I stayed two nights at the Metro Plaza and was generally pleased. My room was large and decently featured. It had plenty of light in the daytime and was quite dark at night. It looked out on a curious feature of the property--a kind of low intensity strip mall at the back of the hotel's second floor. My room was near a bend in the building, so it was important to keep the curtain closed when I wanted privacy. The neighborhood is very busy during the daytime, but there was no noise at night.
The bathroom was huge, though it didn't have any heat source and could be rather cold, at least until it got steamed up. For some reason the bathroom door wouldn't stay open, even when I wanted it to. The bathtub also didn't hold water, it drained out slowly, so I had to take showers.
The only major facilities problem was that the internet in the building was not working for much of the time I was there. It didn't matter that much, except that it prevented me from printing out a boarding pass in a timely fashion. A minor problem was that the chain had slipped on the door and didn't work, though there was a deadbolt.
As someone who advocates car-free traveler, I have to give the Metro Plaza props--it is the only hotel in Los Angeles I have ever seen with the Metro transit system posted in the lobby. Of course, being a block from Union Station, it is right at the heart of that system with numerous trains and buses available. There's the non-stop Flyaway bus from Union Station to LAX airport. The Metro Plaza is really a good choice for a car-free traveler who's looking for a budget (by LA standards) hotel. The Famima quality convenience store in Union Station stays open 24 hours a day, so you need never starve! Otherwise the neighborhood gets pretty quiet at night, though not dangerous (you are likely to see some homeless people sleeping on the street).
I only ate one meal nearby--at Nick's Diner on the edge of Chinatown. I've eaten at Phillipe's, a few doors down and at Homegirl Cafe a couple of blocks away, which is part of a re-entry program for gang kinds. There are also lots of daytime/early evening eateries in Chinatown, which the hotel is adjacent to. One of these years I'll eat at the beautiful Traxx restaurant in Union Station.
So despite flaws, a good experience.
- Metro Plaza Los Angeles
- Hotel Metro Plaza
