The Garland

Great hotel! Very rustic in some ways, rooms are nice and the beds are very comfortable. Not a great location if you're looking for a short hike to different restaurants but the hotel does house a fine dining set up. Pool is a modest size but very clean and family friendly. The concierge is second to none - so knowledgeable about LA and is a master problem solver. Plenty of parking space. Staff are a credit to the hotel. Would definitely recommend if you're looking for a hotel that's not on the beach fronts but a close journey to Hollywood park, Griffith Observatory and Universal studios. Read less

The Garland was recommended to us by a friend we were visiting in LA. We enjoyed our stay and were generally happy with the hotel, though there are a few things that potential guests should know. The Garland was built in the 70s and while there has been extensive remodeling there are areas where the hotel shows its age. That said, the entire facility is very clean and we found the retro decor quite charming. The hotel encompasses several buildings surrounding a central pool and bar area, as well as small store and an adjacent restaurant. The result is that you feel like you're at a family resort, with kids splashing in the pool while parents take in the sun. It's really a lovely oasis, and I can see why it would be popular families visiting the nearby Universal attractions. Indeed, the hotel runs a free, hourly shuttle that gets you to Universal in under 15 minutes. I need to eat breakfast in the morning, so having a restaurant on the premises was a big attraction for me. We had breakfast there each day (we tried both the buffet and ordering off the menu), as well as one lunch and a late, light dinner one evening. The food is quite good; I particularly enjoyed the oatmeal with golden raisins and brown sugar in the morning, and the "12 Minute Cheese Biscuits" we had with dinner were amazing and definitely "not to be missed." But there are a few things to be aware of. First, while I was assured by the front desk that we would not need reservations for breakfast during our stay, the reality is that the restaurant gets quite busy on the weekends, even before they begin serving brunch. As a result, there was a long wait on both Saturday and Sunday that had me climbing the walls by the time I was seated. Also, while the food is excellent, the wait sand kitchen staff were overwhelmed and had a hard time keeping up with demand. Orders took a long time to arrive, the buffet was not maintained, it was difficult to get our server to provide things like ketchup and our check. This was less of an issue on weekdays, but if you're planning to visit the restaurant on the weekend I'd strongly recommend reservations (and patience). Our other disappointment was with our room location on the first floor of the Portola building. There was a good deal of traffic noise until well after midnight. Then in the morning there was noise from the parking lot that was just outside our sliding doors. We were also adjacent to the elevators, so there was a lot of noise from people coming and going at peak hours. My wife suggested that I request another room, but we were only staying for a few days and I didn't feel like packing up and moving. That's on me; I don't know whether the hotel would have been willing or able to accommodate a move, but I mention this for future guests. There were a few other minor issues: the TV remote wasn't the same brand as the TV and didn't work very well (possibly because of programming, or perhaps in need of new batteries). The mattress was not comfortable; my "side" was so broken-in that I felt like I was sliding off the edge of the bed all night. And the air conditioning unit was pretty loud as well. Don't get me wrong: we enjoyed our stay and would likely return to The Garland the next time we're in LA. The pluses outweigh the minuses. But I would request a different room location (maybe one on an upper floor), and I would definitely make breakfast reservations on the weekends. Read less

We absolutely loved The Garland, what a gem in the middle of LA. Once inside the hotel grounds, the feeling was of calm with a cool vibe. The decor was fab throughout. The pool area was keep well stocked with towels on the sunbeds. The rooms are of a good size with excellent amenities, we particularly liked the fact you could turn on the shower without getting wet, what a genius idea! The complimentary trolley to Universal Studios was brilliant, the guy running it couldn't have been more helpful and accommodating, that said all the staff were more than happy to help with anything and so friendly. I would definitely stay here again and recommend the hotel to others, in fact I already have on a LA facebook group! Thank you very much for making our 3 night stay so enjoyable. Look forward to visiting again soon. Read less