Stillwell Hotel

The bedroom was spacious, air conditioned, of course, coffee available and two large double beds. The views of Stillwell Hotel were lovely, if a little noisy n the early hours of the morning — but that was to be expected in this part of LA.

AVOID AVOID AVOID
I am a student, and frequent conventions like comikaze, wondercon, SDCC. I’m realistic in my expectations when it comes to budget hotels and all the «fun» surprises that come with them.
That said, AVOID THE STILLWELL.
I’ll start with the worst. When we got back to our hotel the first night, there were tiny bugs everywhere. On the bed, in the bathroom, on our cups after we set them down, on the shower walls, EVERYWHERE. We pulled the bed away from the wall and decided to collectively «deal with it.»
The second night I took a shower. I pulled the towel to my face and did a double-​take: there was a brown smudge along the edge of the towel. A smell-​test verified my worst nightmare — someone must have not checked the towels. It was the end of our stay at that point. I was tired from the con and «just dealt with it» and got new towels from room service. That next morning, my companions in this nasty adventure showed me a photo of the impressive roach they found crawling on the wall near their bed.
Needless to say, we complained to the hotel staff on duty («Were they those little bugs with the wings?» «No. wait, what??»), asking for some form of compensation in the least. We were asked to leave our info for possible compensation through a free stay, and we responded that we were HIGHLY unlikely to visit again, ever. We were then informed that there was nothing the hotel could do in terms of refunding us, since we booked the hotel through Expedia (it was
, actually, and they told me later this is not true).
This is where I made my second mistake (the first being booking a room at the Stillwell): we had the hotel hold our things for the convention after checkout, and left our bags behind the counter beyond an unlocked door. When we later retrieved our bags, we were told to «just go on in» while the attendant watched some TV show at the desk. No tags, no nothing.
I got home and unpacked my clothes. In a scarf at the back of my suitcase I had wrapped 200 $ cash in an envelope in a plastic bag. When I unrolled the scarf the empty bag was there — that was all.
I’m still dealing with all this a week later. The hotel is refusing to offer compensation; at this point I don’t even care about refunds or free stays or bugs or poop-​towels, I just want my 200 $ back. It was a poor choice to trust this nightmare hotel, but a theft is a theft, and roaches and feces are still unacceptable.
Take my word for it and AVOID THE STILLWELL. Get a better place for the same price (or better) in Chinatown at a chain hotel and Über/​Lyft/​bus it to the convention center. Otherwise lock up everything you own and be prepared for the Insect Inn…
[Some petty concerns: the wifi did not work most of the time, and when it did it was not powerful enough to stream youtube videos, and there is only one accessible outlet strip. Bathroom smelled like smoke (bathroom only) on our SECOND night (???). Hotel staff was frequently AWOL when we checked in/​out/​walked through the lobby. The prices were not worth it for this hotel, even without the larger complaints.]

Reasonable price for a great location! I don’t stay far from DTLA but in any event and gathering this is where I stay. Fun little diva bar in the lobby great view and beautiful building. I’ve stayed at the 7^th floor and the 10^th. Never had a complaint (except on the 10^th floor the AC we had wasn’t as powerful as my high maintenance self would like!

Do NOT stay here it’s like a murder scence literally rooms connected to eachother dark and eery feeling I got my money back asap 0 stars if i could it doesnt let u tho

I debated what to rate this as it is great value for the money but not a high-​class modern hotel. My work was sending me to a conference (the LA Convention Center is only 6 blocks away) and could not get a reservation at other places before they sold out. I went to this one with trepidation, but my only other option was rated about the same and slightly further away. Either way, I knew because of jet lag I would just want a basic room to collapse in at the end of the day, and that was what it was. Not very large but that was not a problem, especially since it was only me.
Only 4 outlets in the room: 1 was used for a lamp (no, no alarm clock) and another for a fuse strip for the refrigerator, the dvr, and the flat screen TV (I did find those last 2 amusing given how the rest of the hotel looked). I *think* there was a microwave in another outlet but I never needed it. This meant my phone and laptop played tag team over the only free outlet.
Unfortunately the indian restaurant downstairs mirrors the rest of the building. Not something for anyone that enjoys indian food unless microwaved store-​bought samosas are to your taste. It is near a place with some great greek options though and the front desk person was helpful in telling me about it.

If you want to save some money. Then stay here but it’s very small and shabby. I wouldn’t stay here again unless it was my last resort. Which is why I even stayed here in the first place.

