Escape to LA: Luxe Mid-City Stay at Best Western Plus!
Escape to LA: I Survived (and Maybe Even Enjoyed) the Best Western Plus Mid-City! (A Review, Plus Ramblings)
Okay, folks, buckle up. Because this ain't your grandma's hotel review. This is me, after escaping the LA jungle, relaying my Best Western Plus Mid-City experience. And let me tell you… it was a journey. More like a slightly bumpy, surprisingly comforting road trip than a perfectly curated spa day. But hey, isn't that life?
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Arrival & First Impressions: Not Exactly Hollywood Glamour (But Functionally Sound)
First off, let's be real: it’s a Best Western Plus. Not a Four Seasons. Lower your expectations accordingly. The exterior… well, it's there. Clean enough. Parking? Free! (Huge win in LA, let me tell you. Valet parking? Nah, I'm keeping my money for avocado toast, thank you very much.) The interior… okay, here’s where I'll be brutally honest. The lobby wasn’t exactly a design masterpiece. Think… functional. Practical. Clean-ish. But hey, I'm not here to admire the potted plants (although they were… present). I was here to sleep, to eat something that wasn't pre-packaged, and maybe, just maybe, dip my toes in a pool.
Checking In and Out: Smooth-ish Sailing (Except for the Elevator) – and a Major Hiccup:
The concierge was friendly enough. Contactless check-in/out? Tick. The whole experience was fairly smooth. And for accessibility - I could see they were trying. Accessibility: The website claimed accessibility. I'm not a wheelchair user myself, but I did notice an elevator, which is essential, and ramps. However, getting to the elevator felt a bit… labyrinthine. Like they'd designed the hotel in a video game and forgotten a few waypoints. And now, the real kicker. A few times the elevator decided it had had enough. I had to haul myself and my luggage up a few flights of stairs. Not ideal. No big deal for me. But for someone with mobility issues? A potential nightmare. They really need to sort that out. This is a MAJOR flaw.
The Room: Clean-ish, Practical, and Wi-Fi - Hallelujah!
The room! Alright, let's talk about it. Available in all rooms: A/C (essential!), the usual suspects like a fridge, coffee maker, safe-ish looking safe, some basic toiletries. The bed? Comfortable enough after a long flight – and that, honestly, is what matters. I'd rate the Wi-Fi [free] at A+. Seriously, it worked. In a hotel, that’s a small miracle. I needed to escape into my laptop and pretend I wasn't in LA, and the Wi-Fi held. I did have the Free bottled water and the Mini bar, and the tea and coffee situation was decent. The non-smoking rooms were a big plus. The Blackout curtains were a lifesaver. Jet lag is a beast, and they did their job, completely and utterly. And I actually liked that they made the room a "Laptop workspace".
Other notes: The daily housekeeping was good but I was really concerned by the lack of Room sanitization opt-out available which I would have loved. They seemed to have plenty of Anti-viral cleaning products. I appreciated the Hand sanitizer dispensers everywhere.
Dining, Drinking & Snacking: A Mixed Bag (and a Soup-Related Trauma)
Okay, this is where things get interesting.
- Breakfast [buffet]: The dreaded buffet. Don't get me wrong, the Asian breakfast and Western breakfast were available. It was… fine. Standard hotel fare. Scrambled eggs that may or may not be actual eggs? Check. Greasy bacon? Check. Stale pastries? Check. On the plus side, it was free, and it kept me from hangry-ness until lunchtime.
- Restaurants: There's a restaurant A la carte in restaurant, I think. I thought. I swear I saw one. Okay, fine, a Coffee shop on the premises was definitely there. But it felt… underutilized. Coffee/tea in restaurant was actually pretty good.
- The Soup Incident: Okay, this needs its own paragraph. I ordered soup. A seemingly innocuous bowl of soup. Let's just say the consistency resembled something from a science experiment gone wrong. And the taste? Well, it was an experience. Let's leave it at that. (Note to self: stick to the buffet next time.)
- Poolside bar: Yeah the Poolside bar looked promising. The Poolside bar was sadly closed when I fancied a cocktail. I'm guessing the Happy hour was something I missed entirely.
- Snack bar: I never saw this myself but it's listed.
- Room service [24-hour]: I was tempted. But the soup incident had scared me off.
Things to Do & Ways to Relax: The Pool & The "Spa-ish" Experience
- Swimming pool: The outdoor Swimming pool [outdoor] was a highlight. It wasn't particularly fancy. The water was clean, the sun was warm, and for a few glorious hours, I forgot I was in the middle of LA.
- Gym/fitness: I didn't use it. Sorry, I was too busy being lazy by the pool.
- Spa/sauna: Now, I saw some promising adverts for this. I looked deeply into the Sauna, the Spa. The Steamroom, well they were there. And there might have been something like a Body scrub but I chickened out. In the end, I just went down in my mind and relaxed.
