Gramercy Place — Hotel in Los Angeles

Let's start with the many positives. It's very very clean and that's due to the hard work and attention to detail of the professional cleaning crew. I've been to other hostels/AirBnBs in LA and they are flat out gross. I very much appreciated the cleaning crew's friendliness and efforts. This is the only reason they don't get a worse rating. Please tip!

Another pro is the location as it's easy to reach the Westside and DTLA even during rush hour. The building is beautifully maintained and the quads are spacious with convenient en suite bathrooms (keep an eye out for the racoons!). A new set of towels/bedding always available upon request. There's plenty of common areas to "hang out" and b/c of cable, you can choose from many movies.

The rates are low, most likely b/c this is a rent-controlled unit. All wifi/utilities included and dorms are fully furnished. Kitchen's fully equipped and guests often leave their unwanted foods/staples once they leave. Washers/dryers in the building, which is unique for K-town.

The cons are also numerous. It's not a "home away from home," not even close. The management, which tends to favor ethnic men, allows terrible guests to stay on a long-term basis and refuses to take people's complaints against them seriously. This has happened frequently. For example, one cranky and nasty Indian senior who constantly complained about other people's mess in the kitchen but doesn't actually clean anything himself, is also one books the most expensive single room during his stays and takes management to eat out. His complaints against others, no matter how trivial, will be heeded. Another older ex-Marine had a habit of sexually harassing women there for months. Despite repeated complaints, management refused to expel him. He's no longer there but I'm not sure what the "final straw" was. Management likes to defend the general "culture" of the semi-hostel. By "culture," they mean the constant weed-smoking, illegal fireworks in the backyard, and people allowing homeless friends or sex partners into the rooms, then by all means, please preserve it.

The parking situation is horrendous. Again, Management knows about this but doesn't have any long-term solutions. Ironically, it's people with cars who work and who are most likely to stay long term.

The area is on the edge of West Adams and considered the "ghetto." So if you're female, men will catcall you when you walk down the street. There are a group of men who constantly hang out in the parking lot of the dollar store. No idea. The Ethiopian/Oaxaca food here...

My first time through Gramercy Place was during 2014's unusually warm fall and into the likewise overheated winter. When I arrived it wasn't unusual to find someone had slept outside, outback, rather than in their room. Not a bad thing (people were very polite), just setting the time.

The facility is well-kept and looked-after by a squad of ladies and two men. The tag-team leadership felt as approachable & efficient as a hotel. Housekeeping is silently everywhere doing everything and not in the way (during posted hours).

The common-areas are large and saturated with Wi-Fi and outlets. There's one terminal available for those without laptop or mobile-device and I was very surprised at how busy it actually was (°.°). Reservations nearly required, jk.

I shared a comfortable four-person room, with two sturdy bunk beds and a sizeable area between them. There was an abundance of storage space in our key-code, protected room.

The bathrooms are cleaned daily and the kitchens (upstairs & down) are large and stocked with pots, pans, containers, utensils, napkins, some seasonings and coffee. Yes, coffee. Drink up!

There is 24 hour key-code access into and around the facility.

A few noticeable downside of staying at Gramercy Place:

LOCATION. Parking isn't impossible but you must pay attention to where you park. Read the signs -- Accept the signs. If not you will be ticketed, you will be towed.

[Good News! There is decent, safe spots to lock a few bikes on the facility grounds];

NOISE. The spot isn't quiet until late, late nights and that can often be interrupted by sirens responding to the plethora of hospices within earshot;

HELICOPTERS: For some reason, Gramercy Place is DIRECTLY underneath a VERY POPULAR, nearly 24 hours-a-day, helicopter path. If you can get used to it, and we all seem to, you'll only notice it if it interrupts your conversation. True story (òÓ,).

Sundays the entire...

How do I sum up my time at Gramercy? Kellie and Sheila (or, as people would often confuse them, Shellie and Keila) are welcoming and warm. They're like great hosts at a place where you're trying to get your life together.

The hostel (or shared living environment, if you prefer) is located in an area which is, admittedly, not the safest in the city, but the building itself is safe an secure. There's an industrial kitchen, WiFi, a TV room, a back patio (my favorite area), and rooms that are functional and clean.

I'd better end this review before I go off on a tangent. Don't hesitate to stay at Gramercy! If you're a young female, try to have a person or two accompany if you're going to walk...