InterContinental Los Angeles Century City

Neat landscaping and plenty of palm trees surround the towering Intercontinental. A seven-tier wedding-cake chandelier hangs over an outdoor seating area and dominates the hotel’s entryway, and a glass revolving door opens onto the expansive lobby. In the foyer, a large table serves as a showcase for the day’s elaborate flower arrangements. The lobby is standard upmarket hotel fare, with beige marble floors and columns and tufted couches. But rugs with bright geometric designs and pink and purple neon tubes under the mezzanine add a bit of flair. The restaurant, Mari, and the Copper Lounge bar follow the same lines. The space is lightened up with white seating against white walls, while tray ceilings are rimmed in dashes of neon. Outside, the carefully tended grounds feature seating areas and even hammocks, though it’s hard to imagine any of these see much use with the business-oriented clientele that stay here.

The hotel is located in Century City, a major commercial district that's home to the headquarters of many TV and movie networks. It is just off Avenue of the Stars, and near the CAA talent agency, MGM, and Fox. It's a seven-minute drive to Beverly Hills, and a 22-minute drive to the sights on Hollywood Boulevard.- Seven-minute drive to upscale shops on Rodeo Drive

• 15-minute drive to the bars and clubs of the Sunset Strip
• 18-minute drive to Santa Monica beach
• 18-minute drive to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
• 20-minute drive to the Museum of Contemporary Art
• 20-minute drive to the L.A. Live Center, home to the Staples Center and Microsoft Theater
• 22-minute drive to Grauman's Chinese Theater and Hollywood Boulevard
• 25-minute drive to Universal Studios theme park
• 25-minute drive to Dodger Stadium
• 45-minute drive to the Griffith Observatory

As an upscale property, the Intercontinental checks all the boxes. The spacious rooms -- the smallest is 425 square feet -- are light and modern, done up in gradations of gray and beige. Gold-striped bolster pillows and Lucite lamps add glamorous touches, but on the whole the decor isn't memorable. What is remarkable, however is the rooms' outdoor space. Every room has a balcony or terrace, many with spectacular views of LA all the way to the ocean (though some terraces lack privacy). As expected, given its business clientele, each room has a work desk with a white faux-leather chair. Most have separate living rooms, with clean-lined leather couches and chairs as well. Amenities are another high point: Every room has at least one 42-inch flat-screen TV with cable, as well as an iPod dock. In-room safes are large enough to fit a laptop and come with charging stations. All rooms come with Keurig coffeemakers, minibars, and irons and ironing boards; mini-fridges and microwaves are available on request. The free daily newspaper is thoughtful, but the daily fee for in-room Wi-Fi is irritating at this price point. Large bathrooms have granite sinks and separate rainfall showers and soaking tubs. All come with signature Intercontinental robes and slippers and Agraria Lemon Verbena toiletries. 

Among the host of attractive features and services offered at the Intercontinental, the free car service is probably the guests’ favorite. The service is limited to a one-and-a-half-mile radius of the hotel, but that’s far enough to reach shopping and dining options, and given the hotel’s high fees for valet parking, it’s a valuable perk. The on-site restaurant, Mari, and the Copper Lounge bar are convenient options when you don’t feel like going out again, but neither draws people from outside the hotel. The Zen-inspired spa offers facials, massages, and a full menu of spa services. It’s not the prettiest pool in LA, but the Intercontinental’s outdoor pool and whirlpool area is large with plenty of lounge chairs to soak up the Southern California sun. The 24-hour fitness center, free to guests, has treadmills, cross-trainers, exercise machines, and plenty of free weights, plus great views of the city. The hotel offers concierge service, and the front desk is staffed 24 hours a day. The Intercontinental caters to businesspeople with two boardrooms, one ballroom, outdoor meeting space, conference rooms, and meeting rooms available for a fee; catering is also available. Pets under 20 pounds are welcome, but the one-time fee is high. And while Wi-Fi is free in the common spaces, a daily fee is charged for in-room Wi-Fi, which feels chintzy for a hotel in this category.