I slept with one eye open, no I didn’t sleep at all for fear I might by offed in my sleep. I booked on
where they made the hotel appear to be elegant and refined. When my father and I arrived we were displeased this could not be farther from the truth. We arrived in the old lobby and proceeded to check in. It took awhile as our reservation wasn’t pulling up. The ambience was frightening as we rode in the elevator up to our floor. As we arrived on our floor, we saw mattresses in the hallway and it occurred to us that we were the only people on the floor! The whole thing looked out of a horror movie. The room was filthy and the bathtub looked like it hadn’t been used in years. It also turned out after researching online the hotel is supposedly haunted. After returning from drinks on Sunset Boulevard we decided to check out the bar here and had a drink. As we conversed with the people next to us they commented who would ever check in at this hotel! Sadly, it was us. We proceeded back to our room where in the night it was even scarier. Most of the rooms doors were wide open and revealed the barren insides. I will never stay at this hotel again.

Cheap and decent. It’s old and not at all fancy. But… It is an ok place to rest your head. Only one pillow on the tiny small bed. But we made it work. Parking was cheap outside next to the hotel. $ 5

Complaints: toilet close to sink
Compliments: Staff gave me great info about local area, bar located inside which I wasn’t able to use but always a plus. Parking a throws distance. Quiet and great night sleep. Manager Raj was unbelievably nice and great to talk to!
Low beds but that’s neither a plus or minus just personal opinion

Booked this hotel for 2 nights, paid about a hundred bucks per night. Which is pretty reasonable for downtown. Pros: location; it’s close to the metro train and various food places. Cons: parking is NOT included, also if you do not book the room for the exact amount of people who are going to be staying there be prepared to pay extra at check in (ridiculous), the swamp cooler in the room was left on for about a day and started leaking water all over the carpet which could indicate there could be some mold going on. The lady at the front desk could care less that we had that issue.
It’s a decent stay, but the customer service sucked and be prepared to have issues.

This place is creepy. It does not look vintage its just old and there is low maintenance. This is the type of hotel people would come to to do illegal business. My room smells bad. There is only one outlet in the room, 2 if you unplug the AC. My towels were dirty. It seems like they haven’t gotten new sheets since this place opened. You have to pay for parking $ 20 a day. Just spend a couple more bucks on a nicer hotel with parking is my suggestion. I would have rather stayed at motel 6. If you’re a girl traveling by yourself don’t come to this place, super sketchy. Rude people at the front desk sketchy people in the hallways and elevators. Good things about this hotel, working AC, beds are pretty comfortable, and there is a fridge and a microwave.

This place was great cheap cozy and safe, it’s so vintage looking. Stayed on the 10^th floor great view, there’s a plasma tv microwave and mini fridge a/​c. The bathroom kind of small but eh it was fine, on another note this hotel is close to all the bars and lounges. I would stay here again idk why some reviews are negative towards this hotel.

I’m just kind if a picky person. It wasn’t horrible but it’s very much just a place to sleep. There were some stains on the blankets and a cockroach in the bathroom. It really didn’t bother me, just is not a very nice place. The air worked well, one of the elevators broke and the other one was very squeaky and it was nerve racking. The bathroom was very small not much room you could use the sink in a functional manner while using the toilet it was that close. The food downstairs is decent and cheap. I didn’t have a do not disturb sign and there was no way to stop the housekeeper from coming in so they threw away some of my stuff that was on the desk because they decided it was trash which was upsetting. It wasn’t in the trash so why would you do that. Overall it was a cheap place to sleep and that’s about it. I will more than likely not return.

I think this place is great for a low budget hotel! It’s in a perfect location, dive bar and Indian food in the lobby! I love it! It’s family owned and the women at the front desk were so helpful and accommodating! I love this place when I come downtown la

Excellent value hotel for the price-​conscious male business traveler. The bed was comfortable, the sheets were clean. The shower water pressure was excellent. The building is very old with minor maintenance issues, and you’re certainly not in a luxury environment. However, everything was clean, nothing smelled badly, and everything worked perfectly.
Now here are the reasons why I will always stay at the Stillwell from now on when visiting L.A. on business:
1. Gill’s Indian Restaurant downstairs. Excellent, affordable dinner every night with enough left over to take to the office for lunch (and a fridge in the room). Daily Dahl is only 7.95 and is a hearty, delicious, home-​cooked vegetarian meal that is different every day.
2. Uncle John’s Café downstairs has the best breakfast in L.A. More than I could eat, with coffee and orange juice for under $ 12.
3. The lobby is comfortable with lots of seating and TONS of books. Sit down, pick one up, and take a load off after a long day.
4. Roof access through the stairwell. Yep: light up a doobie and check out the night skyline.
Downside:
Not for princesses. I’m pretty sure my wife wouldn’t like the room, and she would never stay here alone because of the neighborhood and the sketchy characters in the elevators. Also the front desk staff was almost comically unhelpful and rude. Seriously. WTF?

