Heavenly Help at the Westin

I wasn’t expecting much from the [LA Westin](http://www.starwoodhotels.com/westin/search/hotel_detail.html?propertyID=1005). Figuring it’d be another corporate hotel, in another city, with mind-numbing sameness. Quite the contrary! The rooms are spacious, had an actual office chair (not a banquet chair), and a courteous staff. My first room was above the kitchen vents and anytime the kitchen fried food, I’d get a waft of it. I know that sounds picky, but I’m serious, my room smelled like french fries, kalamari, and onion rings. I called and was in a new room in about 15 minutes.

I can always tell a well-ran hotel by the staff. You can’t fake good morale and this hotel must be doing well. Everyone is in a good mood.

Two complaints . . .

* I’m growing increasingly resentful of minibars. Besides a regretful prom night years ago, I’ve never used any product out of one and I’d sure like to have that space to keep water, protein drinks, and food cold. I read that other hotels are replacing them with real refrigerators and that’s a very good idea.

* I guess I thought every hotel gives business travelers a paper and I’m now trained to open the door and find a paper waiting there for me. Not today.