California Desert Kid friendly Vacations

We’ve stayed at the Westin St Francis multiple times over the years and always looked forward to returning. Unfortunately, this once grand old hotel is grand no more. The Powell street lobby entrance has been invaded by a huge bar/lounge that looks cool but doesn’t open until 4pm. It takes up a lot of prime real estate in the hotel and serves no real purpose for the better part of the day. To check into the hotel you now enter on Geary into an area that feels temporary, kind of like the vibe you get at an airport gate under construction. It’s just very disjointed. The fake cherry trees and fake flower wrapped columns in the lobby are tacky, and dusty. Two of my family members had sneezing fits while standing under the faux blooms. They chuckled about the paper flower pollen being particularly bad this time of year. The hotel has also done away with any lobby seating. Your only hope of seating is in the garden cafe, which makes it feel a bit like a Greyhound bus station. Some of the registration staff were better at their jobs than others, who seemed generally malcontent. We stayed in the Tower this trip; the best part was the amazing view from our room and the super fast glass elevators. Happily, the mattresses are wonderful. Our room was ok but could use a refresh. One family member found litter in his room. Thinking back on past stays, maybe the rooms were always a bit outdated but the majesty of the hotel overshadowed any shortcomings. Sadly, for us the magic is gone.

Excellent stay. The only 2 downsides were that the keycard access on the door was not working due to a dead battery. However, they quickly accommodated us in a different room so I was happy with how they resolved it for us. The other was the long wait time to get our car from the valet. Great breakfast and very friendly staff. Would stay again!

Clean room, breakfast

The room was immaculate, and the food was amazing. I highly recommend this hotel.

Super nice little hotel! Great price for location

The room was immaculate, and the food was amazing. I highly recommend this hotel.

The room was beautiful! Spacious & comfortable. I LOVE the soft, plush carpet :) We had in room dining from the restaurant & the food was delicious! Service from all the staff was superb - everyone was kind & helpful. Can't beat the location overlooking the Pacific Ocean & just a short walk down to the beach or the Santa Monica Pier. I highly recommend this hotel!!

Amazing location, beautiful views of the ocean, plenty of green landscape m, trees, and relaxation spots for winding down. Excellent food located on property, and staff were all friendly and helpful. The bathroom could use an update, but the positive ls far outweigh the bathroom decor. We will be back at the Fairmont SM.