The W Hotel (San Francisco, California, USA)

I have wanted to stay at this place when it opened a few years back, but I was living in San Francisco at the time; and although it was not uncommon for anybody to stay in a hotel in a city where they lived, it was difficult to get a reservation because the hotel became really popular, not only with the younger crowd, but also with the attendees of the nearby Moscone Convention Center.

Having had my first ever W experience in Seattle only a week or so before, I was curious to see how this San Francisco branch would compare to its Seattle counterpart. W succeeded in creating similar ambients in at least these two locations: each having a dimly-lit lobby area with minimalist décor and a thumping beat of house music that got louder as the day gave way to the evening. The music did not stop there: at each floor in the elevator waiting area, house music kept on thumping. I was afraid that from my room, which unfortunately was not too far from that elevator area, I would be able to hear that noise, but luckily, I could not.

The room had a familiarity to it since I just stayed in the Seattle one: dark wood head-board, brown comforter cover, but this time with four elongated, slender pillows, the shape of which I had never seen before (and I have seen quite many different permutations of a pillow). Even the adjustable bed-lights and the twin lamps by the window seats were exactly how one would find them in the Seattle location. The only difference was the blind: this location used a "window-like" blind where you could actually open inward to reveal the view. The Seattle location used a top-bottom white, wooden draw blind.

So, let's get down to the nitty-gritty of this place. Much of my disappointment with this hotel came from the inconsistency of the housekeeping services. For this trip, I stayed long enough to observe the working habit from day to day. Regardless of who cleaned the room, there should be a check-list of what needed to be done every day. For example, there was only one day when the melted ice in the ice-bin was thrown away. At other times, I came home to find a bin with tepid water from last night's melted ice. There was also the stocking of towels, or lack thereof: twice I looked and found that the two missing bath towels were never replaced. Sure, there were still the other two, but at least even them out by moving one towel to the other stack. It was in such details that this San Francisco W housekeeping lacked.

For a hotel that strove to present itself as hip, the chain should have employed the use of flat screen or plasma televisions. Instead, in both of the locations where I have stayed, cathode-ray tubes were mounted on a pivotable-platform and enshrined in an entertainment center that could be closed up. How quaint!

There was a 24-hour gym, which worked great for late night sleeper like I was. There were about 5 or 6 treadmills and some Nautilus machines. Swimming pool was small and shallow, not that great for lap swimming. Pool was indoor, but directly adjacent to this area was an open-air area with private cabanas.

On the way to the gym one would pass by the in-house Spa with their trademark aquamarine palette (the walls, the uniforms, their products...). I went for the manicure pedicure, which facility lay directly next to the check-in area: noisy. One could don a head-set and listen to soothing music or tune to the selected videos or television programs. Treatment was not up to par. Even a chic salon (called Glow) in Surabaya (Indonesia) delivered a much better service and treatment in this department. I kid you not!

Overall, it was a pleasant stay. Personally, I felt slightly a bit too old for this crowd. W probably scores better among the 35 and under. Every night when I returned to the hotel, I had to fight my way through the dark lobby reverberating with house music and filled with the young crowd. Some nights I would hear noises coming from the hallway; noises that reminded me of drunken hallmates coming back from frat parties during my college days.


The W Hotel San Francisco
181 3rd Street
San Francisco, CA 94103
U.S.A.

Tel: (415) 777-5300

The W Hotel (Seattle, Washington, USA)

What a treat: the W Hotel Seattle is across the block from Rem Kolhaas' Seattle's New Public Library. Originally I was given a room that faced a parking garage (nice assignment; so much for being a "Prefered Guest"). I asked for a room re-assignment, with one that gave me the Library as my view and was granted one. As you can see in my accompanying photograph above, that Library looked so close that I could have touched it if I had been able to pry open the window.

