Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles-Downey

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles-Downey occupies a sunny Mediterranean-style building with terra-cotta roofs and an entrance dotted in palm trees. Having undergone a massive renovation in 2015, the interior has sophisticated, modern decor with frequent nods to Downey’s status as the birthplace of the Apollo Space Program. The atrium-style lobby almost feels as if it is outdoors with landscaped areas and an enormous glass ceiling that offers lots of natural light during the day and shows off a starry sky at night. Vintage, space-themed photos are found throughout the hotel; the backdrop to the front desk is star-lit, chandeliers are a nod to Sputnik; and, in the evening, the interior water fountains are lit to look like the big dipper. All of this is visible to guests from the glass elevator and the open, balcony-style hallways that surround the atrium for all eight stories of the hotel.

Embassy Suites is geared toward the business traveler, though it's frequented by tourists as well. Business guests are often found in the atrium's chic, generously sized "tech lounge" in the atrium, which has comfortable, modern seating and lots of outlets for charging up electronics.

A 30-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles, the Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles-Downey is situated directly across from the Downey Civic Center -- the two share a courtyard -- and is a five-minute walk from downtown Downey, which offers restaurants, bars, and shops, all accessible by foot. The Embassy Suites offers a free shuttle that will take guests anywhere within a five mile radius, but guests should note that the shuttle only has seven seats and needs to be reserved beforehand.

The hotel also offers free parking, useful for guests who want to access one of the four nearby freeways. A 30-minute drive can take guests to Downtown Los Angeles, Long Beach Airport (LBA), Universal Studios, Disneyland, and Anaheim.

All rooms at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles-Downey are apartment-style, two-room suites. There's a bedroom area with a small desk, flat-screen TV and wardrobe with an iron, as well as a separate lounge area with a table, chairs, couch, and second TV. Rooms have a dedicated alcove for food and drink with a counter, small inset sink, Keurig coffeemaker, microwave, and mini-fridge.

Other than the comfortable, new mattresses, rooms at the Embassy Suites were not included in the hotel's 2015 renovations, so the decor isn't as chic and modern as what is found in the hotel's atrium and common areas. Despite this, rooms at the Embassy Suites are spacious, if generic in decor. Rooms have subtly patterned wallpaper in cream and orange, white bedding, and framed floral pictures. Premium rooms include free unlimited snacks and drinks and free premium Wi-Fi.

Compared to the spacious rooms, the bathrooms are relatively small, but they do offer a large mirror and marbled vanity, a transparent sliding glass shower, a small hair dryer, and high-end Giovanni toiletries.

The Embassy Suites by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles-Downey offers a wide variety of amenities for business travelers and tourists alike. Stays include an evening reception in the atrium with free snacks and drinks as well as a free breakfast. Guests say that while the breakfast is generous with plenty of options, the dining area is often crowded and is more buffet-style than “made-to-order”—though you can get an omelette any way you want.

A clean, stylish 24-hour fitness center includes cardio machines such as treadmills with attached screens and large windows that face the atrium. In a separate area, there's a heated indoor pool and small whirlpool in a generously sized, bright room with a red-orange accent wall and large floor-to-ceiling windows. In addition to the atrium’s “Tech Lounge,” the hotel offers a 24-hour business center with individual desks with rolling chairs, computers, and printers.

The hotel also has two ballrooms with retractable walls that can accommodate up to 300 guests for weddings and other events. Sophisticated meeting rooms have marbled floors, wood molding, comfortable leather chairs, long wood tables and projector screens that unfurl from the ceiling. Basic Wi-Fi is free, but premium Wi-Fi costs extra. Guests can also take advantage of a free shuttle and free parking.

The hotel has its own snack shop with baskets full of candy bars, bags of chips, and other grab-and-go foods. An on-site restaurant, The Brickstones Grill, offers a chic bar area and satisfying, though somewhat pricy, lunches and dinners.

Extra amenities are also available, including room service, dry cleaning, and laundry service or self-serve laundry.