Figueroa Hotel

My mother and I (her daughter) recently stayed here during a Los Angeles anime convention. At first glance, the hotel is a paradise. Beautiful architecture despite an outward unattractiveness, incredible pool and garden area, and comfy - if small - rooms. We were especially pleased with the location, as it is a simple and comfortable walking distance from some nice restaurants and the convention center itself.

Don't let yourself be taken in by this!!

Upon settling in, we found a flea on one of our beds (we know it couldn't have come with us, because we live in an area where fleas can't survive). Upon returning home, we were infuriated to discover bug bites all along our arms and legs - anywhere our PJs didn't cover (we are not 100% certain these were picked up during our stay there, but the flea didn't really offer his vote of confidence). If you request a room and a hotel doesn't have it, they'll generally upgrade you as an apology - not here! We were downgraded to a room that could barely accomodate our needs. We were told after having several visitors - and not ONCE beforehand - that visitors, outside food, and generally being a social human being are not permitted. The bathrooms are tiny, and your water temperature while bathing is determined by who on your floor is flushing the toilet at any given time. Our third guest found this out when someone three doors down flushed...and she suffered a minor burn.

We were forced to pack a lot because of circumstances presented to us, and the manager openly accused us of lying about how many we were housing - first over the phone, and then to our faces! As if this wasn't enough, when we attempted to defend ourselves, he screamed at us in front of the entire lobby: staff, customers, and everyone else! I have never felt so undermined and insulted in my entire life, not even in grade school. He offered us no chance to explain ourselves, and proved to be incredibly rude and obnoxious towards us (yet we noticed he treated his male customers with much more respect)! When we tried to seek another audience with him, he ignored us and started badgering his staff.

Oh, and one more thing - they advertise 'free wireless,' but they make you pay eight dollars. And they won't accept cash; you must pay with a credit card or you don't get your internet. People there for business and e-mailing had best consider themselves warned.

In conclusion, AVOID, AVOID, AVOID! I didn't even want to leave my dead skin cells behind, much less my mother's hard-earned money! That was the worst hotel experience of my entire life - and my family frequents a whole lot of hotels.

The rooms are absolutely beautiful. Especially the suites. However they have absolutely the worst service I have ever experienced, and I have traveled alot and stayed at many many hotels. I dyed my hair a week before the trip and a little of the remainder dye got on one of the towels and a pillowcase, because of this I got a phonecall and YELLED at by the management. Not not just strong words, and anger, but full on yelled at, insulted, and spoken down to as if I was a young child, as soon as I answered the phone. I will never go back there.

I liked the location, which was close by to the convention center and the price, which was very good for that area. The atmosphere was cozy and comfortable and not to busy or rushed.

This hotel made me feel comfortable: The hotel was in vintage middle east decor. Although I did not use them, it had an open bar and restaurant in the lobby and a backyard type area behind the hotel.

My fiancée and I stayed two nights at the Figueroa hotel on the 27th and 28th. The building was clean and fanciful. The front desk's and cafe's clerks were friendly, and the rooms were clean and colorful. But I must say that I have never met a ruder manager in any hotel ever before.

His complete lack of care for his customers and disregard for common courtesy and respect were made obvious after my fiancée slipped and fell while she was taking a shower. Apparently, the bathtub floor was extremely slippery and posed a health hazard. Not only was it slippery but the shape of the bathtub, a U at the bottom, was not conducive to taking a shower safely. When I called the front desk to inform the management that one of their bathtubs was slippery and dangerous I was met with a very curt response, "Did you use the bathmat?"

My fiancée did not use the bathmat and there was no sign, notice, or warning that one should use the bathmat, nor that the bathtub was dangerously slippery. Her response to the management's most offensive reaction was that she had never used a bathmat in any other hotel, and it is not custom to use bathmats in her home country, Japan. I also have never had a problem bathing at another hotel with or without using a bathmat.

When I physically went to the front desk to discuss the manner the manager (owner?) again replied in a snappy voice that it is our fault we were not smart enough to use the bathmat, even though it does not cover the entire inside of the tub. No attempt was made on management's behalf to listen to what happened nor to accept any responsibility or even to apologize for the unsafe, irresponsibly hazardous conditions in the hotel room.

And at the end the manager got right in my face to tell me that in his 30 years of hotel managerial experience he had never had a complaint about the bathtub. Again, I have never been treated so rudely at any hotel nor have I ever stayed in a hotel with such unsafe conditions. This shows a hazardous disregard by the hotel for its customer's safety, sensitivity to customers from foreign countries, and a professional way to handle customer complaints.

It is needless to say that I will never stay at the Figueroa Hotel again and I will suggest to all my friends, family, colleagues, and so on to do the same.

I stayed here for 3 nights in 2005. The room I booked was a little bit smaller than I expected, but with a downtown LA view, I loved it!

This hotel is in the heart of downtown LA bank/hotel area, so shopping or dining out is not a problem. I really like that the California Pizza Kitchen is so near to this hotel, I like the Peking duck pizza there! Service is OK, and I waited in a short line for check in. I didn't go to the pool so no comments.