Cleanliness & Safety: A Few Reassurances (and a Sigh of Relief)
In these post-apocalyptic times, cleanliness is king. I'm happy to report the hotel seemed to take things seriously. The Staff trained in safety protocol was definitely obvious. You could tell the place was sanitizing. They used Daily disinfection in common areas and it was a plus. I also liked there was Hand sanitizer. They seemed to be using Professional-grade sanitizing services.
Services & Conveniences: The Good, the Bad, and the Free Parking (Bless You, Free Parking!)
- Free Car Park: I keep going back to this. Yes, I loved the Car park [free of charge].
- Cash withdrawal: There was one. Thank God.
- Concierge: The Concierge was nice.
- Dry cleaning: Available (thankfully).
- Elevator: See above.
- Laundry service: Also a plus.
For the Kids: I don't have 'em, so I'm afraid I can't comment directly. But the hotel seemed alright with Family/child friendly. They had Babysitting service available, Kids meal options…
Getting Around:
- Airport transfer: Well I didn't use it.
- Taxi service: I used this a lot.
The Verdict: Worth It? (Maybe? With Reservations?)
Look, the Best Western Plus Mid-City isn't a luxury escape. It's not going to blow your mind with design or gourmet food. But it's clean, relatively safe, has free Wi-Fi, and, most importantly, it had the pool. It was, a slightly imperfect, very functional basecamp for exploring LA.
It wasn’t perfect. The elevator situation was a genuine concern. The soup incident remains a traumatic memory. But for the price, the location, and the sheer fact that I survived my LA adventure? Yeah, I'd probably go back. But next time, I'm packing my own snacks and carefully inspecting the elevator. And maybe, just maybe, bringing some earplugs, because LA is loud and the thin walls didn’t entirely protect me from the cacophony.
Talmud Hotel GongYuan: Your Luxurious Taichung Escape Awaits!
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because this isn't your grandma's meticulously planned itinerary. This is me in Los Angeles, at the Best Western Plus LA Mid-Town, and frankly, it's already a cluster. But a beautiful, sunny, overpriced cluster.
Day 1: Arrival, Disorientation, and a Really Mediocre Salad
1:00 PM - Arrival & The Great Parking Predicament: Okay, so the good news? The Best Western is mostly as advertised. Clean-ish. The bad news? Parking in LA is a blood sport. I circled the block three times, swearing under my breath and picturing myself trapped in my rental car forever, like a beige-colored Sisyphus. Finally snagged a spot. Victory! Or so I thought. Now I have to navigate the labyrinthine halls of the hotel, praying I don't forget my room number. (Spoiler alert: I will.)
2:00 PM - The Room Revelation & Emotional Whirlwind: Oh. My. God. The room itself is… fine. Standard. But the view? Let's just say it's not exactly the Hollywood Hills. More like… a parking lot and a slightly crumbling apartment building. The beige-ness is starting to feel oppressive. But hey, a bed is a bed, right? I'm suddenly hit with a wave of travel-induced loneliness. Why am I doing this? Are solo vacations inherently sad? I should have brought more snacks. I stare out the window, feeling dramatically world-weary. Then I remember the free continental breakfast and snap out of it.
3:30 PM - The Quest for Fuel (and a Salad Disaster): Restaurant hunt! I'm starving. Found a place nearby called, something like, “Healthyish Bites.” The name should have warned me. I ordered a $20 salad that consisted mostly of limp lettuce and suspiciously vibrant tomatoes. I swear I saw a single crouton. ONE. My emotional reaction? Mild rage, followed by the profound sadness that comes with realizing I’ve wasted $20 on a salad that would make a rabbit weep. I ate it anyway because I was too hangry to fight.
5:00 PM - Attempted Relaxation (Failed): Back in the room to "relax." I turned on the TV, spent 20 minutes flipping through channels before giving up finding something decent. I tried watching a movie but kept pausing it to refresh the page and check my emails. After an hour, I gave up on the relaxation and finally took a shower before changing my mind and playing some games on my phone.
7:00 PM - Evening Wander & A Spark of Hope: Decided to walk a bit around the hotel. I walked across the street to a small park. It was more like a tiny patch of grass struggling to survive but it was still green and breezy as night came. I sat on a bench, feeling better. Then I found a little taco truck! Two delicious tacos later, the world seemed a little brighter. Maybe LA isn't so bad after all.
Day 2: Theme Parks, Traffic, and Existential Dread (Again)
8:00 AM - Breakfast of Champions (Seriously, What Else Is There?): The "free continental breakfast" at the hotel. Let's just say it's… functional. The waffle machine is my new best friend. Also, the questionable sausage patties. I eat with a vengeance, fortifying myself for the day ahead.
