Review: Andaz West Hollywood (once known as the Riot House)

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The Andaz West Hollywood is located on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles and has one of the more colorful histories of the hotels in this area.

The property has, in one form or another, been in the Hyatt system since 1967 and is probably best known for its time as the Continental Hyatt House (a.k.a “the Riot House” or “the Riot Hyatt”) and its years as the Hyatt on Sunset when it was frequented by rock stars who, to put it mildly, didn’t always behave themselves.

Today, the Andaz West Hollywood looks a little different from its predecessors (the balconies have been incorporated into the building to make the rooms larger, for example), but it’s still in the same location (which is very good), it continues to embrace its rock n’ roll past (though its decor) and it’s often one of the less expensive options in the area.

The admin

• Length of stay: 4 nights
• Actual cost of stay: $704.13 (including taxes)*
• Cost of the stay in points (had I booked with points): 84,000 (cat. 6 – off-peak)
• Elite status at time of stay: Hyatt Globalist
• Points earned from the booking: 4,333
• Upgrade instruments used: None
• Room booked: 1 King Bed
• Room received: 1 King Bed Sunset Boulevard View
• Upgraded: Yes

*This was an incredibly cheap stay ($152.15/night + taxes) and I had never seen prices this low at the Andaz WeHo before this booking (they’re usually over $240/night in quieter times and over $350/night during busier times).

Link to hotel website

Destination fee

The Andaz West Hollywood is one of an ever-growing number of hotels (mainly in the US) which insist on adding a “Destination Fee” to their nightly rates and as this is a fee for which I hold a very special hatred, I’m putting it front and center in this review so that it’s clearly highlighted.

The Destination Fee is just another example of a nonsense/junk fee that we keep seeing added to guest bills and at the time of writing, the Andaz WeHo is assessing a mandatory nightly destination fee of $37.02 ($32 + tax) per room.

The hotel attempts to justify this fee by saying that it buys guests the following benefits:

• Coffee in Lobby Lounge (06:00 – 08:00)
• Daily Wine Time
• Local Snacks in Lobby Lounge
• Premium Wi-FI
• LA Rock Tours – $10 discount to guests
• Bikes & Hikes LA – 10% discount on bike & hike tours
• Spa Pendry – 10% Discount on all Spa Services
• Pink Taco – Free Appetizer w/ Purchase of entrée (this has been closed for months and is therefore irrelevant)
• State Social House – 10% off all food & beverage
• Tour Freely GPS Audio Tour Discount – 10% off
• Beverly Center Shopping “Passport”
• Print/Copy Services (up to 10 pages)
• Pinkdot – 10% off famous boutique store right across the street
• Starline Tours $5 off

Given that on a four-night stay, for example, a guest will spend almost $150 on the Destination Fee alone, they would have to use quite a lot of those benefits (six of which require a guest to spend yet more money and one of which is not even available any more) to come close to breaking even.

On a 1-night stay, a guest will be lucky if they get to use any of those benefits (World of Hyatt members don’t pay for wifi), and yet they’ll still be charged $37.02.

The fact is that the Destination Fee isn’t there to cover guest benefits (which is why it offers such poor value).

It’s there to allow the hotel to charge more for a room while appearing not to charge as much as it does when viewed on any of the price comparison sites which don’t account for the Destination Fee.

Fortunately, when it comes to some bookings, the Destination Fee does not apply:

• All World of Hyatt members booking a room with points are exempt from the Destination Fee
• World of Hyatt Globalists (top-tier elite) are exempt from the Destination Fee regardless of how they pay.

Link to Destination Fee information page

Getting there/location

The Andaz West Hollywood sits at the foot of the Hollywood Hills and on the northern border of West Hollywood.

It sits at the eastern end of “The Sunset Strip” and that puts it within walking distance to a lot of the area’s nightlife, walking distance to the center of West Hollywood, walking distance to the to the shops and eateries at Sunset Plaza and, if you don’t mind a longer walk, walking distance to the Beverly Center shopping mall and Cedars-Sinai medical center.

This being Los Angeles, you’ll need a car or a rideshare service to get to most places of interest (all the studios, the beaches, Beverly Hills, Runyon Canyon, Griffith Park, etc…), but the area the hotel sits in has quite a lot to offer (bars, diners, restaurants, cafés and even a Trader Joe’s), so you probably won’t need a ride every time you leave the property.

Note: Be aware that Sunset Boulevard sits high above the next major parallel road (Santa Monica Boulevard), so while walking south (e.g. to the center of West Hollywood) should be easy (it’s downhill), the walk back will be more challenging.

The is no efficient way to get to the hotel via public transport from any of the area’s airports or from the Union Station downtown (which is over 10 miles away), so to get to the Andaz, you’ll probably need a car, a taxi, or a rideshare service (there may be a shared shuttle that you can book from LAX, but I’m not sure).