W is for the younger, hip, and cool crowd. The atmosphere of the lobby area confirms this: in terms of business attire, this would have fit well with the label "smart casual." They call their lobby area the "Living Room." From the front entrance on 4th Street, you could go left and up to the mezzanine for the check-in counter, or you could go to the right for the bar and restaurant areas. One could also use the "backdoor," the one from the garage entrance and valet services (on Seneca street, I believe) to approach the front desk or check-in counter. The elevator areas in W Hotels are identical: darkened area with 24-hour thumping house music.

I did not find out more about the building where this hotel resided, but the building looked like an old architecture that had been acquired and renovated by the hotel group. The air-conditioning vents betrayed the ultra-hip ambient of the hotel: it looked very dated, but it worked well, except that you could not really aim the air anywhere. It blew in one direction and one direction only. The rest of the room was signature W, complete with the exorbitantly priced Scandinavian bottled water. All furnishings were dark wood, and the bed, although not as "heavenly" as Westin's, was comfortable.

Bathroom amenities were among my favorites compared to their counterparts from other hotels. They were the product of the in-house spa, so more of the same items could be purchased from the spa, although this Seattle location lacked such facility. Massage could be arranged with an outside contractor, done through the "Whatever, Whenever" desk.

My companion and I sat at the bar one late afternoon, which was very relaxing and enjoyable. The bar itself had a tall shelves of liquors that were cleverly lit. Peopl huddled over peanuts and drinks, while some were seen working with their laptop, taking advantage of the WiFi connection.


The W Hotel Seattle
1112 4th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98101
U.S.A.

Tel: (206) 264-6000

Willows Lodge (Woodinville, Washington, USA)

The ride from Washington State's Seattle Tacoma Airport to Woodinville was not bad at all. The carpool lane is quite friendly, allowing one to move in and out at any time (in California, for example, you are confined within the carpool lane until an area that allows you to come in or go out). Once in the vicinity of this small town, I was reminded of California's Napa and Sonoma valleys. I was not too familiar with the Woodinville area and never got to check it out (I was only there for a wedding), but saw there was indeed information about wine tasting.

Upon checking in, I was greeted by a laid-back young fellow, leaning against the reception desk, and perhaps in a catatonic state: literally not moving, even after seeing me struggle with the luggage and the front door. I was informed that the room was not yet ready, and that I could wait either in the lobby, the lounge, or go to the resort's restaurant. He still has not offered to handle the luggage. It was not until I requested for a safe-keeping of the luggage that he said I could place them in their office behind the counter, and guess what? He just stood there, not offering to take my luggage to that safe room.

Spoiled I am not, but there is this thing called service and courtesy, neither of which he had displayed. If you are going to call yourself a resort, then act like one. If company policy prohibits certain staff members to deal with heavy items, then call someone who are allowed to handle them. Luckily, his laziness did not seem to be the rule. Later on I met the other staff who must have come back from their lunch break, and they were a bunch of very helpful people.

The lobby area was very airy and had an extremely high ceiling. It was a joy just to sit and read in this well-lit area. On the walls of the lobby area and throughout the resort's hallways, local artists and their works were featured. They took care in presenting the work well and in introducing the artists.

The room was set-up cabin-like with a fireplace, a table with two chairs, a balcony, and enough space to roam around inside. There was a large opening between the bedroom and the bathroom. If you were soaking in the huge bathtub directly behind this opening, you could view the balcony (or the television) from where you were. There was also an adjoining shower stall, which shower was operated electronically to regulate the temperature. There was no covering to this stall, so some amount of water would occasionally splash onto the adjoining commode area across it.

The view was rather lacking; I had one which oversaw a jogging trail in the distance. With regard to noise, the room insulation was poor. From the bed, one could hear clearly what was said by the people passing through the corridor outside the room. This could only mean that the people outside could listen to what was going on inside one's room. Honeymooners beware...

Spa service was available, but having looked at the facility, I decided not to give it a try. The setting was just not right: there was a jacuzzi outside that was enclosed within a fenced area, too close to the foot traffic of people shuffling from one building to another. The resort is blessed with a close proximity to a jogging trail across the creek. I spotted a lot of runners and bikers using this trail and made use of it during my stay for the weekend.

