The Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites Rating: 3.0 Pearls

Downtown, Los Angeles, California

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The lobby

Part shopping mall, part hotel, all big. This 1,354-room hotel's four cylindrical towers, made of reflective glass, shoot 35 stories into the sky, rivaling the nearby skyscrapers that bear names like UnionBank, Wells Fargo, and Citigroup. External glass elevators rocket guests up to their rooms at ear-popping speed. On the top floors, LA Prime serves expensive steaks, and customers sip drinks in the rotating BonaVista Lounge as they take in 360-degree views of the Los Angeles skyline.

Given its location in L.A.'s downtown financial center and its 110,000 square feet of convention space, the hotel caters primarily to business travelers. But for a business-oriented place, the Westin Bonaventure packs a load of additional leisure-style amenities: a heated, outdoor pool, a huge spa, a host of dining options, and extensive workout facilities. And then there are the shops. A giant, six-story atrium contains an entire mall's worth of goods and services -- everything from a dentist's office to a Panda Hut Chinese restaurant and an FTD florist.

Although there's plenty to do in the building, the common areas are far from beautiful. The hotel was built in 1977, and the architectural style emphasizes artificial materials: steel, glass, and lots of cement. The interior design doesn't help; plastic plants on the lobby level and chlorinated fountains are as good as it gets. Luckily, things improve a bit in the rooms, where floor-to-ceiling windows offer great views of the city below. Although the suite I stayed in needed a renovation, all the rooms are in the process of being renovated. For a peak at a renovated room, take a look at this standard room.

The only other mega-hotel in the area that offers similar amenities (but no spa) is the enormous Wilshire Grand, which is also undergoing a renovation. Travelers should consider whichever option is cheaper. For a downtown location with better decor and classier public spaces, you can pay more and stay at the Omni, although its rooms are underwhelming.

The front desk

The service here is pretty standard for what you pay; the staff does a lot for guests, but only if they ask. Several doormen stand ready at the entrance to hail cabs when guests approach, but they don't run out to cars to grab bags from new arrivals. At check-in, the clerk hands over a key, points out which elevator the guest should take, and that's about it. Although the staff isn't proactive initially, they follow up on requests with a phone call to the room; after room service arrived, I received a call asking whether I was enjoying the meal and whether someone should return to pick up the tray.

• Dedicated concierge from 7 a.m. to 10:55 p.m.
• 24-hour room service has selections from Lake View Bistro and high-end LA Prime steak house; guests can also request snacks and drinks for in-room refrigerator.
• Free newspaper delivery on weekdays
• Turndown service on request
• Laundry/valet service
• Car rental desk on-site
• In-room spa treatments from the on-site Bonaventure Spa
• Dog beds provided on request

View on a Larger Map

The Westin Bonaventure sits right in the middle of downtown Los Angeles, the city's central business district and the hub of its developing rapid transit system. It's within strolling distance of the Museum of Contemporary Art and the Walt Disney Concert Hall, and a few blocks from the 7th Street Metro center, a key hub of the city's woefully underappreciated subway system. The Westin has a slight edge over some other downtown hotels because it's only a block away from the Harbor Freeway, which connects to both the Hollywood Freeway and the Santa Monica Freeway for quick access to other parts of L.A.

• The Staples Center (where the Lakers and Clippers basketball teams play) and the Los Angeles Convention Center are a five-minute drive south.
• 10-minute walk to the Museum of Contemporary Art, the only L.A. museum devoted entirely to contemporary art
• 15-minute walk to the Walt Disney Concert Hall, a high-design building that's home to the L.A. Philharmonic Orchestra
• Within walking distance are the seedy, but lively, diamond district, and the garment district (aka the fashion district), a 90-block hub of the apparel industry, including wholesalers, retailers, and designers.
• Five- to 10-minute drive to Union Station, with access to the Metro
• 30- to 45-minute drive from the beach (Santa Monica is the closest)
• 25- to 30-minute drive to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills, with high-end shopping and swanky mansions
• 20-minute drive to Universal Studios Hollywood theme park
• 15-minute drive to touristy Hollywood Boulevard, the Walk of Fame, and Grauman's Chinese Theatre
• 20- to 30-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)

The view from the Tower Suite

When I visited, the Westin Bonaventure was undergoing renovations of all its rooms, replacing tube TVs with flat-screens, changing the carpets, and replacing beat-up furnishings with new pieces. As of December 2009, many -- but not all -- were complete. When it's done, all the rooms will feature solid amenities for the price and great views of the Los Angeles skyline from floor-to-ceiling windows.

