Which Bonvoy hotel should you book at, Los Angeles International Airport LAX? Marriott vs. Sheraton Gateway vs. Renaissance. Which stands out? Which are the worst? If you want a solid hotel with a good comfy bed for a good night’s sleep, a nice bathroom, a free airport shuttle, free breakfast, and a location that does not feel rough, which should you choose?
LAX recently spent $14 billion USD in improvements to the airport, and the surrounding hotels have also largely been improved and updated. There are, in fact, a massive 8,000 hotel rooms around LAX. There’s a Sheraton, a Westin, a Renaissance, a Four Points, and a Courtyard by Marriott at LAX in addition to the Marriott. All are, of course, part of the Bonvoy loyalty scheme. The Four Points and Courtyard are very basic, so your choice for the best hotel is really between the Sheraton Gateway, the Westin, the Renaissance, and the airport Marriott outlined below. The top choices for the Bonvoy scheme are the Marriott vs. Sheraton Gateway vs. Renaissance.
First, I outline what is best for various categories, and then we look at each hotel individually and share what it offers. Whatever your choice of hotel, contact our luxury travel concierge for a free quote. We almost always offer a better deal and offer valuable free benefits and even complimentary club lounge access at luxury hotels.
- Best for convenience: Sheraton Gateway LAX with regular shuttles and so close you can walk to the airport terminal
- Best for breakfast: Marriott club lounge followed by the Sheraton club lounge. The Marriott also wins as if your rate excludes breakfast, you can pop to Starbucks in the lobby and buy a coffee and a muffin to start your day for a very reasonable price
- Best for the pool: Sheraton Gateway LAX with a cute pool area and fire pit set amidst greenery
- Best for club lounge: Sheraton Gateway LAX AND Marriott, both lounges are comparative and have different pros and cons
- Best club lounge for runway views: 15th-floor Sheraton Club Lounge offers a panoramic vista of the airport
- Best for room views: Sheraton Gateway LAX go for the corner suites with runway views
- Best for restaurant: Sheraton Gateway LAX: their Italian restaurant here has a very good reputation
- Best for light bites: Marriott, there is a full Starbucks in the lobby for all your snacking needs
- Best for value: The Renaissance usually comes in cheaper
1. Sheraton Gateway LAX
The Sheraton Gateway, was recently refurbished, with a $43 million USD upgrade to its guest rooms, lobby, public spaces, and restaurants. It is now stunning and is also one of the closest hotels to LAX, so close that you can walk there from the airport. This is a major advantage if you don’t like waiting around for shuttles.
The hotel is attempting to offer a complete resort, with restaurants and a pool deck with fire pits and cabanas. The pool is particularly charming, with its wildly blue waters edged by cute black and white padded chairs and loungers. Although the building itself looks a bit 1960s, the interior and the pool area are really lovely for an airport hotel. If you are looking to book a superb room here, go for the corner suites with runway views.
The Italian restaurant here has a very good reputation and is definitely better than most airport restaurants, and the bar is quite happening with sweet staff.
The 15th-floor Club Lounge offers a panoramic vista of the airport and the city, making this hotel a great choice for LAX. If you compare the newly refurbished club lounge at the Sheraton Gateway LAX vs. the Westin, you should always go for the Sheraton. The Sheraton club lounge is a lot better and is open seven days a week, 24/7. The breakfast in the Marriott MClub lounge is actually marginally better than the one here, but overall we prefer the Sheraton for the ambiance, refurbishment and views. You get free club lounge access (whatever room you book) if you are a Bonvoy Platinum member and probably a room upgrade too.
LAX Sheraton Gateway Club Lounge Breakfast is largely continental; Starbucks coffee, yogurt, pastries, hard-boiled eggs, fruit plus hot scrambled eggs, and hot oatmeal (No sausage or bacon).
LAX Sheraton Gateway Club Lounge hors d’oeuvres usually include something like hot puff pastry beef wellingtons, hot cheese tortellini plus Cold roast beef sandwiches, vegetable slices (peppers, celery, carrots, etc..), cheeses, crackers, black bean salad, or sausage in a chickpea salad, salsa, egg pasta salad. Don’t expect dessert, it doesn’t always appear! On the plus side, bottled water is available 24/7, unlike the LAX Renaissance or the LAX Marriott (no bottled water).
2. Los Angeles Airport Marriott
The Los Angeles Airport Marriott has also been improved and has regular free shuttles from the terminal around every 5-8 minutes. A major bonus of this Marriott is the full-service Starbucks in the lobby, ideal for cheap drinks and eats.