Willows Lodge
14580 NE 145 Street
Woodinville, WA 98072
Tel: (877) 424-3930

Park Hyatt Los Angeles (California, USA)

After a disastrous stay at the Hyatt Regency Long Beach, it was a relief to find that Hyatt's top collection of Park Hyatt Hotels does mean that one gets a comfortable and well-designed place to stay. Or at least, that was how I found the Park Hyatt Los Angeles, located at the heart of Century City, only few steps away from Westfield's Century City open-air shopping area.

I am not sure how old the facility is, but it did seem that the building was not of recent years. The lobby, however, contained the Park Hyatt signature of boutique-like minimalist approach, especially the check-in counter. At first, I was given room 1211, a junior suite that had a gorgeous view of the beautifully-lit fountain on the Avenue of the Stars and of the entrance to the hotel. Unfortunately for me, I got a strong whiff of cigarette smell as I opened the door and entered the suite. Thus, I was re-assigned to another junior suite on the 11th floor (room 1114 to be exact), a much better smelling room, but a blah view of the MGM building not too far away. The floor configuration was rather interesting: it was not a straightforward corridor, but a zigzagging one.

The layout of the suite was reminiscent of the suite at the Park Hyatt Saigon. There were also similarities in terms of the wallpaper (same beige stripes, except at the PHLA, the stripes were thinner); and the bedroom doors at an angle. Although the suite could be used for two people, there was only one basin in the bathroom, which became rather inconvenient when two people would like to use it at the same time.

The shower stall was way too small for two people. The one at the Park Hyatt Saigon, for example, could accommodate three people at once without any problem. The hotel was also rather stingy in issuing towels. Normally, even in a Grand or Regency Hyatt hotel, there would be at least three bath towels. Here at the Park Hyatt Los Angeles, only two were provided. I am sure that upon request, extra towels would be provided without any problem.

The safe deposit box could accommodate a laptop. It also had an electrical plug so that one could charge the laptop while being safely stored.

All of the staff (the valet parking attendant, the bellboy, receptionists, room-service staff) were very friendly and efficient. Although it was expected for hotel people (especially at this level of a Hyatt) to be courteous and friendly, one does not necessarily encounter such courtesy and friendliness the way I had found them at this Park Hyatt in Los Angeles. Too bad I was only staying for one night, and during the stay, I hardly could explore the facility except for my room. Suffice it to say that on future trips to the city, I would not hesitate to return to the hotel to enjoy more of its offerings.

Park Hyatt Los Angeles
2151 Avenue of the Stars
Los Angeles, California 90067
USA
Tel: (310) 277-1234
Fax: (310) 785-9240

Grand Hyatt San Francisco (California, USA)

Location, location, location: this Hyatt is one of a few number of hotels located directly within a block of the heart of downtown San Francisco, the Union Square. Unlike the Westin nearby, Hyatt's entry is from the Stockton Street side, not from the Square (Post St.) side. To avoid the valet overcharges, there is the Sutter/Stockton Garage located conveniently, diagonally across the street.

The hotel could use some updates in the lobby, which always seems to be on the dark side. As any other Hyatt hotels, the Grand Club level (akin to the Regency Club level) allows you to have a separate breakfast area in the designated Club Floor. Breakfast up there is standard fare of juices, bagels and toasts, cold cuts, fruits and yogurts, coffee and tea, and a good supply of newspapers. If you get a window seat, you will consume breakfast with a nice view of the city.

On higher floors, silence envelopes your surrounding. You have the vista of this beautiful city in front of you and the vibrant Union Square beneath you but without all the cacophony of downtown noises. After ten or eleven at night, the City goes to sleep anyway, not like New York and Tokyo that stay up late and party on (not that there is anything wrong with that.)

Hyatt's almost square-like building makes the corridor within much shorter than a typical hotel, which can be a nice feature, eliminating the need of trotting a long way from the elevator to your room. The Hong Kong Ritz Carlton has a similar feature. It works for me.


