for a fee; closed on Sunday.

The Mixing Room

• L.A. Market serves local and organic food and wine; open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
• Espressamente Illy is an Italian coffee shop that also has light food
• Next door in the Ritz is WP24 Restaurant and Lounge from celeb chef Wolfgang Puck. Serving modern Chinese food, it’s the only elegant dinner option between the two hotels. Open for dinner only.
• The Mixing Room is a cocktail lounge that offers small plates meant for sharing; open daily until late.
• Ion is a beautiful outdoor bar on the fourth floor of the hotel, with fantastic views of L.A.
• Glance Wine Bar serves light food and drinks