The all-new M Club Lounge at LAX Marriott features 4,000 ft² of space to work and recharge. It is open 24/6 and is located on the 18th floor so that you can enjoy spectacular views of the Hollywood Hills, Downtown Los Angeles, and the runways at LAX. Out of the main food hours, the lounge is not very well stocked, and there is no bottled water. Only a dispenser is provided for room temperature, chilled or sparkling water. You can take the water with you using glass containers with lids. During feeding times, there is a full buffet breakfast which is slightly better than the Sheraton’s above, and evening canapes. You get free club lounge access (whatever room you book) if you are a Bonvoy Platinum member and probably a room upgrade too.
3. Renaissance LAX
Described as a boutique hotel experience near Los Angeles Airport, this hotel is a Marriott Bonvoy rewards category five hotel and has a shuttle to the airport every 10 minutes or so. They say: that vinyl records grace the walls, and an urban style permeates the air. And it sounds like the newly-renovated Renaissance Los Angeles Airport Hotel is a good base at a good price. Inside, you get access to their fitness center, an outdoor pool, and even a club lounge. However, recent reviews (April 2019) say the pool is closed, so the amenities are not always as they seem. Check with the hotel that it is open before you book if you intend to use the pool.
If you get access to the club lounge, expect breakfast and evening canapes, but the canapes are a little on the cheap side with store-bought tortilla chips and canned salsa. The facilities and lounge are of a much lower standard than the Marriott or Sheraton. If you are a Gold or Platinum Bonvoy member, you can take free breakfast in the Executive Lounge, Monday through Friday, from 6:00 – 9:00 am. On the weekends, the lounge is closed, but you can grab a breakfast voucher at the front desk to be redeemed in the restaurant.
4.Westin LAX
The Westin at LAX has a reasonable club lounge located on the top floor of this airport hotel. The Westin Executive Club Lounge has everything you need to make your stay more productive, including complimentary wireless High-Speed Internet Access, computer workstations, access to business news, and Starbucks® coffee available 24 hours a day. If you book a Westin executive club room, enjoy exclusive access. Note that breakfast is served Monday through Friday mornings, and hors d’oeuvres are served Monday through Thursday evenings. The lounge is open Saturday and Sunday 7:00 – 10:30 am, but dont expect much in the way of food and drink on weekends.
The Westin is not a great choice when it comes to sleep, with complaints of dogs barking on lower floors and shuttles reportedly irregular, with 40-minute waits reported on flyertalk.com. On the bright side, the bar is good for dinner and drinks.
5. Four Points at LAX
This hotel has a free LAX shuttle that comes every 10 minutes or so (note the better the hotel, the more regular the shuttle, except the Crowne Plaza below, which has been reported to have very sporadic shuttles). The hotel itself is not noteworthy and can be best described as pleasant, having reasonably priced rooms and no club lounge. The rooms are fine in size and slightly dated. There is a pool you can access and a gym. You get what you pay for at this Bonvoy hotel.
6. Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey
Beyond the confines of the LAX grounds and perimeter, you will find Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, is hands down the best LAX Bonvoy airport hotel. It is actually around 5 minutes drive away. The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey is a dreamy, sparkling oasis of waterfront boats and tropical foliage, and yet it is superbly convenient for the airport. Currently, there isn’t a shuttle that runs between the LAX and the hotel. However, Uber will cost approximately $20 USD, and a Taxi will cost approximately $25 USD. In fact, this hotel is not only the best LAX airport hotel but is also probably the best luxury hotel with the best club lounge in Los Angeles.
This authentic Southern California retreat is located on one of the largest recreational marinas in the world. Immerse yourself in stunning coastal surroundings in one of their 304 waterfront guest rooms and suites, relax at Sisley Spa, farm-to-table dining at Cast & Plow or exercise on the tennis and basketball courts or in their gorgeous heated saltwater pool. Nearby, the Strand provides a scenic pathway for walking, running, and cycling, while the marina is a top destination for water activities.
Book a Club Level Guest Room and enjoy partial Marina and city views, personal “Juliet” balconies, expansive windows and doors for enhanced vistas and light, luxurious Asprey bath essentials and exclusive Club Lounge access with complimentary food and beverage presentations throughout the day, more than enough to fill you up.
The most luxurious hotels in Los Angeles are not at the airport and include the Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles At Beverly Hills, The NoMad Hotel Los Angeles, InterContinental Los Angeles Century City, Mr. C Beverly Hills, SLS Beverly Hills, Terranea Resort, The Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey, Hotel Bel-Air, Dorchester Collection, The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills, Viceroy L’Ermitage Beverly Hills, Shutters on the Beach, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, Fairmont Miramar Hotel & Bungalows, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills.
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