Grand Hyatt San Francisco
345 Stockton Street,
San Francisco, California, USA
Tel: 415 398 1234 Fax: 415 391 1780

Hyatt Regency Long Beach (California, USA)

Awmygawd! Don't let the pictures fool ya! Call me spoiled, I do not care, but I shall never return to stay at this hotel. I think the raison d'être of this hotel was to provide lodging for convention attendees (the hotel was located not too far from a convention center). I had high expectations from this hotel based on the pictures they posted on the company website; boy, was I in for a surprise...

When I drove my car into the driveway of the hotel, my sixth sense told me that there was something amiss about the hotel. Don't ask my how, but it felt ominous. My suspicion was confirmed when I stepped into the lobby: a vast area with huge pillars and cheap-looking bars that you could find only in small resort towns. How this happened in the rather nice city of Long Beach I did not know. Giant pillars and a vast interior with high ceiling were supposed to make one feel in awe of the space, but a lack of coherent design made me feel like someone had just come in and looted the place empty.

It got worse as I arrived on my assigned floor: the very long corridor was so borrrrrrrrrring that it almost put me in a somnambulant state while walking to my room. How could it get even worse? Just open the door and you would find out soon: bad layout, old carpeting, sorry furniture, dowdy furnishings, and windows that started at the height of one's hip, just like the ones found in cheap seaside motels. The television was put inside an armoire that faced a wall. To watch the tele, you have to bring it out from the armoire and swivel it to face the bed. Even then you did not get a full view of the screen.

I am surprised to note that even the Hyatt Regency in Surabaya (Indonesia) is much better and more desirable than this one in Long Beach (the surprise being that the former is in a third world country, if we still call it that; while the latter is found in a prosperous California city). I invited some friends to stay in another room which I had reserved for them. They were to arrive much later, but when I found how our rooms looked like, I called to tell them not to bother to show up. I told them that I would stay overnight just to see how it was, but I could only swallow so much of this ugliness. Four hours after I checked in, I gathered my belongings and checked out. The same receptionist who checked me in was surprised to see me leave before the night's end. I did not want to hurt her feelings by saying that her hotel left much to be desired, so I fibbed and informed her that there had been some changes and I needed to depart.

Let me save you the trouble by not putting up any information of the hotel the way I have done with other properties reviewed in this site. Should you ever be in the spirit of masochism, then find out how this dowdy hotel could inflict pain to your senses.

Westin Metropolitan Detroit Airport (Michigan, USA)

Too bad that I did not get the pictures of the lobby of this spartan hotel; otherwise, I could convince you even more to stay here when you need the quickest access to the Detroit Wayne Airport. A few days ago, to avoid traffic at a highway that was undergoing a construction work, we spent the last night in Michigan at the Westin Hotel at the Detroit Wayne Airport. We did not expect much, really, because hotels by the airport are usually less appealing than their counterpart in the center of town. Boy, were we in for a surprise when we stepped inside this hotel!

The 3-year-old, 7-floor hotel is attached to the newest terminal of the Detroit Wayne Airport, occupied exclusively by the Northwest Airlines and its partners. This was the first time we saw the new terminal since we were last here in 2003. The entrance to the hotel is very low-key and no-nonsense, but the minimalist look foretold what lay ahead deep inside. The only thing visible when guest enters the front door was the valet desk; afterwards, a long corridor that ended up in a set of escalators.

It is at this point that guests will be greeted by the top of a tall (but fake) bamboo trees. The ride down is as long as the trees, and by the time one reaches to the base of the tree, one arrives at the lobby floor. There is a huge, shallow pool by the "open air" restaurant, in front of the cluster of those bamboo trees. Line for registration or check out may be long but the wait is short because of the staff's efficiency. Not too far from the check-in counter are two self-check-in counters for Northwest/KLM; quite convenient indeed. I wish American Airlines would have such offering. American Airlines' partner, British Airways, houses its First Class and Club Lounge at the same floor of the hotel lobby.

