Millennium Biltmore Hotel
506 S. Grand Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90012
(213) 624-1011
(800) 245-8673
www.millennium-hotels.com
Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Rooms:
$169 on up for king or 2 doubles
$469 on up for suites
Dining:
Sai Sai
(Lunch 11:30am - 2:00pm
Dinner 6:00pm - 9:30pm)
Smeraldi's Restaurant
(Breakfast 6:30am - 10:30am
Lunch 11:30am - 2:00pm
Dinner 5:00pm - 10:00pm)
Pros:
Great location, rich Hollywood history, opulent public areas
Cons:
$26 for parking, sometimes inattentive staff, small rooms and smaller bathrooms
Bottom Line:
The Millennium Biltmore is rich in history and the public areas are amazing. But unless you get a deal on the room, via a package or AAA discount, you might feel you overpaid. Definitely worth a visit for the afternoon tea and to look around.
There isn't a single hotel in Los Angeles that has more Hollywood lore and legend attached to it as the Millennium Biltmore Hotel. Built in the downtown area in 1923, the hotel was the setting for the first eight Academy Awards - the design for the Oscar statuette was even sketched out on a Biltmore napkin. It has also appeared in numerous productions, from A Star is Born (the Barbra Streisand version) and Chinatown to episodes of "Murder, She Wrote" and "The West Wing." The hotel lobby, which served as JFK's campaign headquarters during the 1960 Democratic National Convention, was immortalized on film when it appeared upside-down in 1972's The Poseidon Adventure. But it was the stairwell that most thrilled me - call me crazy, but I recognized it from both Vertigo and Ghostbusters in a heartbeat. If fact, the hotel has appeared in so many films and tv shows that I suspect it has its own S.A.G. card.
Everything about the common areas is old and elegant, with dark woods and ornate chandeliers. I entered through the Pershing Square entrance and found myself in the Rendezvous Court. Originally used as the main lobby, with a gorgeous fountain, dual staircase with wrought-iron railings and large archways down both sides, it now served as a lounge area.
The current lobby was up one level on the other side of the building, so with luggage in tow, I decided against the stairs and walked over to the bank of elevators. However, due to the hotel sitting on the bottom of Bunker Hill, the levels aren't exactly a full floor, and I found myself walking back down four stairs to reach the lobby.
I entered the spacious room and found there was a bit of a line to check in. Even though there were five people behind the counter, only one appeared to be actively checking in guests. Once I reached the front of the line, however, the associate was pleasant and professional, checking me in swiftly.
Returning to the elevators, I went upstairs to the Club level, where I had reserved a king-bedded room. As the building was built pre-WWII, the room was small by today's supersized standards. The bed seemed to take up most of the room, dressed up with a European bed canopy above the headboard. The room was beige, with navy and gold accents. Standard rooms in the hotel feature color schemes of warm gold, cream and ivory. An entertainment armoire was across from the foot of the bed, holding a tv with satellite reception and pay per view movies. Other room amenities included a desk, iron/ironing board, high-speed internet access ($10 extra per night, no wi-fi), bathrobes and slippers, bottled water, in-room safe, two telephones and turndown service.
The bathroom was also tiny, about the size of a walk-in closet at some hotels, though the bright light and white floor-to-ceiling tile helped make it not so claustrophobic. I was pleasantly surprised to see a full complement of Aveda toiletries for my use, though I was disappointed that there was almost no shelf space for my use. One glass shelf above the sink was it, so I ended up using the top of the toilet tank to hold my toiletry bag.
It was almost 4 p.m. so I decided head back down to the Rendezvous Court to partake in the Biltmore's daily afternoon tea, which runs from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. I opted for the full package, the Victorian Tea, which comes with a pot of tea, a selection of tea sandwiches, freshly baked scones and miniature French pastries, as well as a glass of Champagne, Sherry or Kir, for $26. Without the alcohol, the tea service runs $22. The Princess Tea is another option, which includes a pot of tea, freshly baked scones and an assortment of miniature French pastries (no sandwiches), and is offered at $18 per person. You can read my full review of the afternoon tea here.
Walking off the baked goods, I wandered around the public areas of the hotel, peeking in the various ballrooms that lined the opulent Galleria hallway. I felt like I had stepped back into time when I reached the Roman-style indoor pool, with its vintage blue and white tiles and gold ornate accents. It almost felt more like a shipboard pool than a hotel pool and I fully expected to see 1930s swimwear on the guests. There was also a sauna nearby, as well as a fitness center.
I also passed by the Gallery Bar and Cognac Room, just off the current lobby, but as it had just opened for the day, there wasn't anybody in there yet. The decor was hardwoods and dark leather, reminding me of an old-fashioned cigar lounge, though there was no smoking allowed.
The hotel has several choices for dining; Sai Sai featuring Asian cuisine and sushi and Smeraldi's Restaurant featuring California cuisine in a Mediterranean ambiance. But after all the snacks with my tea, I didn't feel up to a full dinner and opted instead to avail myself of the complimentary evening hors d'oeuvres and beverages in my floor's Club lounge. I got there halfway through the scheduled time allotted and found the tables nearly empty of food. I needed to ask for the attendant to refill the food items, though once she did, I found a nice selection of fruits, crackers, cheese, vegetables and other appetizers. Though there were beer and wine options, I decided to just go with soda, only I had to ask for that area to be refilled as well.
The next morning I took a quick shower and was a little underwhelmed with the water pressure. I applauded the efforts to conserve water, but I think I spent extra time just trying to get all the conditioner out of my hair. I took advantage of the Club floor's complimentary continental breakfast and then met up with a manager who was kind enough to show me around some of the older areas of the hotel.
She took me downstairs to the Crystal Ballroom, where the original Oscar ceremonies were held. Even though the room is still in use today, I could easily picture the likes of Cecil B. DeMille and Spencer Tracy sitting at the tables, waiting for the winners to be called. I was also shown around the other meeting areas, including the Gold Ballroom where I was given the rare opportunity to crawl into a hidden secret passageway that led up a small ladder to a secret room. During the Prohibition era, the alcove was used as a lookout room, with the windows hidden by decorations on the ballroom walls.
I really enjoyed the history of the hotel and the grand decor made me feel as though I had stepped back in time. But there were areas that could use improvement. It should be noted that as of my stay, the Biltmore had just begun renovating the guest rooms, beginning with the suites. Since there's nothing they can do to increase the size of the non-suite rooms, hopefully they will choose to add a few more modern touches, such as wi-fi and more shelving in the bathrooms. It would also improve guest stays if the level of staff attention was bettered and made more consistent. For every staff member who acted like I was a welcome guest, there was one or two who plainly made it clear they were just doing their job from their mannerisms and attitudes.
The Biltmore is in a really good location downtown, next to Pershing Park, and within walking distance of the garment district and California Plaza. There is also a metro station on the other size of Pershing Park, with quick access to other parts of L.A. The Staples Center is only a 5-minute drive away, making this a good upscale hotel choice if attending an event there. However, if you choose to drive beware that the hotel charges $24 a night for parking (though it's rumored the price may increase to $30 before year's end).
For the most part, I enjoyed my stay at the Millennium Biltmore. But if I were to stay here again, I would most definitely look for one of the special deals that pop up from time to time, bringing the room cost to under $130. A must-book for anyone who loves Hollywood lore, but those used to more modern luxury hotels might not completely enjoy the stay at full price.
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