Traveling in LA

[seaboy4hire]

Hey there guys! I hope that you all had a fun 3 day weekend. I have a question. I will be in LA january 15-19 but I am not wanting to stay at my regular hotel in West Hollywood. DOes anyone have any suggestions? Keep in mind I will not be driving and would like to stay near the West Hollywood area. Oh ya I forgot my regular place to stay is at the Ramada but I have had less then favorable stays the last two times I was there and want to try to avoid that hotel if at all possible.

 

Thanks and Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

[marc anthony]

The Wyndham Summerfield Suites is always nice, reasonably priced, spacious, and just one block from Santa Monica Blvd. You can check on your travelaxe program that you so graciously shared with all of us to see what kind of great price you can find!

 

:-)

[Flower]

>Oh ya I forgot my regular place to stay is at the Ramada but I

>have had less then favorable stays the last two times I was

>there and want to try to avoid that hotel if at all possible.

 

I too, have had several bad experiences at the Ramada in WEHO and won't stay there again--it's too bad also, since it is located right in the thick of things and their rates are reasonable--especially if you reserve through Orbitz or Expedia.

 

Summerfield Suites owned by Wyndham) is very close and nice--much nicer than the Ramada, and about the same price. There are many nearby, but most are much more expensive. I personally prefer Summerfield Suites to the Ramada--better service, much cleaner, and just a better attitude.

[Guest Merlin]

Could you guys be more specific in your criticism of the Ramada? I plan to stay there on my next trip and have stayed there in the past with no problem. Perhaps it has changed. I understand the restaurant has closed.

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Dupars

 

Has closed but for remodeling. Since I have been out of town, I cannot say where they are on the remodel, but they appeared to be well along and I had understood, perhaps incorrectly, that it would not be closed for long. They are going for a more upscale market. The Mexican place across from Dupars also changed names with some remodeling but is is open for business.

 

The Ramada is considered a three star property and it is more likely a 2.5. I have had clients there any number of times and none have had any significant complaints but none have had major plaudits. However, in the last six to nine months, they have been reluctant to lower the price of their rooms below $100, and it is my impression that some of the negative criticism is purely a value for price paid equation.

 

Enjoy your stay in West Hollywood.

[seaboy4hire]

RE: Dupars

 

Well I have had two problems first was my very first stay. I had to keep going down to the desk to get my key reprogramed over and over again when ever I left my room. It was a hassel. Secondly was my last trip to LA this last spring. A friend of mine and I went to Vegas for the nite well upon returning I couldn't find some money I left in my carry on. I know you shouldn't leave money in the room but I knew if I didn't I would have gambeled it away. Anyways first person who came to mind who would have taken it was the maid. I made a complaint the night I got back in from Vegas. The next day I found the money in my bag, I hadn't reached far enough in one of the pockets TOTALY MY FAULT. I called down to the desk appologized repeadedly and thought it was over. NOOOOO!!!! The maid and her boss came to my door and confronted me and tried to make me feel like poo for saying she took my money. Obviously there is little communication at that hotel cause I told them taht I called the front desk to tell them I found the money. The man was very unfriendly and the damn maid couldn't even speak English. I was really tempted to shut the door in their face and tell them to get the hell out of my room. So because of the rudeness and the lack of technology with their key system I wont stay there if I can help it. Oh and the rooms look like they are from the 80's. Is all I can say is lets hope that with this remodel of the rooms and such lets hope they remodel the overall attitude of the staff.

 

Hugs,

Greg

Greg Seattle Wa seaboy4hire@yahoo.com

http://www.male4malescorts.com/reviews/gregseattle.html

[bigguyinpasadena]

RE: Dupars

 

If the decor looks like it is from the eighties-thats because it is!1987 to be exact.I was one of the first guest at this hotel.I was there for the opening weekend.I have visited a few times since-and it is the same furniture they had when they opened!