A key thing to keep in mind is that parking at the Andaz West Hollywood costs $75/night (valet parking with in/out privileges) and there’s no on-road or overnight parking anywhere nearby, so unless you really need your own car, using Uber/Lyft may be the more economical option.

The upgrade

A day before I was due to check-in, the Hyatt app showed that my room had been upgraded to a “1 King Deluxe” room which doesn’t actually correspond to any of the room names the Andaz uses (this was a complimentary day-of-arrival upgrade courtesy of my World of Hyatt status).

Fortunately, I know this hotel well enough to understand that this meant that I would be in a room overlooking Sunset Boulevard and, given that I hold top-tier Hyatt status, it would probably be a room on one of the higher floors.

The lobby & check-in

The lobby of the Andaz West Hollywood sits at street level and its decor pays tribute to the property’s music history.

As you walk through the main doors of the hotel, the check-in area is to the left, and to the right, are the property’s elevators, a small shop selling drinks, snacks and memorabilia and, at the very end, the hotel restaurant/bar.

There was no one waiting in line when I arrived, so I was checked-in to a King Bed Sunset Boulevard View room (on the 9th floor) and on my way to the elevators within five or six minutes of arriving.

The property has rooms on floors 3 through 12 (floor 2 is really only a mezzanine floor), so I was happy with my location on the 9th floor (the higher up you are the better the views and the less noise you hear from the street below).

Select elite benefits

Checking in as a Hyatt Globalist member, I was handed a letter from the property’s general manager confirming what on-site benefits I could expect.

There’s nothing new or surprising here, but it’s always good to see that a property is on top of whatever benefits a guest’s elite status bestows.

At check-in I was given a voucher for two complimentary reusable water bottles and the voucher confirmed that this was a benefit extended to World of Hyatt Explorist elites as well.

The water bottles can be refilled from the ice machine/water hydration stations found on every other floor of the property.

Night 1 issue

My room was just as I expected – a good size with a good view – but night 1 didn’t go as planned.

At around 11PM, the occupants of the room next to mine returned (from wherever they had been) and decided to watch TV and, as things turned out, they weren’t the only ones who could follow along with whatever program they were watching. I could hear the program’s dialogue very clearly though the dividing wall.

I have no idea if this was because my neighbors had their TV set to some unnecessarily high volume or if this was a thin wall issue, but as this noise lasted for the next two hours (when I finally fell asleep through tiredness) and as I had no intention of putting up with this for a second night, I had my room changed the next morning.

I was moved to the 7th floor (same room type) and I had no further disturbances during my stay.

King Bed Sunset Boulevard View

The entry-level rooms at the Andaz West Hollywood are 277 sq ft (~26 sq m) in area while the rooms overlooking Sunset Boulevard are 342 sq ft (~32 sq m). Most of the suites are 800 sq ft (~74 sq m) in area.

When you open the door to a King Bed Sunset Boulevard View room, this is what you see (you may see a mirror image).

To the left is the bathroom.

And directly ahead is the sleeping area complete with an orange plastic dog-like model which this property has had in every room for as long as I can remember (I have no idea why).

There’s a good feeling of space in the sleeping area and that’s probably due (in part) to the light coming in from the room’s floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Sunset Boulevard.

At the foot of the bed is a flat screen TV sitting upon a large cabinet with two deep drawers, a couple of shelves, a mini fridge, and the in-room safe.

To one side of the bed is a well-proportioned desk complete with office chair, the room’s phone, and four US-style power outlets (bring an adapter if you’re not from the US – affiliate link)

There are more power outlets on either side of the bed built into the wooden panelling which is looking more dated than ever.

If you’re looking for the closet, you’ll find it next to the entrance to the room.

The closet isn’t particularly big and because it houses some of the room’s paraphernalia (iron, ironing board, robes, etc..) it has less internal space than you may imagine.

Next to the closet is the ensuite bathroom.

The bathroom is basic but functional, and I like that the property has chosen to go with a shower cubicle rather than one of the ridiculously small baths (with shower) that some hotels still have.

The toiletries on offer are all full-size (as is common nowadays) and are by “Lather”.

I’ve stayed at a number of different Andaz properties in the past year and no two properties have yet had the same brand of toiletries.

I’ve left my favorite part of the room until last – the “sunroom” area.

What was once a balcony is now a sunroom overlooking Sunset Boulevard, and this is where you’ll find an armchair, an ottoman, a small sofa, and two small tables.

With the southern California sunshine streaming through the south-facing window and with views across to the Pendry Hotel, the Sunset Tower hotel, and the areas and cities between the Andaz and LAX, this can be a great place to relax with a book or a drink or to get a bit of work done.

And if you’re an early riser, the views as the sun rises and daylight breaks over LA can be beautiful.

