The Garland

While looking for a property close to Universal Studios for a quick trip, we ran across The Garland. We were unsure what to expect and were pleasantly surprised by what we found; a retro 1970s hotel teeming with life in 2019! The curb appeal is absolutely amazing, the accommodations are on par with modern hotels that we have stayed in, and the staff was some of the most friendly that we have come across. Take a walk in the courtyard, check out the interesting onsite shop, and marvel at the outdoor courtyard fireplace at the onsite restaurant The Front Yard. We will definitely return to the still family-owned The Garland! Read less

I've stayed here before but not sure it's as good as last time. The gift shop is odd to say the least. The rooms are nice enough, beds are comfy but it can be a long walk for breakfast, outside in the rain (if it's raining). Lots of things to do there as they run movies and things. The food in the restaurant is very, very good (try those buttermilk biscuits). There is a very bad downside though. If it is cold they like to open all the restaurant windows so you can enjoy a freezing cold breakfast, very cold coffee and the ability to eat while wearing a coat, scarf and hat. Even the host was bundled up in a big coat and scarf. When I order food I want it hot or at least warm. Such a great chef to have his food ruined the temperature it is 2 minutes after you get it. Good hotel management but really ignorant restaurant manager. Don't know why he likes to freeze out his guests. We finally requested a table as far from the windows as possible and asked them to warm up our coffee cups so the coffee was warm. We ran into other people that decided to walk a few blocks to another restaurant for breakfast. Can't say as I blame them. Read less

We loved the wonderful retro vibe of the Garland and used it as our base for a week in LA. During the week the main guests appeared to be attending a conference in the hotel with more families arriving towards the end of the week for a weekend in LA. We stayed in a family room so that our kids had a bunk bed which was separated by a wall so there was a sense of privacy between us and them. The room opened onto the carpark so that was a bit disappointing but we were really only using it as a base so it didn't matter that much. Our only complaint would be if you are light sleeper the traffic noise may be a problem. The hotel even supplies earplugs so they know it can be an issue. We only ate in the restaurant for breakfast and preferred the a la carte as we aren't big eaters until we turned up to breakfast one morning only to be told that we could only have the buffet as they were getting ready for the brunch menu. There was still over 45mins for their advertised breakfast time so we thought as we were guests of the hotel they would have been more accommodating. We decided to find somewhere else for breakfast & never went back to restaurant for the rest of our stay as we found a great cheaper place a short walk from the hotel. The trolley bus up to Universal Studios and the subway was a great way to get around if you timed it right. It's only one subway stop to the TCL Chinese Theatre & the subway was easy to use and at the end of a long day at Universal Studios it was nice to just walk back to the trolley bus stop and know you would be back at the hotel very quickly. Would recommend staying here for the fun funky vibe and as we were travelling around California having the convenience of a laundry was great. Read less

Absolutely love this place. Very hip, nice and well cared for. It had all the elements we were looking for. Proximity and trolley to Universal was handy. The pool and the bar was a lot of fun. The staff have been helpful and friendly. The room was quiet and comfortable. The laundry availability was nice, as this was leg one of a two weeker ending up in Mexico. Highly recommend. Read less