Los Angeles - Conrad LA, The LAKERS, GRAMMY MUSEUM, AND MORE
Last weekend, I went on a trip to Los Angeles.
When people asked me if it was a trip for leisure or business, it made me think. I feel like the answer was both.
I was a Delta Skymiles Silver member and so close to earning Gold Status that I needed just one more trip to get me to the next shiny status tier which I had to reach in 2024. I also love to travel and wanted to enjoy a few travel perks before the end of the year. Namely:
The unlimited visits to the Delta Sky Club that I have as a Delta Reserve cardholder which will be significantly reduced next year to just 15 visits in 2025. (Didn’t hit that $75,000 purchase threshold for unlimited visits - and that’s okay with me for now.)
Hilton Honors Gold Member benefits like an upgraded room and hotel/resort credits.
I also had some additional opportunities for consideration:
A $250 travel credit through my Delta Reserve credit card for Hilton stays at a Waldorf Astoria, Conrad, & LXR - US and Select Global Hotels and Resorts after spending $1,250 or more. This had to be redeemed by November 11, 2024.
An exclusive invitation from Hilton to receive a $150 resort credit each night for staying at one of the brand’s luxury properties. (Important to note: I later learned on day two of my stay that I would not be receiving the Hilton Honors Gold Member $25 food and beverage credit per registered guest which disappointed me. I’ll share more in the LA Experience section of this post.)
My Travel obsession pastime
Now, I enjoy luxury travel which I have just started to really experience within the past year or two. You can read more about my travel pastime in this post and how this really developed from a young age.
How did I decide where to go?
I had flexibility on my travel destination and could choose to go anywhere in the world (also keeping in mind my travel offers, invitations, and benefits), but I knew that I wanted to travel within the U.S. for this trip and to a place that I really wanted to go. By the way, I was going solo and only had to figure out plans for 1 of 1, so that helped.
I have an affinity for Los Angeles—the fashion, arts, culture, entertainment hub, weather, and coastal vibe are a huge draw for me. I first visited there with my family as a pre-teen/teenager in the ‘90s (our college campus visit then was UCLA—I discuss this association more in “My Travel Obsession Pastime” article). I returned to LA for visits as an adult in 2014 and 2018, respectively. In 2014, I was invited to speak at a church youth conference, and in 2018, I attended (actually, I won a ticket to) the now defunct United State of Women (USOW) Summit which amplified issues at the intersection of gender and racial justice as well as galvanized leaders to drive policy and culture change. For the latter visit, I went to LA with a friend plus did some sightseeing and caught up with family members in the area. At various points throughout my adult life, I have also considered living in LA. So, I was itching for a chance to return and this seemed like the perfect opportunity.
For my 2024 trip, I did some research on flexible dates and prices for Delta and Hilton within the timeframe needed and found that November 9-12, 2024 (Saturday-Tuesday) worked for me and showed lower prices—I’m not sure if it was because it was around the election or Veterans Day (I’m not a Veteran), but hey, I was just glad to see it. I secured a Main Cabin round-trip flight from BWI (Baltimore Washington International - my preferred airport) to LAX (Los Angeles International Airport) for $356. Additionally, Conrad in Downtown LA was running $499 per night these dates for the base room—a Deluxe One King Bed—which included the Hilton invitation luxury resort credit of $150 per night. Bingo! I booked it on October 7 - less than four weeks out.
But still, I was on the fence about going on this trip, vacillating even 24 hours before departure. Did I really need it now? —like need to spend the money on this trip that I could be saving or putting towards something else to, even with the great deals I received? I gotta say, even though $499 per night [with the $150 resort credit, remember] is very reasonably priced—even low—for the Conrad LA, and any Hilton five star luxury property for that matter, it was still pretty pricey for me going solo at this point in my life. However, I did my comparative research to other hotels in the area—mainly Hilton’s four star properties, throughly read the reviews, and considered the resort credit as well as my other benefits.
Clearly, you know by this point, I decided to go to LA. [Spoiler Alert: I had an amazing time!]
Getting There
My Delta app letting me know that I arrived in LA.
I had a 6 a.m. flight from BWI to LAX. Early, but I made it. As a traveler who typically makes it to most places right on time, I have all—or at least most—of the identification things that help make travel most efficient and comfortable: Global Entry, TSA Precheck, CLEAR (at least for now), Delta app check in and facial verification. You name it, I try to get it. So, literally, from the time I parked my car at an airport lot (I think I parked about 4:42 a.m.; pushing it, I know), it took me a total of 17 minutes to get from my car through TSA even with a shuttle ride. Praise God that there weren’t hardly any lines at the airport check in—I always check a bag.
