Viceroy Santa Monica in Los Angeles

Unexpected amenities fees, charged at checkout these fees are said to be in fine print and $60 a day for parking is ridiculous and it’s not even covered parking. Parking in some of the garages around the area are only $35 dollars a day. On the street it’s free for the night and $7 dollars for the day but you have to walk back to the hotel. This a terrible way to charge your guests who’s booking their stay at your hotel. But I will say the staff is hospitable, polite, helpful and accommodating to what they are assigned to do. But whoever makes the decision on pricing that’s greed. Very few guests parks in the parking lots. One last thing all rooms should have a microwave. I’ve never been to a hotel with so little amenities and charge such high price for them. I travel often and have stayed in many upscale hotels. Outside of the staff this hotel building is not upscale. It’s just average. Online advertising and reviews are deceiving.

I would characterize the staff here as being unable to handle anything deviating from their limited training at best, and full of callous disregard for international travelers at worst. Either way, quite shocking for a hotel that is marketed as a luxury experience.

Upon check in, the staff tried to deny my booking due to lack of upfront payment. After a frantic call from me halfway across the work to my travel agency, it turned out all was good and the hotel had simply missed an email from the agency because it was answered by another team member. You would think there’s a better way to track this if people knew what they were doing.

On day 2, my key card was abruptly deactivated without communication, verbal or over email, leaving me unable to access my ID and wallet. Apparently the payment had not been charged at check in, as it should have been when I was present and the travel agency was on the line, but a day later, and it had been declined. Another anxiety filled day later, once it was daytime and business hours for the agency, I had to get this sorted out.

No apology from the staff for either incident, zero communication of any potential issues with bookings prior to check in, and no consideration for the hassle of time zones for someone who is traveling intentionally. They think they can get away with it because you don’t have any options at that point.

Needless to say, there are better and more professional hotel options in this area - I’d suggest people save themselves from this kind of customer service and anxiety.