In a frugal age where hotel owners are counting every penny spent on upkeep, the Custom Hotel in Los Angeles has enjoyed two major renovations in 4 years.

The 250-room Custom Hotel at LAX is being “re-introduced” after yet another makeover given to it by JDV Hospitality, which is now in charge. The previous owners had spent more than $20 million on a full renovation as recently as fall 2007.

Custom Hotel LAX

One of the obvious advantages is its Westchester location – one mile from LAX and a few minutes from Los Angeles attractions like the Venice Beach Boardwalk and the Santa Monica Pier.

While a gazillion other LAX airport hotels can lay claim to the same convenient location, the Custom Hotel still manages to stand apart as the only boutique property among the lot.

As per the JDV custom that each of its hotels have a unique personality befitting its location and culture, this one too has a decor and theme that harks back to the golden years of air travel in the 60′s, when flying was fun and glamorous, and 9/11 didn’t mean anything much.

The guest rooms and suites offer more choice than the cookie-cutter brand-name hotels lined up on W Century Blvd, since each floor of the Custom Hotel has its own graphic concept. In fact, you can actually custom-ize your room, because the LED lighting allows you to change the color of the lighting to suit your mood. Read More »

There’s trouble brewing in paradise this weekend. It’s all that Karma, or is it Carmageddon? The Sepulveda pass section of the 405 Freeway is being closed for 53 hours, choking off traffic in Los Angeles.

From 7 pm Friday to 5 am Monday, half a million vehicles that use the gridlocked pass will have to find another way in or out (Jetblue is offering $4 flights…). The city is advising people to stay put, or as Tom Hanks puts it – “Grid-lock-apalooza! STAY HOME. Eat & shop local!”

Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica

For those who would rather escape the gridlock, a number of hotels from Santa Monica and Los Angeles to Newport Beach and Las Vegas are offering Carmageddon 405 escape hotel deals.

Fairmont Miramar Hotel, Santa Monica: The $405 ‘Live Like a Local’ package offers a ’405 free weekend’ with deluxe accommodations, overnight parking and poolside relaxation at the hotel’s Beach Club.  Valid for the month of July 2011.

Fairmont Newport Beach: The Fairmont’s ‘Escape the LA Gridlock’ package includes overnight accommodations, 40% off on a 60-minute massage or facial treatments at the hotel spa, 2 cocktails, complimentary valet parking and a late 4 pm checkout. Valid July 15-17, with rates from $139.

Hard Rock Hotel, Las Vegas: The aptly priced $405 Carmageddon package includes 2 or 3 nights in the hotel’s casino tower, a complimentary cabana and VIP access to Vanity Nighclub. Package valid July 15-17. For more details or booking, call 800-343-4346 and use promo code ‘HCARMA.’

Hotel Palomar Los Angeles: Their Carmageddon weekend package includes complimentary parking, $40.05 dining credit and $4.05 specialty cocktails. Just call (800) 472-8556 and ask for the Carmageddon package.

Mammoth Mountain: Their $405 package includes a 3 night stay in your choice of lodging from the available options, which are the The Mammoth Mountain Inn, Tamarack Lodge & Resort, Juniper Springs Resort and The Village Lodge. The package is valid July 13 – 17, 2011 and you can add additional nights for $135/night, if you want.

Sheraton LAX: Plan a relaxing weekend with a stay at Sheraton Gateway Los Angeles Hotel and enjoy rates starting from $99. Valid July 15-17, 2011. For more details or booking, call (866) 716-8134 and use promo code ‘CARMAGDN.’

Newport Beach alone has six hotels (including the Fairmont and the Island Hotel) offering Carmageddon deals and packages. There are even more Los Angeles hotels, restaurants, bars and shopping centers offering all kinds of deals that are mapped out here.

Photo – Fairmont Hotels & Resorts

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To be specific, it’s Beverly Hills where the Mr. C hotel has landed, and said hotel has its roots in Venice, Italy. Actually, it is one of a kind at present, being the first hotel in a new signature brand launched by the famous Cipriani family.

Mr. C Hotel, Beverly Hills

The 12-story, 138-room property exudes old-world charm and European style, with large rooms and private balconies offering views of Los Angeles and Beverly Hills.

The dark hardwood floors contrast with the soft white accents, gray palette and the vintage black and white photography on the walls.

Even the bathrooms are classic, with marble/teak flooring. Of the 138 rooms, twelve are suites that offer everything from a library to an in-room private bar. All rooms have complimentary wireless and wired internet.

The restaurant and lobby lounge are similarly classic with rosewood walls and Venetian chandeliers. Being Los Angeles, the pool is both a retreat and an event venue. The 4,500 sq ft pool has a teak deck with poolside spa, bar and dining service, and private cabanas and day beds set in lush landscaped gardens.

Their intent seems to be to maximize the high-end event space, so there’s also a 5,000 sq ft indoor/outdoor glass encased rooftop terrace that provides a breathtaking 360 degree view. There’s a private exterior glass elevator for direct access from the lobby to the 12 th floor terrace.

Throw in the 10,000 sq ft outdoor space in the driveway garden, the 2000 sq ft lobby lounge plus two private dining rooms and the poolside space, and it’s fair to say that Mr. C has come to Los Angeles to join the party.

Also in a nod to another trend where posh hotels in Beverly Hills are offering exclusive villas, Mr. C is planning to add another adjacent wing with five 4-story, 3000 sq ft bungalows.

Each bungalow will have its own private garden and plunge pool, with full service from Mr. C including room service, housekeeping and spa treatments.

Photo – Mr. C  Hotels

More info: 1224 Beverwil Drive Los Angeles CA 90035; (877) 334-5623; www.mrchotels.com/

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When checking into certain hotels in Southern California this summer, don’t be alarmed if you find some guests suddenly start singing out loud.

It’s just the JDV Hospitality ’Singing for an Upgrade” offer and video contest at five of their SoCal hotels. The concept is simple – the first guest willing to sing a song at check-in gets a free upgrade.

Singing for an Upgrade

Currently participating hotels include:-

1. Hotel Erwin in Venice, CA

2. Hotel Angeleno in Los Angeles, CA

3. Pacific Edge Hotel in Laguna Beach, CA

4. Shorebreak Hotel in Huntington Beach, CA

Another one – the Custom Hotel at Los Angeles Airport, will also join in later this summer, after it becomes a JDV run property.

The rules are that each hotel will be offering one free upgrade per day – to the first guest who starts singing at check-in. Each hotel also has its own compilation of songs from which the guest can choose to sing any one song.

Oh, and one more small thing – the whole performance gets recorded and the video will be uploaded to YouTube and Facebook where it will be voted on – a chance for viral stardom! Also, the winner gets free 2-night stays at the aforementioned five hotels.

The runner-up gets a 1-night stay at one of the five hotels, and a third place winner will get a $100 gift certificate for dining at one of the JDV restaurants in these hotels.

Even if the free upgrade for the day has already been sung for, guests can still belt out their own performance at check-in, have it recorded and entered into the contest.

The promotion is valid until Sept 30, 2011. More details here.

Photo – JDV

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