My layover was in Minneapolis.
Delta upgraded my seats from Main Cabin to Comfort Plus on both flights to LAX, as well as my return flight from Minneapolis to BWI [3 of the 4 flight legs—Thanks!].
I made it to Delta Sky Clubs in both Minneapolis and LA, which had a steady stream of other flyers coming in and going out, but was nice. I didn’t have long layovers (a little over an hour) so it was just time enough to enjoy the experiences and refreshments, as well as take a breather, before boarding my next flight.
My baggage arrived pretty quickly at LAX and on I went on to begin my trip.
The LA Experience
LAX — Conrad LA
I took Lyft to and from LAX which cost $55-70 each way including a tip for the drivers.
I reserved a Lyft Extra Comfort ride through the app right when I received my baggage but wondered why no driver was picking up my request initially. After all, I have a really high customer rating from drivers. About 20 minutes later, I found out why.
LAX has a shuttle bus to a general rideshare area. This process took at least another 30-45 minutes of waiting and really close proximity with others before accessing my ride. People using rideshare black car service can get picked up curbside at LAX—at the time Lyft was quoting around $110-$150 to the hotel one way; however, any other "rideshare rider” (is that the right term?) has to use shuttle buses to go to another site a few miles away from the airport designated for rideshare pickup. Thankfully, I was at the first stop for one of the shuttle buses so there was no one on the bus when I got on and I was able to store my rather larger suitcase in the rack area easily, but boy, did it get crowded after a couple more stops. Everyone waiting at the next stops was not able to make it on that bus; I don’t know how much longer they had to wait.
Video: Me | LAX Photo Credit: Jeremy Bezanger/Unsplash
The Lyft drivers definitely knew that it was going to take me at least another 25 minutes for me to get from the terminal to the rideshare area and they don’t seem to respond until closer. By the way, the rideshare area is a kind of lackluster lot with numbered rows and general outdoor [covered] waiting areas—nothing special but it meets the goal. I didn’t notice anyone working these areas as I’ve seen in Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson Airport rideshare area and Las Vegas’ Harry Reid Airport rideshare area. The employees may have been there and I didn’t see them. At any rate, once I arrived at the correct pick up spot, my driver arrived about 10 minutes later; not long at all.
The Lyft airport rides earned me Delta miles and I was able to access some Lyft pricing promos. Conrad LA was about 19 miles from the airport, and it took 28-31 minutes to get there once I actually made it into the car. Thank God I had nice, excellent drivers who knew how to get through LA traffic.
Before I arrived, while I was doing my research for the trip, I learned that Conrad LA can schedule private airport transfers for guests. I called the concierge to inquire and I believe he said that it was $350 each way. Honestly, I tuned out when I realized it was too much for me. After my trip, I must say that I better understood why the price is what it is.
I also researched the FlyAway bus from LAX for about $10 per ride but decided that rideshare was my best option.
Conrad LA - Intro & Check-in
Pulling up to Conrad LA, I was greeted by Julius, a kind and courteous bellman from New Orleans, who made sure that I was thoroughly informed about the new property. Although I was on the West Coast, it was nice to encounter his southern hospitality.
Conrad LA is a newer property in Downtown LA surrounded by art, music, and culture. It opened in 2022. There are articles and reviews about it in several sources including a few that I read in Forbes Travel Guide, The Points Guy, and Conde Naste Traveler, as well as TripAdvisor and Google. I also watched a few social videos for a visual idea about the property.
The hotel is in the heart of LA’s downtown area and definitely feels very much like a nice hotel in a bustling city. I loved the modern decor and architecture, plush furniture, throughout the hotel as well as the technological advancements all controlled with the touch of a button. The cleanliness was also apparent. Baby, I slept so well on that bed and comfortable sheets and pillows too, which are all very important for me!
Upon check-in, as a Hilton Gold Honors Member, I was upgraded to Premium View One King Bed Room on the 17th floor. Yes! In fact, the room views were so premium with such large windows that I had a bird’s eye view of people arriving and waiting for the Wicked Movie Los Angeles Premiere at the neighboring Dorothy Chandler Pavilion on Saturday, November 9. I had no idea this was taking place before I came and just happened to hear fans screaming sporadically when their favorite celebrity arrived. When, I looked outside of the window, I saw the very distinct Wicked Film Premiere celebrity carpet set up with illuminated pops of pink and green, people standing outside, and eventually the black executive cars and SUVs pulling up to drop off the premiere’s esteemed guests. While the fans’ screams did not bother me at this time and it was pretty quiet throughout my trip (thank God!), I also recognized that activities occurring outside of the hotel may present a noise control issue for guests inside of their hotel rooms.