On some of the lower floors, noise from Sunset Boulevard can be bothersome for some (it’s why the hotel provides ear plugs). But once you’re up at the 7th floor and higher, the only noises you’ll probably notice are the occasional fire truck and the occasional overpriced supercar going past.

Overall, there’s nothing luxurious about a King Sunset Boulevard View room – it’s more functional than stylish and the decor has seen better days – but I still like this room type at the Andaz WeHo.

I don’t like the annoying nightlights that come on every time you step out of bed (not an issue if you’re staying on your own, but annoying if you wake up someone sharing your room), I’m not a fan of the dark wood panelling behind the bed and the desk, and I’d prefer to have a proper table on either side of the bed rather than the ledge that’s currently there. But as a place to spend some time, it’s ok.

The room feels spacious, the bed is comfortable to sleep in, the desk is good for getting some work done, the sunroom can be a great place to relax, there are plenty of appropriately positioned power outlets (although no USB ports) and the views from the higher floor can be wonderful.

When we have guests come to visit and don’t have room at home, this is the property at which we put them up and this is the room category I make sure they get because short of a suite, this is the best room category the property offers.

If you’re booking the Andaz in the hope of a luxury stay, most of the rooms at the property will probably disappoint you. If you’re booking the Andaz for its location, its room rates and are happy with a reasonably-sized functional room with a nice view, you’ll probably be happy.

Dining and bar

The Riot House restaurant is the only proper dining option at the Andaz West Hollywood and is found at ground level and at the opposite end of the lobby to the check-in area (you can also sometimes get food on the top floor sundeck, but that hardly counts as a restaurant).

The Riot House is open for breakfast …

• Between 06:30 and 11:00 Sunday through Thursday, and 
• Between 06:30 and 12:00 Friday and Saturday.

For Lunch, the restaurant is open …

• Between 11:30 and 14:00 Sunday through Thursday, and 
• Between 12:30 and 14:00 Friday and Saturday.

I’ve never had lunch in the restaurant so cannot comment on what it’s like (link to latest menus) and I’ll be discussing breakfast in the next section.

As a bar, the Riot House is not great. The drinks selection is limited, the prices are high and there’s rarely any atmosphere, so you’ll do much better by going elsewhere – the local area isn’t short of bars (Barney’s Beanery, a 10 minute walk down the hill, is a good venue if you’re hoping to catch a game, and the Saddle Ranch next door is an OK place to grab a drink and watch a game if you can handle the noise coming from intoxicated tourists, the bachelorette parties, and people riding the mechanical bull).

As a place to eat breakfast, the Riot House can be quite nice … as long as you manage to get a table in the glass-walled bar area where the natural light coming at you from all directions and the blue skies outside combine to create a nice breakfast ambiance.

Breakfast

For Hyatt Globalists (+1 person sharing their room), breakfast is complimentary at the Andaz West Hollywood, and that’s just as well because it’s ridiculously expensive.

Here’s the menu:

If you have breakfast included as an elite benefit, the hotel’s official policy is that you’re entitled to one entreé, one coffee and one breakfast beverage per person on the reservation.

In practice, I’ve had two coffees and two orange juices with breakfast and not been charged extras.

If you have breakfast included as part of the rate you booked, the menu shows that you’re entitled to one juice (choice of 5), one coffee (choice of 5) and one of the Riot House “classics”.

I’ve never had breakfast here when it was included in my nightly rate, but I’d be surprised if any variation from what the menu says you’re allowed didn’t trigger an extra charge.

Let’s take a look at how much some items cost.

WeHo Omelet with a side of Potato Hash – $22. It’s $27 if you swap the potatoes for a small bowl of fruit.

Breakfast Sandwich – egg, turkey patty, cheese, onion, English muffin and potatoes – $20.

It’s $27 if you swap the potatoes for a small bowl of fruit.

Andaz Breakfast – Two eggs (any style), side of potatoes and a choice of one meat (ham, bacon, sausage or turkey patty – $22.

It’s $27 if you swap the potatoes for a small bowl of fruit or request egg whites, so this could rise to $32.

Breakfast Burrito containing scrambled eggs, potato hash, carnitas and cheese with an avocado salsa – $20.

You should probably also take a closer look at the cost of some of the “sides”.

$9 for a side of mushrooms or a side of spinach?!

The pricing may be forgiven (a little) if the food was of impeccable quality and beautifully cooked and presented, but it isn’t. It’s average. Very average.

The staff at the Riot House are friendly, the juices are good and the coffees are ok, but the cost of the food is ridiculous.

For those of you who may be thinking that some of these prices aren’t too bad, keep in mind that these are the prices before taxes, gratuities and junk fees.

The Andaz West Hollywood adds an automatic 20% gratuity to each bill and also adds a 3% junk fee “to help cover the increased minimum wage for [its] hotel associates” (I’ve discussed this before).

