The Garland

One of the most fun boutique hotels I have ever stayed at, great service, fun retro theme. Would highly recommend the onsite restaurant we at there twice. The reverse happy hour the resultant has is amazing the grounds of the hotel are immaculate.

Overview: We have stayed at The Garland many, many times over the past few years, both for business and for pleasure, both as a couple as well as in groups and we are always impressed, refreshed, relaxed and every time excited to return. Staff: Friendly, helpful, always appear to be enjoying their work at the Garland. From the doorman to the front desk to the bar / restaurant everyone feels as if they genuinely care about your experience. Rooms: Beds are incredibly soft, rooms are always spotless, they have double glass windows and balcony doors so the noise is minimal and the doors and walls are thick so you don't hear your neighbors partying. The decor is unique and the amenities lovely. (Coffee in the room, soft spotless towels and bedding, closets, safe, music set up, excellent mini-bar, etc) Food / Drink: Pool Bar is relaxed and fun, Rose all day is a favorite of ours. The Front Yard - for breakfast / lunch or dinner is as delicious as it is fun, and a fantastic platform for people watching. Pool Area: Fun and trendy, separate area for kids and adults - for those having a kid free stay you won't be splashed during your romantic jacuzz time Activities: The Garland makes a big effort to hold events and activities for their guests (and locals!) From daily yoga to weekly movies at the pool to holiday events, you can always find something to do during your stay, well beyond the "normal" hotel basics. Hotel Atmosphere: Laidback but with an ultra hip and cool LA vibe. Nothing pretentious or annoying about the hotel, staff or otherwise. Its beautifully decorated with personal touches that are unique to the family who owns and operates it. It feels chic and homey at the same time. Bonus: BEST GIFT SHOP EVER. From local wines and beer to unique gift items for every member of the family, this amazing shop has been curated perfectly to bring a piece of your LA vaca home with you. Bonus Bonus: If you are heading to Universal, there is a free shuttle from the garland saving you $$$$ and the pain of parking! We have never used it but we know it is there and see it taking people who look happy and not stressed over driving in LA.

My wife and I went for a couples weekend, and were in the 5th floor of the "Portola" building. Convenient access from the parking lot, and super easy to get the lobby, bar, and restaurant. The drinks at the lobby bar were tasty, and everyone at The Garland was very friendly and helpful. But. :-) The noise from the freeway (steps away from the aforementioned convenient parking lot) was impressive. With the sliding door closed and the curtains pulled, and the AC running...it still sounded like cars were going to run through our room at any minute. It. Was. Loud. The AC worked well, however - the fixed vents blowing directly at the bed meant whomever slept on the "window side" of the bed also got frostbite and a dry nose from cold air blowing directly on their face and body. Not great. The $39/day self-parking (or more if you want to valet) seems pretty steep, especially since there's no Tesla Destination chargers or the like...just pay-for Blink network chargers, and covered-by-trees parking spots. All that said, the pool area was hoppin' with lots of kids and families enjoying it (not our thing, but we're happy to see others happy), and the overall grounds were nice. Getting in and out of the parking lot has a light (albeit an hard left-turn to make if coming from one directly, but not a big deal), and it's pretty close to Griffith Park, Universal Studios, and other LA "stuff". The on-site restaurant food was convenient and good, but small portions for the price.

This is my second trip to the Garland (albeit the last time was in 2016) and it did not disappoint. Firstly this is a chic hotel, really styled nicely with a lovely all round vibe. The main upgrade from my last trip appeared to have been in room electronics e.g. coffee machine and new TVs.- having said that, that isn't a disappointment - I think it's more impressive to keep this hotel looking amazing considering the decor. The food at the hotel and next door at the restaurant was excellent, always prompt - great service and very reasonably priced. The pool area is probably one of the standout elements of this hotel, I could never fault it. Plenty of loungers and towels - as well as a great bar area. Rooms are excellent and large - brilliant air con. Two major things of note for me - 1. The staff are phenomenal, the management should be incredibly proud of the people they have working for them - they were always friendly and couldn't do enough for you. 2. The free bus to Universal is excellent, it's so fun and reliable. Takes roughly about 45mins from the airport and took about 30mins to get to Santa Monica in an Uber - there is collection of restaurants, a Starbucks and a grocery store about 10min walk away as well.

Chris I where here for our nephews wedding, (Vineland) staff where all great, a lot to do in this area, Warner brother’s, universal studios (get the VIP pass with tour guide, private 6 hr tour of the area just to name a few. 5 day stay great. Back yard restaurant for breakfast and dinner very nice setting, pool bar and pool were nice