http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/hid10233 TravelPost.com - Hotel reviews, information, and rates from thousands of websites http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r276302 I stayed at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel recently for a conference. Overall, the hotel seems to have everything, but dig beneath the surface and there are a few key things that just seemed out of place for me. If it's a quick trip and/or you won't be in the hotel much, you can find better value in the area. If you want a solid location and close proximity to Hollywood sights and shopping, then stay here. 1. The gym and pool area are on the roof of one of their tower buildings. It’s a great view of the city, yes, but particularly for a conference attendee, a poor location if you're not wanting to be seen working out or in a bathing suit by colleagues. In order to get out of the hotel on that floor to reach the conference area, you must pass both. 2. The hotel is entirely non-smoking. It was not so when I made the reservation months before, but it had changed by the time I checked in. Not everyone smokes, and some may appreciate that the hotel is all non-smoking, but for those of us that do smoke, it was annoying. To date, it is still not noted on their site, and up until the day before I checked in they were still offering smoking rooms as an option. I was more annoyed that even a trigger email hadn't been sent to alert customers. It wasn't until I asked about the room that I was told about non-smoking. And she had mentioned our preference for one when she pulled up our reservation at the check-in desk just five minutes earlier. 3. Toiletries. They’re meant to appear as some ultra-hip LA brand, they were really poor quality with very cool packaging. Skip them. 4. Tipping. I'm all for tipping, but honestly, when your hands are full and you're carrying hot coffee and two bags (yourself) and just trying to get to the counter, to have the guy who opened your car door follow you inside and actually wait for a tip seems in poor taste to me. This happens a lot in big cities, particularly LA and NY, but I've never seen a guy quite so eager to get a tip for merely opening a car door. Because this hotel stay was for a conference, I needed to be close and I dealt with it. I prefer other properties in the LA area (Santa Monica's Viceroy is a favorite) and next time I'm needed to stay in Hollywood I'll definitely find another property. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r276302 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r568957 Perfect location. Rooms were very nice and quiet. Staff was helpful. Highly recommend. Would definitely stay here again. Thank you! http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r568957 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r274559 I stayed here for two nights while attending a conference in the adjoining conference center. The location was great for our conference, as I didn't have to drive at all, once I got there. LA is pretty spread out, so there's not a great location for tourists, and this was pretty far from other business locations. The area around the hotel has improved a lot over the past years (it's where Hugh Grant was busted, to give you an idea), but it's still a little scary after dark, and other than the theaters and walk of stars, there's not much to see here. That said, if you want to see the real hip Hollywood scene, head across the street to the Roosevelt hotel. We didn't see celebrities, but there was definitely a high cool-factor at the outdoor bar around the pool. My room was very standard and no complaints. Check-in and out was a breeze. The pool looked great but I didn't use it, but had a nice view of LA and the Hollywood sign. The fitness center was well equipped and wasn't crowded, but was in a surprisingly small and low-ceilinged room. Not what I was expecting in LA where everyone works out a lot (maybe the visitors don't?) One last tip: The location is a long way from LAX (about 1 hour during peak traffic times), so you're much better flying into Burbank BUR if you can. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r274559 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r1065567 pros: Hollywood ambience, location, convenienceIt's like staying in a cross between a mall, luxury hotel, and movie set. This entire hotel complex is kind of over the top, but a fun place to stay. Twist restaurant is yummy and the outdoor pool area is nice too. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r1065567 http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r568958 The rooms are beautiful as well as the hotel. Shopping was superb. Service and competency of staff unforgivable. http://www.travelpost.com//hotels/Renaissance_Hollywood_Hotel_Spa/r568958