Descanso Gardens

Our overall experience was disappointing, particularly when it came to service and attention to detail. The hotel did not seem to be on top of basic room maintenance. For example, the closet door in our room would not open properly—something that should have been noticed and corrected before a guest checked in. We also found the front desk staff to be unnecessarily rigid and felt that the hotel nickel-and-dimed its guests. Our room was already cleaned and available when we arrived around noon, yet we were told we would have to pay an additional $50 if we wanted to check in before 2:00 PM. I can understand an early check-in fee when special arrangements are required, but charging $50 when the room was already sitting ready seemed excessive. On the way to our room, we noticed another room in the same price category that appealed to us a little more. We politely asked if we could switch to that room and were given a flat “No,” without any explanation or attempt to accommodate us. Finally, a large yellow “Wet Floor” sign was left directly in front of our room for our entire two-night stay. When we asked if it could be moved, we were simply told that it could not. It may seem like a small issue, but it was another example of the lack of attention and flexibility we experienced throughout our stay. Our impression of the hotel is that could benefit greatly from better attention to its rooms and a more accommodating, guest-friendly approach to service.