13 years is a looooooong time to keep the same decor/furnishings in a hotel.

And the service has always been bad,it is a f---king Ramada for g-ds sake,and yet the desk clerks act like they are working at the Bel Air!

Greg the summerfield suites is a good bet,as are the Valadon(formerly LeReve)the Whyndham Bel Age(huge rooms and suites-most with a balcony-just don't ask for a smoking room-great jazz club/caberet and a wonderful-but very expensive-gourmet room)

If you bid on a 4* in the hollywood/west hollywood area on Priceline you will most likely get the BelAge.

If you want a little bit wilder place to stay,The SanVicente Inn is a great place to hang out.Clothing optinal pool and lots of nice fellas(and a LOT of hooking up going on)not really great for ammenities,but it is gay owned.

Stay away from the La Cinega Inn-it is a hole.Ditto for the Holloway Motel.

On the oter side of SMB is a great place called Le Parc.

Private me if I can be of help.

[bluenix]

RE: Dupars

 

Greg -

 

Some people can't speak English, just as you can't write it. But mature people make allowances for such shortcomings and do not use them to justify unrelated and petty irritations.

 

Your complaint of theft likely jeopardized the maid's job. Once you'd found your money it was no big deal to you, but chances are excellent it was a very big deal to her. That's probably why she brought someone along with her to help communicate. And probably why he was rude to you. He figured out that you didn't much care about the maid, or the problems you created for her.

 

People who are not well traveled often make the mistake of thinking that their room is, well, theirs. They expect a maid to come in and scrape their shit off the sides of the toilet, but they don't want to know her name or where she comes from or who her family is. And they expect that even though the maid has scraped their shit off the sides of the toilet she will in no other way make her presence noticable, the appearance of clean towels merely being evidence that their God is a just God.

 

And speaking of miracles, the miracle is that most maids manage this grotesquery pretty well.

 

I'm not prescribing this to everyone, but I myself started learning about a whole other world when I began to make it a point to introduce myself to the housekeeping staff when I travel.

 

I have more to say on this topic, but people on this board have an impression of me as a deaf mute paraplegic and I wouldn't want to disabuse them of precious notions.

[Flower]

>Could you guys be more specific in your criticism of the

>Ramada? I plan to stay there on my next trip and have stayed

>there in the past with no problem. Perhaps it has changed. I

>understand the restaurant has closed.

The place is old and run down and the A/C's in 3 different rooms were not working on the same day ( I switched rooms 4 times :-(

 

The carpeting is stained and dirty looking and the furnishings are CHEAP. The plumbing is noisy and poor caulking around the tubs make it look shoddy and has allowed it to mildew in areas that apparently can't be cleaned x(

 

The management has attitude and is just plain unfriendly. A comment was made about what my expectations were with such a low internet rate!

 

The straw that broke flower's enthusiasm for the place was when the night manager failed to set my wake-up call for the AM and when I woke late, acknowledged he forgot, but then siad, "well you should have set your alarm!" Well maybe I should have, but I relied on the wake up call and missed a plane. That has NEVER happened any place else in many many years of traveling.

 

Other than that, it's great and I'd heartily recommend it to 2 people here and hardly recommend it to the rest }(

[JamesK840]

That's too bad, as it is *really* conveniently located. I parked there for the first Hooville meeting. Cost me $20 fucking dollars to get out several hours later! They did let me use the bathroom though. Now I park in the lot with the meters by Numbers, but have to remeber to bring quarters, the changer in the parking lot has never worked.

 

Approx. what prices are you guys talking, with what lead-times? For the Ramada, say, and the much better ones too?

[Guest fukamarine]

RE: Dupars

 

>Your complaint of theft likely jeopardized the maid's job.

>Once you'd found your money it was no big deal to you, but

>chances are excellent it was a very big deal to her. That's

>probably why she brought someone along with her to help

>communicate. And probably why he was rude to you. He figured

>out that you didn't much care about the maid, or the problems

>you created for her.

