Excellent hotel in a nice location (Marriott Marina Beach)

Member Name: emmakate06

Product:	Marriott Marina Beach
Date:	21/06/09 (13 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Location, Excellent value for money

Disadvantages: None that I can think of

I stayed at the Marriott Marina Del Rey on the first part of my honeymoon. We had booked a round the world trip through Kuoni and they had advised us to stay here on the first part of our trip in Los Angeles as it was described as a Deluxe Hotel. They weren't wrong.

We flew into LAX Airport and got a cab relatively quickly. We asked for this hotel and the driver knew it well and said we would be there in a few minutes. It was a pleasant drive and only took ten minutes from the airport, the roads werent too busy and it gave us the opportunity to have a look around through the windows and take in some sights. The hotel is located in the beautiful area of Marina Del Rey and some of the boats and yachts berthed here are amazing. It is located a short walking distance from Venice Beach and a short taxi drive to Santa Monica. For attractions such as Universal Studios, Disneyland and Hollywood, these take approximately 30-40 minutes by bus. This isnt due to the distance they are away but just due to the volume of traffic.

On arrival at the the hotel, the door was opened for me by the door staff and our luggage was taken into reception. Check in was quick and easy and the staff were very polite and courteous. They showed us where everything was such as the pool and restaurant and also advised us that there was a small shop located just behind reception where you could purchase sun tan lotion and some snacks. We were given clear directions to get to our room and when we asked how we could get to the beach the lady on reception was more than happy to take the time to tell us. We also mentioned that we would like to do some sightseeing and she explained that trips could be booked from reception and a minibus would collect you to take you to your chosen attractions. This was fantastic as it meant we could be picked up and dropped off by the tour company without having to catch a cab or numerous buses.

When we got to the room we were very impressed, the room was huge and had a marina view. It was air conditioned with individual climate control and the bed was large and very comfortable. There was a large desk area and ergonomic chair and a modern television set and radio system. There was also a small sitting area with comfortable chairs and a table. The en suite was again very spacious and is a beautiful marble bathroom and had a bath tub with a shower over. There was a large mirror with a light over the top and a large sink area with plenty of space for your toiletries. Everything was very clean and the room smelt nice and fresh. The air conditioning was very helpful as it was very hot and it gave us somewhere to cool down comfortably after being out for the day. We couldnt hear any noise in the room from either outside or from other guests within the hotel which helped us to obtain a fantastic nights sleep.

Downstairs there is a large bar area in the foyer and there are plenty of seats both inside and out with waiter service if you dont wish to queue at the bar. The restaurant is fantastic and very reasonably priced. On our first evening I ordered chicken noodle soup for $5 which I have to say was the most amazing and nicest fresh soup I had ever had and for my main I had Spaghetti Carbonara which again was fantastic and great value at $10. Both meals were beautifully presented and tasted great. The service was quick and friendly and the restaurant itself was nicely presented, cool and not overcrowded. On our first morning, we also ordered room service for our breakfast. This cost $15 and it was probably the nicest breakfast I have ever had. There was a huge selection of bread and pastries, eggs and bacon and freshly squeezed orange juice which was delicious. Again the room service was very prompt and efficient and excellent value for money.

Outside to the left of the restaurant is an outdoor pool, with some seating around the sides, there is also a hot tub located just behind the rear of the pool. We were here for 3 nights and we never actually came across anyone else being in the pool at the same time as us. There would be a few people sunbathing, but the pool itself was very quiet. It isnt very big, but there is room to probably fit around 10 people in there comfortably.

When it came to exploring we booked several trips through reception. The cost seemed reasonable and we like the idea of the convenience of being picked up outside the hotel. You get collected by a feeder bus outside the main entrance which will collect other people from nearby hotels. You then get taken into Santa Monica where you are then dropped off at the tour operators main office. Here they then have further buses which are all lettered. You go into the building and either pay for your excursion there or show them your reciept for any amount already paid and they will then give you your tickets and advise you which bus to board. Again this was a simple and easy process which still maintained a high level of service. Whenever we returned back from a trip the hotel staff would always welcome again and ask us if we had enjoyed our stay.

Overall we definitely intend on going back here again in the future when our children our slightly older. I think next time we may book car hire instead of relying on buses purely for the added convenience of being able to use car seats and being able to come and go from attractions when you want as opposed to having to stick to a timetable. It is a fantastic hotel which offer excellent all round service and I cannot wait to return here.

Summary: Excellent friendly hotel offering exceptional service.