Premium Views of DTLA and beyond from a 17th Floor Premium View Room overlooking the Disney Concert Hall.
Destination Fee
Conrad LA has a $35 Daily Mandatory Destination Charge which includes: Premium guest internet access; daily $15 food and beverage credit; house car use; Conrad Spa dry sauna & tea blending bar; in-lobby premium coffee; RunGo app access for trails; PressReader access. I made sure to use as much of this as I could.
The house car is first-come-first served, cannot be reserved, and is driven by one of the employees. It also only includes transportation to the destination within two miles of the hotel; it does not include the return trip. Thankfully, I was able to request the house car—a blue Tesla sedan with white leather interior—for two trips and didn’t wait longer than 15-20 minutes for use. It is very nice.
I also tried the coffee station which sat in a hallway corner near the elevators to rooms and adjacent to the main lobby area. It was pretty standard with tea and coffee options and an assortment of condiments for use. I liked that they had a milk alternative option available.
Amenities
I took advantage of various amenities including the spa, fitness center, room service, and I tried both restaurants onsite—Agua Viva (which changed names to “Alto” right after I left) and San Laurel. Didn’t make it to the pool - too cool for me, but I heard that it’s heated. I also walked through the Beaudry Room cocktail indoor area which seemed consistently occupied with guests and visitors in the evenings throughout my stay.
Spa - Conrad Spa had nice aspects but was not impressive to me. The front area has a glow illuminating through the glass windows and a beautiful visual presentation—these were nice, but from there the spa became pretty standard. In walking down dimly lighted hallway, I found the relaxation room to be small which is not always bad, but I thought that the space would be larger. The locker room which holds the sauna was not much different that the one at my local gym; now I go to a nice gym, but it’s still not much different with towels offered and various toiletries available, except much smaller. I also found that the atmosphere wasn’t really relaxing—a woman was talking on her phone in the sauna, two other women had a conversation filled with drama in the “relaxation room,” and I even placed a call to Hilton while I was in the locker room prior to my appointment (right before this, I was informed that I wouldn’t receive the Gold Honors Member food and beverage credit due to the luxury resort credit so I had a difficult time relaxing; I discuss more about this experience a few sections below.) Perhaps, this is a quality of being the city and still conducting day-to-day activities. On a positive note, I received the 60 minute "I Am Love” massage and my male masseuse - Angeles - did a wonderful job getting through the tension, taking special care and attention to detail with colorful commentary. The massage was $273 which included gratuity. There were also tasty refreshments of infused water, chewy ginger candies, and party mix which I nibbled on after my massage in the relaxation room (I made sure to eat as much of it as I could). The spa personnel were accommodating. Overall, based on the Conrad LA advertisements and reviews, I expected more. I thought that the spa facility would be larger, more serene, and offer more amenities. Last year, I visited The Spa and Salon at Aria in Las Vegas - a Forbes Five Star Spa - and it was magnificent, so maybe my expectations were too high for Conrad LA. I definitely didn’t get oasis vibes. It was more like maintenance vibes.
Fitness Center - Now, the fitness center was nice. It’s on the 8th Floor, one floor below the spa. There are picturesque large window views showcasing signature Conrad lettering and up-to-date TechnoGym equipment and technology. I didn’t feel like I was tucked in a cramped space at all and when I visited on a Tuesday between 9-10 a.m. I mainly had the entire fitness center to myself with the exception of another person exercising briefly, a hotel employee or two checking the space, or the casual people coming in to tour the area. For the most part, it was clean and operating well. Plenty of bottled water, dry and cold scented towels (my favorite!) available, disinfectant wipes (really important to me), as well as water refilling stations, and large green apples; although my only gripe was that someone took the last apple before I could get to it.
Fitness Center Tour
Made it on the treadmill!
Restaurants - First, let me say this—with Conrad LA’s restaurants being curated by Jose Andres, I expected them to be really delicious. I live in the DMV area, and have visited Zaytinya in Washington, DC which was so good. I’ll just let you know up front—his LA-based restaurants did not disappoint. Agua Viva (now called, “Alto”) was wonderful. It is open-air as advertised and the receptionists were on point. I just saw that it’s now only available exclusively as a private event venue. So glad I was able to experience it before this change. On Saturday night, I met a friend who lives in LA there and we had light appetizers of the guacamole and crab fritters which cost a little over $60 with a tip. We were so glad that we were able to eat there because initially we were told that the restaurant was fully committed; thankfully, we were able to dine at a table after a large party canceled. Loved the heaters outdoors which provided some warmth as the evening breeze came in and sun went down.