 

I would assume that the hotel subcontracts the maid/housekeeping services to an outside firm (which possibly is unionized) So the "boss" who was with her could have been the shop steward. Come to think of it, even if the hotel did not subcontact it still could have been the hotel union's shop steward.

 

Rather than being rude they should have been thankful that the guest had the decency to admit his mistake. Many people would have been too embarrased to fess up to their error and still claimed they had been robbed.

>

>People who are not well traveled often make the mistake of

>thinking that their room is, well, theirs. They expect a maid

>to come in and scrape their shit off the sides of the toilet,

>but they don't want to know her name or where she comes from

>or who her family is.

 

Why would anyone want to know that. You are paying for a hotel room that is supposed to be clean when you arrive and kept that way during your stay. The service should be silent and anonymous. If you appreciate the way this service is performed then leave a tip when you vacate. But you are under no obligation to be buddy buddy with the help and declare them to be you newest best friend. Unless it is a hunky young male - then all the rules are quite different :-)

 

>And speaking of miracles, the miracle is that most maids

>manage this grotesquery pretty well.

 

As well they should!

 

>I'm not prescribing this to everyone, but I myself started

>learning about a whole other world when I began to make it a

>point to introduce myself to the housekeeping staff when I

>travel.

 

To each his own - don't you find this rather difficult when the maid no-speeka-da-eenglish?

 

fukamrine

 

 

 

 

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[Guest Oren]

RE: Dupars

 

damn... i was thinking quadriplegic.

 

curses! another dream shattered! woe is me.

[bluenix]

RE: Dupars

 

>

>I would assume that the hotel subcontracts the

>maid/housekeeping services to an outside firm (which possibly

>is unionized) So the "boss" who was with her could have been

>the shop steward. Come to think of it, even if the hotel did

>not subcontact it still could have been the hotel union's shop

>steward.

 

Wouldn't it be unusual for such a position to be union? I thought one of the benefits of hiring illegal and new immigrants was the avoidance of organized labor.

 

 

>Rather than being rude they should have been thankful that the

>guest had the decency to admit his mistake. Many people would

>have been too embarrased to fess up to their error and still

>claimed they had been robbed.

 

Fair enough.

 

 

>Why would anyone want to know that. You are paying for a hotel

>room that is supposed to be clean when you arrive and kept

>that way during your stay. The service should be silent and

>anonymous. If you appreciate the way this service is performed

>then leave a tip when you vacate. But you are under no

>obligation to be buddy buddy with the help and declare them to

>be you newest best friend. Unless it is a hunky young male -

>then all the rules are quite different

 

Okay, fine. I exaggerated. I don't invite hotel maids over to dinner or send them cards on holidays. By introducing myself I meant, "Hi, I'm 507. Can I have more towels, please?"

 

But I don't agree that maid service "should be silent and anonymous." It's fine when it is, but that's just not how life works most of the time. Especially at Ramada Inns, if memory serves.

 

 

>To each his own - don't you find this rather difficult when

>the maid no-speeka-da-eenglish?

 

Please don't transfer your irritation at Vancouver's Asian invasion onto me. :7

[bluenix]

RE: Dupars

 

>damn... i was thinking quadriplegic.

>

>curses! another dream shattered! woe is me.

 

http://www.ezshots.com/members/blueman/thumbs/blueman-123-thumb.jpg

[FrancoDiSantisxxx]

Unions in Southern California

 

The hotels in Santa Monica (a city in its own right) are unionionez and the janitors and other staff for office towers and such are also unionized in the Los Angeles County area. However, I do beliee your supposition that most hotels are not unionized and that the Ramada falls in that category.

[Funseeker 22]

James,

Use the underground valet parking at Numbers. $5 incl tip.

[JamesK840]

Eh, there's always spaces in the public lot, and a couple dollars in quarters isn't that bad, but if that's full I'll give it a try.