This is a situation of getting what you pay for, maybe even more than what you pay for. It’s in the middle of downtown and conveniently located, and it only costs 75 dollars a night! There’s a diner and a dive bar in the lobby. It’s clean and spartan. The people at the desk were above and beyond helpful… helped me with directions, using the bus, storing my luggage (for free).

I’ve been to many shitholes in my day and this is NOT ONE OF THEM.
I’m almost grateful some of the reviews were so harsh because I was expecting some real Bates Motel kinda vibe, but it was not that at all.
The lobby was surprisingly large and brightly lit with wide hallways, all of which are qualities in direct contradiction to the the Shitty Hotel Bylaws.
The place is downtown and if you know anything about LA’s downtown, you must know that it ain’t pretty down there. With that being said, don’t let prejudices or fears hold you back from checking this place out. This place does have much to offer in the way of old school charm.
Because it was on a major street and the vicinity was well lit, it did not feel unsafe to me, but as with ANY big city, it’s always smart to be aware of your surroundings.
In reviews I’d read, a few people complained that the Stillwell was in need of a paint job, and although it still ain’t all modern and new, it seems they’ve painted somewhat recently… but let’s be real, it’s still old and it’s still downtown.
The Stillwell has no pool and all that but it has social options (a café, a neighborhood bar and an Indian restaurant) that make it especially great for peeps traveling solo or doing the last minute option thang.
Now that I’ve stayed here, I can easily understand the disparity in the ratings done by Unilocalers who’ve stayed here. This place is rather odd. Approachable, but kinda odd in that it doesn’t really set you up to expect much, and yet, it aint bad.
Now, granted I won’t be Vacationing at this hotel anytime soon, I will be coming back again and I’d recommend it to certain friends who I know would appreciate it and/​or allow it it’s quirky charm.
I will say this, The Stillwell is definitely both fascinating and intriguing.
(Note-​if you want something nearby that’s a little more palatable, you might wanna check out The Figueroa Hotel)

I ended up here as last option– the place is horrible, did not feel safe at all had to sleep with a chair blocking the door (I noticed I was not the first one since the door was scratched in the same place) ohh and they gave me a treat! BED BUGS after only being there 1 hr!
This place is a half– way house — or at least it gives that feeling. Be very careful if you end up in this place.

This is my second one star review. The other place I awarded a single Unilocal star was the Lee’s Sandwiches where I was mugged while the staff did nothing.
So that says a lot.
I went there to watch a band I like to follow around LA. The venue looked like 1990’s retard prom night. Or maybe the basement of that creepy neighborhood old man who invites kids over to drink. There’s no stage. No lighting. No discernible area for an audience. It smelled like mold and old beer.
Speaking of moldy old beer, you pay way too much for that fine American crap they served. Here’s a tip: go to Hank’s upstairs and prelube on better beer for half the price.
The security guards barking orders and rules at me. They were drunk. I think they got a homeless man to MC the bands.
As soon as my band’s turn to play arrived, they played one half of a song before the sound system gave out. Ouch.
I asked for my money back. The owner/​manager in charge was totally wasted and felt like fighting. With me. A girl. He eventually gave me my money back, but I fail to understand how bar etiquette works when a big angry grown man tries to pick a fight with a SOBER female. Nice one, Stillwell Hotel.

What can I say beggars can’t be choosers. I stay here every year when I go to the big E3 convention and it’s the best choice for a traveller on a budget. Not only that but the hotel is withing walking distance to the convention center, Nokia Center and Staples center.
I think I’ve seen a roach once or twice over the years but in general there aren’t many bugs. No experience of any bed bugs, good thing because that would be the last time I step foot in there. So again **no experiences with bed bugs** in this hotel, but be sure to check in any hotel you visit, you can get them in the classiest joints.
The other selling point is the dive bar on the ground floor. It’s called Hanks bar, and the staff is friendly, the customers are local and full of colorful conversations and the prices are ok.
The hotel also has WIFI, but it was so darn weak I had trouble getting any work done, so don’t count on it.
So if your looking for a cheap place within walling distance to the convention center tale a look at this place.