• Standard rooms vary in size, but start at 200 square feet, small for downtown hotels, but about the same as at Wilshire Grand.
• Great views of the downtown skyline through floor-to-ceiling windows (much better views than at Wilshire Grand)
• Standards have one king or two double beds with famously comfortable Westin Heavenly brand duvets and mattresses
• 32-inch flat-screen TVs with pay-per-view movies.
• In-room Internet costs $12.95, but it's fast and reliable.
• Average-size bathrooms with granite countertops, Heavenly Spa toiletries, and the Westin's trademark double-headed shower
• Coffeemaker with free instant Starbucks coffee
• Suites (not yet renovated during my stay) range up to 2,520 square feet and have separate living areas, microwaves, minifridges, and wet bars; the most basic suite starts at 380 square feet and costs roughly $60 more than a standard.

The spa's waiting area

The Westin Bonaventure has all the requisite amenities of any large downtown hotel chain, plus a few more -- a good number for the price range. However, some, such as the pool, are lackluster and others, like the business center, are expensive.

• The outdoor, heated, 4th-floor pool has views of neighboring skyscrapers, but otherwise it's average size and has no special features.
• Fitness center has plenty of machines, but its floor-to-ceiling windows look out onto the lobby, so it's not too private. Even more exhibitionist, some workout machines sit on cantilevered balconies, fully exposed to onlookers.
• On-site Bonaventure Spa has large lounge area with bar and giant TV and a hair and nail salon; the Wilshire Grand doesn't have a spa.
• Business center (8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday, closed Sunday) is expensive; printing ($1 per page), photocopying (25 cents per page), fax ($3 for first page, $2 thereafter), Internet ($5 first 10 minutes, 40 cents each additional minute); Internet usage is free at Kyoto Grand's 24-hour business center.
• 42 shops and restaurants in lobby atrium including a florist, myriad food options, a dentist's office, and a luggage shop
• Enterprise car rental desk on-site

The pool

The hotel's downtown location is a mixed bag for families. It's not near any of the major tourist destinations or the beach, but it takes less than 45 minutes to get to the majority of them. The small rooms and business vibe aren't ideal for families, but the on-site pool is a plus. If you're going to be downtown, however, the Wilshire Grand -- with many of the same amenities -- has an edge because it's nearer to a Metro station for service to Universal Studios.

• Outdoor, heated pool is good for kids.
• Less than 45-minute drive to major tourist destinations like Beverly Hills, Hollywood, and Universal Studios Hollywood
• Lots of indoor space for kids to run around, just like the Wilshire Grand
• Free cribs; rollaways are $30 a night.
• The hotel has adjoining rooms, but guests can't request them in advance; you have to try at the hotel.
• 10-minute walk (longer with kids) from the nearest Metro station
• Kids' menu for room service, plenty of fast-food and simple, kid-pleasing dining options

All rooms and public spaces are clean and well kept, though the unrenovated rooms naturally have a few scuffs and stains. Expect better when the room renovations are complete in late 2011.

Bonaventure Brewing Company

Guests have plenty of restaurants to choose from at the Westin Bonaventure. Options include a Subway, several Chinese restaurants of varying price, and several hotel-sponsored restaurants. Many are scattered throughout the first six floors in the lobby atrium; LA Prime and the BonaVista Lounge are on the hotel's top floors, providing great views of the city.

• LA Prime is a New York-style steakhouse; open Sunday to Thursday 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., Friday to Saturday 5:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.; entrees range from $32 fettuccini to $50 steaks.
• Lakeview Bistro offers casual dining, breakfast, and lunch; open 6 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.; entrees range from $18 fish and chips to $24 pan-seared salmon.
• BonaVista Lounge, a revolving cocktail lounge with panoramic views; open 5 p.m. to 1 a.m.
• Lobby Food Court Coffee Bar serves light breakfast fare early dawn till noon, cocktail service throughout the day: open Sunday to Thursday 5:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.; Friday to Saturday 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• Many other restaurants in the food court: fast food, including Subway and Panda Hut, and casual sit-down places, including Mandarin West
• Additional drinks options at Suede and Bonaventure Brewing Company