To be fair, the Andaz makes it very clear (on the bill) that the 3% junk fee doesn’t actually go to the staff …

… but that’s the only positive thing I have to say about it.

To give you an idea of how much a regular breakfast can cost, here’s one of my bills:

The breakfast sandwich (seen earlier) + a latte + and orange juice costs $47.50 (after taxes, gratuities and junk fees). That’s breakfast for one for $47.50.

Take note that because of the truly idiotic way we allow prices to be displayed in America, you will pay over 35% more for breakfast here than you would expect to pay if you simply added up the cost of the food you ordered.

Who thinks that’s a good idea?

Thankfully, as a Hyatt Globalist, I don’t have to pay for any of this and it’s prices and practices like this that make me very grateful for my elite status benefits, but how must non-elites or lower-level elites feel when they see breakfast prices as high as this at a middle-of-the-road hotel?

Hopefully they’re not actually paying for breakfast here as you can get better food and a bigger choice of food for less at Mel’s Diner which is just a 10-minute walk from the hotel.

To put it bluntly, breakfast is very expensive and very average at the Andaz West Hollywood, so unless you have it included in your room rate or as an elite status benefit, you may want to consider going elsewhere to get your day started.

If I didn’t have my breakfast comped, that’s what I would be doing.

The gym

The gym at the Andaz WeHo is located on the mezzanine floor just above the check-in area.

It’s open 24 hours (a room key is required to access it) and because it features floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking Sunset Boulevard, it gets quite a bit of natural light and feels a lot brighter than a lot of the hotel gyms I’ve visited recently.

The gym is well-equipped (there’s a Peloton bike you can use to earn some bonus World of Hyatt points) and as I can’t recall the last time I found this space busy, it’s usually a nice place to get a workout.

The Sundeck/pool

At the very top of the hotel (take the elevator to the penthouse floor and then walk up some stairs) is the Sundeck which, on an unusually cool day, looks like this:

Pool hours are 07:00 to 22:00 Monday through Sunday and during the warmer months, the Sundeck bar is open and serving drinks, snacks, and small plates.

When the weather is warm and the bar is open, this area can get crowded (it’s also often hired out for events), so keep your expectations in check.

Pool seating works on a first come first served basis, but cabanas need to be pre-booked (via QR code found on site or via this link).

From what I can see right now, a cabana which seats up to 6 people will cost $100 for, I presume, the day.

I love coming up here “out of season” because, this being SoCal, “out of season” doesn’t mean “cold”. It just means fewer people or, sometimes, no people at all, and that can make this a great place to relax, to enjoy the view and to catch up on some reading.

It can also be a very good place to come if you want to watch the sun rise over Downtown LA (especially if you don’t have south facing room on a high floor).

I’m not a pool-party kind of person (I’m too old and too not good-looking!) so I avoid the Sundeck when I know the party crowd will be around (mainly weekends May though September), but when it’s quiet and peaceful, it can be a great place to hang out.

Final thoughts

I have a real love/hate relationship with the Andaz West Hollywood.

This was the first hotel I ever stayed at in Los Angeles (a long, long time ago), so it holds a special place in my heart.

I love the location at the base of the Hollywood Hills (which is why this is where we put up our guests), I like the fact that the hotel is within walking distance of a lot of restaurants, bars, and shops, I love the views from the south-facing rooms, I love the sunroom area of the south-facing rooms, and I like the size of the south-facing rooms (the Sunset Boulevard View rooms).

But there are also a lot of things that I dislike here.

On the negative side of things, there’s the $75/night valet fee (there’s no self-parking), the $32 + tax destination fee, the 3% “please subsidise our wage bill” junk fee, the vastly overpriced breakfast, the aging furniture in the rooms, and the atmosphere-free bar.

The truth is that because my World of Hyatt status gets me out of paying the destination fee and the 3% junk fee, and gives me complimentary breakfast, it negates a few of the serious things I dislike about this property, and that means that I’m likely to keep booking it for our guests (because they get to use my benefits when they stay and if I book their room with points they’ll get free parking).

If, however, I was looking to visit LA without Hyatt Globalist status and felt that I needed a car for my trip, I don’t think I’d be prepared to put up with the extra costs that I’d incur.

I also don’t think I’d be happy to have to go out for breakfast every morning just to avoid being gouged for some eggs and bacon.

In short, if you have Globalist status, the benefits that your status bestows upon you should negate many of the Andaz West Hollywood’s negative points and that may well make this a good place for you to stay.

If you don’t have Globalist status (as will be the case for most people reading this review), I would advise checking the prices at comparable hotels in the area before committing to an Andaz West Hollywood booking.

If you decide to go ahead and book the Andaz, make sure you’re clear on what your total cost per night will really be – the Hyatt website will tell you, but some of the comparison sites may not.