The hotel rooms start on the second floor and go all the way up to the 8th floor. The room is typical of a boutique-cum-business hotel that has been popular in the past decade, with the color palette of olive green, beige, black and white. The king-size bed is aptly named "Heavenly Bed" as it is amazingly comfortable, stocked with two standard pillows, two smaller pillows, and a long support pillow; good variety. There is an armchair sofa with an ottoman, as well as a chaise longue by the window that overlooks the indoor court lobby/restaurant area.

The shower has a two-head showerhead, which is supposed to be convenient for two people showering at the same time, each aimed at one person, but in practice, it does not amount to such a great an idea. The showerhead does not really point to the other person well. The curtain rod is slightly curved in the middle, lending the appearance of more space but it does indeed give more "elbow room" while showering.

Other facilities include a gym with quite a good selection of cardiovascular machines, as well as a small pool, which unfortunately is too short for lap-swimming. It is, however, enough for business people to get their fill of work out during their travels.

Even if one does not fly Northwest and has to travel to the other dowdy-looking terminals, there is the convenience of the terminal-to-terminal shuttle that stops right in front of the hotel to whisk you to your destination. Travel to the American Airlines terminal takes less than 15 minutes as the shuttle makes several stops on the way there. What seems to be the only disadvantage of this new terminal (and thus the hotel) is that it was built on marsh. Some people informed us that as it was, the parking garage had been sinking slowly since its opening.

Back in January 2000, I stayed at the other Starwood Group's Sheraton Hotel at the Frankfurt Airport in Germany. That experience was just all right, and therefore I did not expect much when I booked a night at this DTW Westin Hotel, but this turned out to be a delightful experience. Make no mistake; this is not a luxurious hotel, but rather, a nicely done business-type boutique hotel.

The Westin Detroit Metropolitan Airport
2501 Worldgateway Place
Detroit, MI 48242
USA
Phone (734) 942-6500
Fax (734) 942-6600
www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1415

Mark Hopkins (San Francisco, USA)

Mark Hopkins Room 1238
Originally uploaded by bloompy.

During my recent stay at the Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental Hotel in San Francisco, I asked to be moved from a room near the elevator to another room elsewhere in the floor. They gave me a room at one end of the hallway, right next to the emergency stairwell. When I entered room 1238, I was more than happy to accept this new assignment.

Upon entering, one will find a foyer or a mini hallway. With the door wide open, no one standing at the door could see the bed, desk, bathroom, and windows: privacy is guaranteed. At the end of that foyer, one will come into a room that has three windows: two windows in the bedroom area and one window in the bathroom. This is the beauty of the room: a source of natural light from the big window in the bathroom that allows one to have a wonderful view of the outside, day and night! The only flaw the bathroom had was the noisy toilet flush (in both rooms the flush caused a horrible noise).

The location (at the corner of California and Mason Streets) is only 5-6 blocks away from the Union Square, the heart of downtown San Francisco, and the city being a walking city, it is not a bad distance at all, except that it includes some of the steeper hills of San Francisco.

The room service leaves much to be desired: the California cuisine the City is known for does not seem to reach anywhere close to the vicinity of the hotel's kitchen. The lobby level restaurant is, I hope, in the middle of a renovation; otherwise, what I saw was a poor layout and a bad interior design.

The internet was not too reliable. In both rooms, at times I had to re-sign-in, causing double or triple billing (which the reception desk staff kindly took off once he knew what had been going on). According to him, the current internet system was just installed a couple of weeks before (my stay started on March 16, 2005).

Mark Hopkins was once a luxurious hotel. My parents stayed there decades ago, but not I. As a result, I do not know whether the Inter-Continental chain had improved it or bring it down a notch. Overall, I enjoyed my stay there, but if you want to run errands in the Union Square area and want to be at the utmost convenience, get a hotel right there (the Grand Hyatt, the Westin St. Francis, the Triton hotel, the Campton Place, etc.)


Intercontinental Mark Hopkins Hotel San Francisco
Number One Nob Hill
999 California Street
San Francisco
California 94108
USA
Tel: (415) 392-3434
Fax: (415) 421-3302