I returned to Agua Viva for brunch on Sunday, and ordered the tzatziki with pita bread, a egg-white lobster omelette, side salad, and mimosa. All fresh, delicious, and prepared correctly with good, attentive customer service. Cost $106 with tip. A bit crowded but it was nice to have a table overlooking the downtown area. On Monday evening, I tried San Laurel. I had a great server who kindly and respectfully explained the Spain meets California flavorful menu to me and the specialities to a tee. I ordered the lubina, grilled squash, vermicelli mac and cheese, basque style “burnt” cheesecake (tarta de queso), with a scoop of refreshing mint ice cream, and had a glass of red wine. The lubina was cooked to crispy perfection with sweet and olive oil dipped piquillo confit, mojo verde and mojo rojo as a such fitting compliments. Everything else was light and fresh but filling. The burnt cheesecake tasted smoky, rich, smooth, and creamy. Unfortunately, the vermicelli mac and cheese was not for me. The dish filled with Fideuá pasta, Idiazábal cheese, seasonal mushrooms, egg yolk sauce, crispy shallots had too much going on for my taste. I tried and wanted to like it; but this definitely confirmed my loyalty to southern soul food mac and cheese.
Room Service - This was pretty convenient; although quite expensive. My first day, I ordered a salad with grilled chicken and lemon vinaigrette which came to nearly $50 and later for dessert, I had flan with a scoop of guava ice cream and a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side which neared another $50 ($46.60). Sure was tasty though. Took about 30 minutes to arrive after ordering. The tray pick-up call button was super accommodating and Conrad employees responded rather quickly - I liked that!
Elevator Malfunction - The Sunday of my trip (November 10), while I was on my way to the valet area after requesting the house car, one of the elevators malfunctioned with me and two employees—Daisy and Bryan—on it. We were going down to the valet area, making small talk, and the elevator jolted, then stopped for about five minutes. We abruptly stopped to brace ourselves looking at one another like, "'What just happened?". They hit the emergency button several times but no one answered. I was the only person with my phone, so Daisy asked if she could use it to call help, and miraculously as she was dialing, the elevator began moving again to our destination. We were all so grateful. As we got off the elevator, we noticed guests waiting to use it, and they began to try and close as well as dissuade them from taking that elevator until inspected, as I waited for the house car to continue my journey. Eventually, Bryan ended up taking me to my destination (The Grammys Museum at LA Live) in the house car and said that had never happened before. I just want to say that they both remained very calm and professional throughout the stalled situation.
***About the $150 luxury resort credit + no Hilton Honors Gold Member F&B credit - So, the $150 luxury resort credit covered spa services and food and beverages (F&B) at the Conrad LA. On the second day of my stay - yes day two - I was super disappointed to learn from the front desk that I would not be able to give me my $25 Hilton Honors Gold Member food and beverage credit benefit per night in addition to the $150 resort credit I paid for, as well as the $15 food and beverage credit I also paid for with the destination fee. I did not see this specifically indicated in the fine print of the promotion. After speaking with a Hilton representative via phone and the Conrad LA front desk, I was told “the $150 credit was so much.” Yet, as you can see by now from my post, while the food was really delicious, the meals at the hotel were expensive! The Sunday brunch meal I had for one person at this property cost me $106, so the credit didn’t extend far at all. Even the Conrad LA front desk representatives were surprised that I could not receive the F&B credit as a Hilton Gold Honors member since I booked my reservation directly through the Hilton site. Although this was their first time seeing a guest with the luxury credit, they said that they have seen guests use other credits and still be able to use their member benefits. Before coming here, I also read an article where a travel writer had a $100 benefit per night and was still able to use her Hilton member food and beverage benefits as well. The day of massage, I paid $273 for 60 minutes. That day was also the $106 brunch, so the luxury credit didn’t even cover half of my on-site purchases that day, and I am one person. The luxury credit barely covered a meal for me as one person, so it would be a joke for two people. To say I was highly disappointed was an understatement. Couldn’t help but to feel a bit baited and switched, or at least that this exclusion wasn’t clear. I needed all of the credits I could get to stay there (haha)! I sent an email to Hilton on Monday, November 11 to express my disappointment, and still have not received a response as of today (shaking my head).
Safety and Security - Thankfully, as a single woman I felt safe throughout my stay at the Conrad LA. I walked back from Grand Central Market up a steep hill, whew, but found the hotel easily and the Concierge reps were always very informative.
