A large room with all the amenities you need. Easy, quick transportation to Los Angeles International Airport. And a big breakfast to keep you going on your next flight.
The Holiday Inn Express and Suites LAX Hawthorne makes for a fine spot for anyone heading into or out of one of the busiest airports in the U.S.
I had the opportunity to stay there last month after a long day of flying from Hawaii to Los Angeles. I had a flight the next morning from LAX to Toronto and didn’t want or need a super-luxury brand. Instead, I opted for the Holiday Inn Express and Suites in Hawthorne.
The Holiday Inn Express and Suites LAX/Hawthorne is a great spot for folks flying in or out of Los Angeles International Airport.
I arrived late and didn’t get my bags until almost midnight, but a free shuttle bus with a friendly driver came within 15 minutes and gave me a five-minute lift to the hotel. There were several other people heading that way, including a family from Germany.
The staff at the front desk were helpful and courteous, and the lobby area had a lovely décor with nice touches I didn’t expect; pretty vases and nice art work. Outside there were several good-sized palm trees; always a bonus for a Canadian visiting the sunny shores of California.
I had a room on the ground floor near the street but didn’t hear any noise. My room had a large, comfortable bed and a good-sized desk that was perfect for a few minutes of work on my laptop. There also was free Wi-Fi, always a bonus for road warriors, along with bedside outlets for recharging my phone. My room also had nice bath amenities, a large, flat-screen TV and a good, strong shower. They also provided a Keurig coffee maker and a mini-fridge, a nice feature you don’t get in a lot of fancier hotels.
Rooms at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites LAX Hawthorne have all the space and amenities you need, plus a homey feel. JIM BYERS PHOTO
There was a comfortable chair/day bed in one corner and a nice colour scheme that featured one wall in deep red tones for a homey feel.
I didn’t have time but the hotel also has an outdoor swimming pool and whirlpool. There’s also a spiffy fitness centre with treadmills, an exercise bike, elliptical equipment, free weights, a TV and more.
The hotel’s free Express Start breakfast was quite good, and that’s important for a breakfast lover like me. The buffet was set up in a brightly lit, nicely decorated room and was packed with folks dining on bacon, ,eggs, coffee, bagels, English muffins, Greek and regular yogurt, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy and big, gooey cinnamon buns that smelled divine.
The outdoor pool and hot tub are nice features at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites LAX Hawthorne.
The shuttle back to LAX was quick and easy, and everyone on board seemed to be in a good mood and happy with their night’s stay.
Finding a hotel in an unfamiliar city can be tricky. But you know with Holiday Inn that you’ll be getting a clean room, and a good deal. I’ve stayed in a number of them the past couple years in Canada and the U.S., and I’m always happy with the décor, the space and the staff. Not to mention the Wi-Fi and the breakfast!
I do enjoy a luxurious, five-star hotel if I’m on holidays. But when I’m on a busy road trip, what I want most is space around me so I can spread out and great work space with easy access to power outlets and charging stations. I don’t need to spend $1,000 a night for Egyptian cotton sheets sewn together by aging craftsmen on a mountain top in Tibet. But I do want a clean room with a good shower, a nice bed, free Wi-Fi and space to work and not feel cooped up. Hotels such as a Holiday Inn, especially the Holiday Inn Express and Suites, give me exactly what I want.
I went online this week and found rooms at the Holiday Inn Express and Suites Los Angeles Airport Hawthorne from $144 US; pretty good for a hotel that’s this convenient to LAX and offers this kind of service.
The hotel’s website shows a 90 per cent satisfaction rating. You can count me among the majority.
