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Hotel News Briefs :: Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica Gets Delayed

There's tons of hotel news flying around this week and we don't have time to give each and every story the love and attention it may deserve, so you will have to settle for some news briefs.

· Hotel Shangri-La in Santa Monica Delayed: We've spent a lot of time today talking about hotel openings and delays here so it's fitting we end the day with another. The Hotel Shangri-La was to re-open tomorrow after a long renovations process. However, the reservations line says the hotel will open at the end of October. Meanwhile, the website is only taking bookings for after November 12th. Either way, it ain't opening tomorrow.

More news briefs are after the jump.

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Las Vegas Hotel Reviews / Donald Trump / Viva Vegas / Valli Herman / Luxury Hotels / → All Tags

Trump Las Vegas Gets a Not So Bad Review

Where: 3790 S. Paradise Rd [map], Las Vegas, NV, United States, 89109

We haven't heard much from the Trump International Hotel and Tower Las Vegas since it opened back in April but this week it scored a fairly positive review in the LA Times from reviewer Valli Herman.

It sounds like business has been slow since opening, as some might have predicted for an off-strip hotel with no casino. But the reviewer is confident that there are enough special features at the Trump to win the guests over in the long term.

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Hard Rock Hotels / San Diego Hotel Reviews / Valli Herman / Hotel Staff / → All Tags

Does the Hard Rock's Vibe Manager Have Some Work To Do?

Where: 207 5th Ave [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92101

Art on the walls at Mary Jane's Coffee Shop at the Hard Rock SD.

The LA Times' Valli Herman recently reviewed the Hard Rock San Diego and for the most part, she liked the hotel. We think this is mostly because she was expecting a room and board version of the played-out Hard Rock Cafes, yet she found the hotel to be rather "well-run."

However, she did find the  classic rock piping through the hotel to be a bit "goofy". She writes:

With a pantheon of classic, and often dead, rockers on heavy rotation, the hotel also isn't pushing any boundaries musically. After a few too many rounds of the Beatles, the Monkees and the Doors, I was tempted to call it the Classic Rock Hotel.

As we all know, the man responsible for the music at the hotel is Vibe Manager John W. Resnick. Now he might have to actually spend some time working at this job.

Still, Valli Herman had plenty of other nice things to say about the Hard Rock including this reassuring bit: "Snap-to-it service without attitude."

Thompson Hotels / Beverly Hills Hotel Reviews / Valli Herman / → All Tags

Thompson Beverly Hills Gets Official Review

Where: 9360 Wilshire Blvd [map], Beverly Hills, CA, United States, 90212

At last the Thompson Beverly Hills has gotten an official review. Not that the reviews from our HotelMavens are any less official but we always like to see what the old standbys think. Thus, here's the LA Times review of the hotel from veteran reviewer Valli Herman.

Overall Herman liked the place...we think. Every positive was backed up by a negative. It's almost as if she was trying hard to like it but simple fundamental hotel stay necessities were not fulfilled.

Her biggest problem was with the noise:

Despite the two-year renovation, the expensively designed room still featured the original, flimsy sliding-glass door. Unless the soundproofing is improved, the hotel isn't a great buy....

I was given various explanations for the noise problem, including "we're still under renovation" and "we're hoping to double the glass next year" -- even though I was told the rooms were complete when I made my reservation.

For the record, Herman paid a special rate of $199 as part of the hotel's opening offers.

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Valli Herman / San Diego Hotel Reviews / Hotel Openings / → All Tags

Another San Diego Hotel Gets So-So Reviews From the LA Times

Where: 432 F Street [map], San Diego, CA, United States, 92101

Yesterday the LA Times said the Ivy Hotel was too porn-centered (sample quote: "The 159-room, $90-million property could pass as Playboy Mansion South, from the skin-baring cocktail waitresses to the $3,000-a-night specialty suite with king-size bunk beds, a group shower and, ahem, a fireman's pole") and today the paper is again giving a new San Diego hotel a blah review.

This time the target is the The Keating Hotel.

The LA Times liked the slick design from the Pininfarina company, who is behind the design of Ferrari and Maserati cars. Indeed the paper writes: "If a hotel can be a sports car, then the Keating is one." However, under the hood there seems to be some problems:

The bare concrete floors were painted with the slick gray paint you see in car repair shops. The large shower enclosure was situated prominently in the bedroom; it's not opaque, so it's not for the shy, and there's no tub. The pebbly plastic sinks were set into a stainless-steel counter top; lotions and shampoos were in test tubes. Just as cars are built with compartments that hide and slide away, so was this room. The "dresser" is hidden in under-bed rolling drawers; the closet, too, rolls into an enclosure. The windows are shielded by blinds that look like the retractable sunshades in luxury sedans.

More problems include an absent turndown service, noisy neighborhood, no room service, bad lighting, a members-only club, and a random door that leads to an adjacent nightclub about which reviewer Valli Herman said: "I left fast, Ferrari fast."

Related Stories:
· San Diego's Keating Hotel looks slick but sputters [LA Times]