Sleep up to Five
Magic Castle Hotel Review:
Our Anniversary Vacation
Before I tell you all of the wonderful pros, I'm going to tell you the cons, so that there are no surprises when you arrive at the hotel. First, it is a converted apartment building. Judging from the look of the architecture, I say it was built around 1950-1955. Because it is an older building, it needs a lot of work, which the staff has been tending to. Some of the rooms still have original fixtures that need replacing, new faucets that still need caulking, and air conditioning units that still need to be completely sealed. It is also not fully handicap accessible - there are a lot of stairs and no elevator, so take all of this into consideration when you are booking your Hollywood stay. I myself am handicapped (cane dependent), but I was able to make my way around the hotel if I took it slow.
"I highly recommend this hotel
- it's right up with other classy boutique hotels."
Now, all that being said, let me tell you the pros: the staff is Outstanding, with a capital "O." We were welcomed with a champagne greeting and our luggage was taken to our room. Check-in was a breeze. There's a list of snacks that are complimentary - not cheap snacks, either. We're talking full-size Snickers, M&Ms, Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Lay's potato chips, and a dozen more. There is also a 24-hour Coca-Cola machine, soft serve ice cream and Dole whip during the day, and poolside ice pops. The pool itself is heated and open 24-hours (just be sure to keep quiet during sleepy hours).
Laundry is also complimentary - they will clean your clothes and wrap them up with a lovely sprig of lavender. Ours was waiting on our bed when we got back from our daily travels. Bed is firm and comfortable. TV is flat-screen with multiple HBO channels. And for you letter-writers out there, this hotel has stationery! What a joy - it's becoming rarer and rarer these days to find hotels that still have their own stationery. They also offer complimentary buffet breakfast - hot and cold cereal, bread to make toast, scones, croissants, butter, jam, peanut butter, yogurt, juices, tea, and coffee. It was nice having a bowl of oatmeal, followed by a peanut butter sandwich with a bag of potato chips from the snack menu!
A great shout-out to Oliver, who remembered our trip itinerary even though we had only mentioned it once to him in passing. Another plus when you stay at this hotel is access to the famed Magic Castle - as long as you book directly with the hotel and not a third-party site, you can make dinner or brunch reservations at the Castle. We celebrated our wedding anniversary at the Magic Castle, thanks to Maddie and Marzia, who made our reservations. I highly recommend this hotel - it's right up with other classy boutique hotels like Snug Harbor Inn on Catalina. We're already getting ready to book our return trip to Magic Castle Hotel. Enjoy!
Stephanie L.