9:00 AM - The Theme Park Gauntlet (Spoiler: I Survive!) Okay, I won't name the park specifically because it's not the point, but let's assume it involves screaming, rollercoasters, and ridiculously long lines. Getting there was a brutal reminder of LA traffic's legendary reputation. I sat in bumper-to-bumper for an hour, listening to a podcast about the history of cheese. Surprisingly engaging. Once I got there, it was sensory overload. Lines, noise, the sheer amount of people. I'm not a huge fan of crowds, so I may have had a minor panic attack in line for a churro. But dammit, I rode the rollercoasters! And screamed! And ate a churro (after my panic attack subsided).
4:00 PM - Traffic Tantrum - Round 2: Leaving the park. Guess what? Traffic again. I'm starting to understand why people in LA develop a specific type of road rage. I spent an agonizing amount of time crawling along, muttering to myself, considering a career change to competitive speed-walking. The worst part? I realized I desperately needed to use the restroom. The internal struggle was real.
6:00 PM - The Quest for Dinner (Part Deux) & Culinary Redemption: Still buzzing from the park, but starving again. I stumbled upon this amazing Korean BBQ place. The air was filled with the delicious smells of grilling meat. The energy was infectious. I cooked my own food at my table, which, combined with the fact I could eat as a team, felt very social. I inhaled an entire plate of food. I felt a tiny bit of that initial existential dread melting away. Maybe, just maybe, LA wasn't trying to kill me after all.
8:00 PM - Evening Wind Down After a busy day, there was no time to start a new adventure. Back in the hotel, I changed my mind on what to do. I watched a trashy reality show and mindlessly scrolled through my phone. Another night closer to my departure date.
Day 3: Departure, Reflections, and the Crushing Weight of Laundry.
9:00 AM - Farewell Waffles (and Existential Reflections): Last breakfast. I load up on waffles, trying to convince myself this will tide me over until the airport. I sit and stare out the window, chewing thoughtfully. Did I love LA? Hate it? It's complicated. It's loud, expensive, and full of people. But it's also vibrant and full of possibility. I felt a small, grudging respect for the city.
10:00 AM - Packing Panic & The Laundry Abyss: I'm a terrible packer. My suitcase explodes with all my clothes. I'm positive I'm going to be charged extra for my suitcase. I desperately try to shove everything back in. Then I realize: the laundry. The mountains of dirty clothes I’ll have to face when I get home. A wave of weariness washes over me.
11:00 AM - Check-Out & The Final Parking Battle: Check-out is a breeze. Thank god. But guess what? I have to get out of the parking. The parking area is even harder to navigate. I found a gap in the traffic and, with a final, desperate prayer, maneuvered my car out.
12:00 PM - Airport & The Final Farewell (For Now): The airport is a sea of humanity. Standing in various lines. After several moments of anxiety, I am finally waiting for my flight. I am exhausted in every way. It takes me a while to realize I am already missing the place.
Later - The Post-Vacation Crash: The flight home was a blur. Now I'm sitting in my apartment, surrounded by laundry, and a vague sense of post-vacation blues. As I unpack my suitcase, I know that I'll be returning to Los Angeles again someday.
Escape to LA: Luxe Mid-City Stay at Best Western Plus! - ...Or Just a Place to Crash After Sunset? My Unfiltered FAQs
Okay, real talk: Is this Best Western Plus *actually* "luxe"? Because my definition of luxe and Best Western… well, they’re usually not in the same zip code.
What about the location? Mid-City… is that code for "far, far away from everything fun?"
Pro Tip: Download Waze. You'll need it just to survive. Trust me. I accidentally took a wrong turn and ended up in Boyle Heights. Let's just say I didn't *intend* to go there.
The breakfast. I live and die by hotel breakfasts. Tell me it's at least… edible?
My recommendation? Raid the breakfast bar for a piece of fruit, then find a decent coffee shop nearby. Your tastebuds will thank you.
Was the Wi-Fi decent? Because I need to post my perfectly-posed Instagram pics of me pretending I'm a glamorous socialite. Priorities.
What about the… *vibe*? Can you describe the general feeling of the place?
Any parking woes? Because I've heard LA parking can be a special circle of hell.
Okay, spill the tea. What's the biggest "uh-oh" moment, or the thing that really annoyed you?
It wasn't *horrific*. It's LA. It was a relatively mild summer. But for someone who cranks the AC to Antarctic levels in my own home? It was… a challenge. I mentioned it to the front desk the next morning, and they offered me another room but to fully pack everything, while I am in a rush was not ideal. Then, as a result, I had to survive on the ice-cold bottled water bottles I brought and the open windows. Next time, I'm bringing a portable fan. And a haz-mat suit, just in case.
Would you stay there again? Be honest!
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