Family Stop at the Westlake Village Residence Inn Hotel

October 18, 2016 Margalit Sturm Francus

About 45 minutes’ drive away from the center of Los Angeles, situated at 30950 Russell Ranch Rd, Westlake Village, you will find the Marriott Residence Inn Westlake Village hotel. The hotel sits conveniently close to many tourist attractions, theme parks, and museums as well as outdoor activities like horse-riding, wine-tasting, hiking, and beaches.

Westlake Village is a small community right outside of LA that is family friendly and safe. The community is close to the usual malls and shops, including Target and Costco. Families can settle in or stay here in transit to LA.

Like every other Residence Inn property, water, Wi-Fi, and parking are free.

Fellow Guests

Patrons will be sharing this hotel with guests of all ages. There will be folks here on business (there are many digital firms in the area) as well as vacationers for long weekends, overnight or for longer periods of time. With its family-friendly atmosphere and location within reasonable driving distance to places like Disneyland and Malibu, it is a popular place for the holidays.

Our Welcome

The staff was ecstatic to get locals to stay with them to show around the property. We were thrilled that they could accommodate us on a very short notice after we experienced a power outage, and we were grateful for their hospitality. Check in was a breeze, due to our status as Marriot members, and all our accommodations are registered in their system.

Décor

As visitors approach the hotel from the outside, they will see palm trees, clean lines and a modern look of the four-story sturdy, stately building. Inside, the lobby has a pretty sitting area all done in neutral tones with carpets and furnishings in creams, browns, and a few muted accents. The fireplace gives a homely and welcoming feel every month of the year. The guest rooms also have carpeting which is golden browns with flecks of turquoise.

Our Room

We were not originally going to be staying at this hotel. However, at the last minute, our plans changed. We called and made reservations at the Westlake Village’s Residence Inn. The staff accommodated us on such short notice which was extremely helpful.

It is good that they had 160 rooms and there was some availability. The room we were given was a completely self-sustaining unit, just like the others in the Residence Inn franchises. It worked for guests who need either long or short-term stays.

Our room was clean, spacious and comfortable. The front door had a double lock, which we appreciated. There was a living room and dining room area inside. It has air conditioning which guests can control making it either hot or cold according to their preference.

The room didn’t just have only beds, but also an opening sofa for extra sleeping space in the sitting-room area. The 32” television screen can be seen easily while lying down in it.

There is plenty of storage space. The room had one small closet with a small hanging space with ample drawers and another closet with more extensive hanging space. The night stands as well as the TV console doubled as chests of drawers, which was great.

For travelers who come to this property for work and business, there was a nicely sized desk with a chair featuring an ergonomically fit backrest. On the desk, along with others, there was a phone, ample lighting, and lamps, and electric power outlets. The outlets were perfect for family members needing to charge their multiple devices at the same time.

Our Bathroom

The bathroom was decorated in neutral, earthy tones of creams on the walls and linoleum flooring. It featured a tub/shower combo with an overhead attachment but no handheld shower head. Housekeeping provided plenty of towels as well as a hairdryer and small amenity kit.

Like all Residence Inns properties, this too had a kitchenette with a dishwasher, cooktop, big microwave, toaster, coffee maker, and fridge. Families have the option to request that the refrigerator is stocked on your arrival. Also, for an additional payment, groceries can be replenished in the kitchenette. This kitchen was also fully furnished with crockery, cutlery, pots, pans and other necessary cooking utensils. The hotel also provides a laundromat service.

Dining Options

The Residence Inn, like all others, offers a complimentary breakfast buffet. It is served in the communal dining room, and it caters to American travelers.

The free breakfast buffet offers hot and cold dishes, including cooked eggs, bacon, sausage, cut up fruit, jellies, a plethora of bakery items, as well as hot and cold morning beverages. For all other meals, guests have the option of cooking in their units or taking advantage of the restaurants in the area.

Travelers should be aware that the Residence Inn also offers a convenient happy hour called the “Residence Inn Mix” to encourage socializing and make use of the lobby area and outdoors. They offer a couple of appetizers, at least one hot dish, and beer and wine on weekdays.

They do provide BBQ facilities for the guests too. There is a weekly schedule of evening events which include dining.

Amenities

There is a full fitness center in the hotel as well as a pool. These are used by the guests from morning until night, especially in the summer months. Right off the lobby, there’s a gaming section with a pool table. There’s a sundries store with supplies for guests who forgot to pack things.

Autism Travel Tips:

The facility caters for wheelchairs, simply let the hotel know in advance that you need the suite that has in-room accessibility and the accessible bathroom and roll-in shower.
For those sensitive to light, they do have blackout drapes in the rooms.

They do not provide non-slip mats for the bathroom, so it is advisable to bring your own.
The hotel has Free wifi on their premises.
There is a lock on the balcony door, which helps with safety.
There is a grab bar in the bathroom.