DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Los Angeles Downtown

Unfortunately set against the downtown backdrop of high-rise office towers, bail-bond storefronts, and a visible homeless presence, the former New Otani hotel, a well-known, Japanese-owned property that catered to Japanese travelers for decades, is breaking from tradition. In October 2007, new owners (an American real estate development company) took over the vast, 21-story skyscraper with hopes of diversifying its already solid client base. And in 2009, they plunged into a massive makeover that finished in early 2010 . Then, again, in 2012 the hotel came under DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels and underwent a second series of renovations to public spaces and guestrooms.Everything changed: the furniture, light fixtures, murals, and floor coverings in the immense lobby; the 434 guest rooms; the circuitous hallways; the public spaces; the mezzanine-level fitness center; the front desk.The 2012 renovations introduced new business and fitness centers to the hotel, as well as improvements to public spaces and corridors, indoor and outdoor meeting spaces, its rooftop Japanese gardens, and 434 guest rooms. Guest rooms have retained some of the furniture from the 2010 overhaul, but as they were only two years old and in good condition, this is unsurprising. The biggest changes were definitely to the business and fitness centers, which feature new equipment in larger, brigther areas.The property lacks a pool, spa, and other bells and whistles, and the renovation didn't change that. Even with refurbished furniture and decor, it still would take the addition of a pool and a spa for the hotel to give nearby properties like the Omni or the Westin Bonaventure a real run for their money.

Service is efficient at best and adequate at worst; the staff certainly doesn't deliver any personal touches -- it's easy to feel anonymous in a property this big.- Room service from Azalea Restaurant available throughout the day

• No concierge desk
• Free shuttle service in shared van daily within a three-mile radius of the hotel (Staples Center, Walt Disney Concert Hall, and Los Angeles Convention Center, for example)
• Laundry and dry cleaning services

Spanning almost an entire city block in a somewhat bleak part of downtown -- bustling with office workers by day, eerily desolate at night, less than a mile from skid row -- the Kyoto Grand doesn't occupy a particularly enviable part of the neighborhood; and the energy inside the hotel can feel a bit lackluster. Those who prefer more ambient noise and nighttime action should check out the Standard Downtown or the Westin Bonaventure.- Six-and-a-half blocks to Walt Disney Concert Hall and Museum of Contemporary Art

• 10-minute drive to Staples Center
• 40- to 60-minute drive to Rodeo Drive/Beverly Hills in traffic
• 40-minute drive to Universal Studios in traffic
• 35-minute drive to Hollywood Boulevard/Grauman's Chinese Theatre in traffic
• 50- to 80-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• Valet and self-parking are pricey, both in adjacent garage

Updates in 2009, 2010 and 2012 brought Asian-inspired furnishings, red chenille throws, and drawer pulls reminiscent of Japanese pergolas. But while the rooms are comfortable, they don't quite achieve luxuriousness.- The standard rooms are a roomy 360 square feet (one king or two double-size beds); Suites average 750 square feet.

• Comfortable beds: new Serta mattresses with two-inch pillow-tops; lightweight cotton/poly duvet; soft and comfy Chelsea Collection sheets from Baltic
• Large flat-screen TV with HBO, HBO2, HBO Family, and an all-Japanese channel; pay-per-view movies available for rent
• iHome iPod dock/radio/alarm clock
• Sometimes slow in-room Wi-Fi is charged per day
• Mini-fridge, but no minibar; two one-liter Fiji water bottles (for a fee); disposable plastic cups only (no glasses)
• Mini-coffeemaker with CV1 Columbian Supremo coffee and Yamamotoyama green tea
• Safe big enough to hold laptop
• Danze showerhead with good water pressure
• Handicap accessible rooms available

Though a hotel of this scale should be almost entirely self-sufficient, there's a lot on the wish list -- a pool, for starters. The lobby ATM comes in handy, especially at night, when walking around the neighborhood isn't the smartest idea. A full-service spa used to occupy the 4th floor, but it's gone and wasn't replaced in the renovation. The fitness center, on the other hand, was revamped. For more amenities, plus a livelier environment, head to the nearby Westin Bonaventure, a sprawling complex with a large spa and an outdoor pool.- 500-square-foot fitness center on mezzanine level was renovated in 2012; four floor-to-ceiling windows face an interior hallway, but provide natural light.

• Renovated in 2012, the business center on lobby level with free use of three desktop terminals and a printer, shares space with a Sakura rental car desk
• Gift shop, galleries, and hair salon on lobby and mezzanine levels are leased out and open to the public
• ATM in lobby
• Meeting spaces and banquet halls
• Valet and self-parking, both in adjacent garage, are pricey

The DoubleTree Los Angeles Downtown hosts a fair number of families, which is unexpected for a downtown hotel without a pool, kids' program, or child-friendly restaurant.- Free cribs

• Rollaway beds are charged per night.
• 15 sets of connecting rooms
• Children's menu available at Azalea, which also offers high chairs for babies.

Hotel rooms received new beds, furniture, and decor in the major 2009/2010 renovation. With the 2012 renovation updating rooms (again), public spaces and corridors, indoor and outdoor meeting and event spaces, business and fitness centers, and its half-acre rooftop and Japanese gardens, the hotel is in tip-top shape. It is especially well-kept for a downtown hotel of its size.

Only one restaurant survived the 2012 renovations: Azalea. Serving contemporary California cuisine with some Asian inspirations, the fare is basic and healthy with a good amount of options. It is not a destination restaurant by any means, and guests looking for a bit of excitement should seek out some of L.A.'s more notable restaurants.- Azalea Restaurant cooks up the signature WakeUpDoubleTree Breakfast (buffet or a la carte), lunch, and dinner in a soaring space with lots of natural light.

• Room service from Azalea Restaurant available throughout the day
• The Rendezvous Lounge, in the center of the lobby, has bar and booth seating.