Among a glut of colorless generic airport hotels, L.A.’s Custom Hotel is a breath of fresh air.
Make no mistake — it’s still an airport hotel located in a charmless neighborhood 15 mins from LAX (not counting rental car return — for that add 1/2 hour).
But given that it’s part of the Joie de Vivre brand, there are nice touches like the sleek, stylish lobby, a poolside bar open in the evening, and Deck 33, a restaurant overlooking the postage stamp-sized pool that serves Pacific Rim cuisine.
Other JDV niceties include a “relaxation room” with a massage chair and a game room with Xbox Kinect. A multi-tiered sun deck features five cabanas and a fire pit, and there are two fitness centers, one for weights and one for cardio. There’s even an art gallery featuring the work of students from nearby Otis College of Art and Design
As with all of the JDV properties I’ve been to, Custom Hotel has a theme. Mid-century aviation is the motif here, with staff dressed in mod, 1960s airline-inspired outfits.
Guestroom amenities include free wifi, 300-thread count linens, and dual-paned windows (think airport proximity!) but perhaps the coolest feature is the controllable LED lighting system for color personalization. Each floor has a different color and graphic pattern and in the rooms, guests can personalize their room with a color-changing LED lighting system installed in the windows.
Custom, indeed.
Insider Tip
Custom Hotel offers complimentary shuttle service to and from LAX daily from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. Just call them when you arrive at baggage claim and have bags in-hand. For LAX drop-off, a shuttle runs every half hour on the hour and is based on availability.
Custom Hotel
8639 Lincoln Boulevard, Los Angeles, California
310-645-0400
Contributed by Lisa Dion of Friscomama. Photos courtesy of Joie de Vivre and Dan Dion.