Hotel Reviews

The Westside hotel is so careful to wrap its environmental message in comfortable, chic surroundings, you might miss it.

The new hotel has spotty service, but it can boast of a Gordon Ramsay restaurant and sensual decor that’s hard ... not ... to ... touch.

The rooms are small but beautifully decorated. Locals and those who may not be able to afford the stay flock to its gorgeous lobby for a peek.

The closest hotel to SeaWorld has yet learned the true meaning of family fun.

This remodeled and renamed hotel offers a beautiful setting, but poor service keeps it from soaring.

New features at the family-friendly Rancho Mirage hotel include mini water park Splashtopia.

But the brand-name spot doesn’t let a gimmick get in the way of good service and fun.

The extended-stay hotel in West Hollywood lacks sufficient amenities for long-term guests.

Noisy, spirited and highly hip, the California mod-style Thompson Beverly Hills is at its best in the evening -- if sleep isn’t a priority.

The small hotel charges a bundle for its lush facility but has forgotten one important component: old-fashioned service.

Like a late-night gambler at 10 a.m., the newest Vegas mega-resort is not yet fully awake. It is quietly elegant (yawn), but the best may be yet to come.

The Orlando’s lively locale, reasonable rates and superb Italian restaurant make it a place to send visitors who would love their own digs.

In Del Mar, Calif., gilded elegance meets modern amenities at the luxe resort.

Empty your wallet, then sit back to enjoy the view at the Malibu Beach Inn, which reaches for the stars but falls a little short.

The Westside hotel and spa stays in chic shape with a $35-million upgrade.

The JW Marriott is all about pools and parties.

The red-carpet treatment awaits visitors to the newly renovated classic in Beverly Hills.

The Marina del Rey hotel, 17, works to reinvent itself. One moment it’s sublime, the next . . . not so much.

Santa Monica’s handsome, cozy Oceana offers an idealized vision of the region’s lifestyle. But for top prices like these, the service is a bit relaxed.

The pricey Surf & Sand has plenty of pluses, including peerless ocean views. But lagging service and a stuffy room undercut a visitor’s enjoyment

Reality TV meets reality at the Parker Palm Springs, whose imagined owner’s ‘quirky modernist’ tastes rule the roost. Bravo, indeed!

This elegant haven tucked away in the mountains isn’t pure heaven, but the wine comes close.

The resort offers a tantalizing menu of indulgences, but guests have to take the initiative and plan to make sure they get what they want.

The hotel in Newport Beach could have settled for cushy good looks, but it didn’t. Its service charms and disarms.

The car-themed hotel designed by a famed auto company looks amazing, but amenities and service are disappointing.

Beanie Baby baron Ty Warner spares no expense in his makeover of the Biltmore. Some of the changes fall flat, however.

The elegantly casual Portofino Hotel is glammed up but still anchored.

At Ojai Valley Inn & Spa, Mom and Dad can get a massage or hit the links. For the kids, there’s Camp Ojai. Even Fido is welcome.

Wood paneling, shiny chrome fixtures and a noisy lounge culture are hip again.

The hotel offers a mind and body tuneup. And a little pampering, of course.

San Diego’s makeover madness: Among buildings being made fabulous again, the US Grant is notable. A $52-million redo puts it squarely back in 1910.

The ex-Regent has a new name, but hosts the same buzz-worthy, almost famous scene. And it’s still in the heart of Beverly Hills.