LA Activities
Throughout my time in LA, I chose to go to the Grammy Museum, LA Lakers vs. Toronto Raptors NBA game at Crypto.com Arena, and visit Grand Central Market which several people recommended for a good variety of eats. The Conrad LA house car was my transportation to LA Live (which is the area of the museum and arena). I took Lyft Black back to the hotel. I also used the house car to get to Grand Central Market and walked back to the hotel.
I really enjoyed the Grammy Museum! And baby, they had a special exhibit commemorating 50 years of Hip Hop which I loved! I danced, I rapped (amateurish and poorly-but I had fun), I reminisced, I spinned on the 1s and 2s (turntables), I smiled, I laughed, I learned, and took in the engaging scenes and interactive exhibits about the evolution of a music genre I grew up on and respect so much. As a PhD Communicator with interests in culture, fashion, race, gender, African Americans, and visual representations, I greatly appreciated and enjoyed the researchers’ and curators’ efforts to compile various, significant artifacts for the exhibit. And, the rest of the Grammy Museum didn’t disappoint me either. Yes, it’s small but packs a mighty cultural punch if you’re open to it. The Latin Grammys tribute section had me salsa dancing in the hallways. I reveled in the classic Michael Jackson apparel, artifacts, and the “Thriller” video explanations by key insightful people. It also was really fun to see the costumes and instruments that make up this genre of Latin Music. The iconic photos capturing distinct moments of music history. There were so many other facets of the museum I enjoyed in a two-hour span, included sitting in the Clive Davis theater watching iconic Grammys Performances. The only regret I have is that I came just before the Luther Vandross exhibit started.
Grammys outfits/attire worn by hip hop artists, Melle Mel, Andre 3000, Kanye West, Eminem, and LL Cool J.
Latin Grammy Performers/Attendees Fashion/Attire
And, as for the Lakers game — about two weeks after I booked my LA trip, I was researching things to do the weekend of my visit, and was able to find a single seat, in a favorable section for a pretty reasonable price - $208, to a game between the Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors on Sunday, November 10. I was so excited to go to this game! As the daughter of a basketball coach and lover or culture, I felt like I was experiencing a dynasty of greatness, which is true. The various statues of Lakers Greats outside of the arena. The sights, the sounds. Seeing the legacy (and miracle) of Lebron James and his son, Bronny James, on the same team—remarkable. My first visit to LA as a preteen/teenager, my dad took me to the Staples Center to see the LA Sparks when Lisa Leslie was playing. Although, this was the NBA and not the WNBA, it still felt like a meaningful moment and was definitely fun. I decided to get an arena hot dog with garlic fries + chips and it was greasy, good, and worth it; although, I did not eat the crispy bun. And, I got a great seat right next to the Lakers tunnel + a free Lakers hat upon entry!
I didn’t have enough time to fully experience LA Live (i.e. restaurants, shops, etc.). I planned just enough time to get from the Grammy Museum to the arena as soon as the doors opened for the game (a very short walk). Definitely seemed pretty bustling though.
And, Grand Central Market on that Monday (Veterans Day) was filled with people and had so many vendors to choose from! I did my research ahead of time and knew that I wanted to try the fried oysters at Broad Street Oyster Co. , a sub from Ghost Sando (veggie with turkey added), and as a bonus when I arrived, I decided to try a vegan sugar cookie Fat + Flour, and pineapple fruit juice from La Fruteria. Everything was really good! I will say that the oysters I desired so much were actually my least favorite; not that they weren’t good, but I live in the Baltimore, Maryland area which is well-known for some of the best seafood, and I also grew up in Hampton Roads, Virginia, so it’s hard to compare and beat our seafood. I might also be biased (haha).
what’s the final verdict?
So, back to the initial question in this post: was this a trip for leisure or business? Ultimately, I ended up saying it was for leisure, but I also felt like the trip had purpose associated with it.
Yes, getting my travel points, which allowed me to achieve Delta Gold Member Status as a result! (Double Yes!)
No, I didn’t have any blaring business opportunities presented causing me to go to LA. I was also open to any personal or professional opportunities or connections that may arise; as a form of expectation or anticipation for God to show up in my life. And, perhaps the God opportunity was just doing something amazing for myself. Honestly, there were a few times in this trip were I wondered, how am I doing all of this [traveling] by myself? Then, I moved on.
You know the 2028 Olympics will be in LA, right?! I was super stoked about that announcement. Maybe I’ll get to go back then.
Hopefully, the long-term effect of this trip is good too. It sure was a fantastic, memorable experience.
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