Kawada Hotel — Hotel in Los Angeles

If you encounter bed bugs in this hotel, file a complaint with the LA County Health Department. There are signs that this may be a broad, chronic issue here.

I experienced retaliation from this hotel after I reported being bitten by bed bugs in my room and presenting a live bed bug specimen. After discussing this with other guests passing through the lobby, two other separate parties also reported finding live bed bugs or telltale signs of them in their rooms on another floor.

Approximately 3hr after arrival, I awoke with a rash and itching all over my body. I initially thought it could be from laundry detergent, but I found websites explaining that bed bugs can cause this allergic reaction. I moved pillows and found a live bed bug crawling across the sheet. I captured this in packing tape and attached it to paper with a label, "do not discard." I inspected the room further to see if I could find additional bed bugs in hiding. I did not find others, but I did find that the mattress and box springs were wrapped in damaged bed bug isolation covers.

I took antihistamine to counter the allergy, and after that subsided I found three locations where I was bitten: back of neck, forearm, and along collar.

I discretely notified the front desk staff of the issue, and he moved me to a new room. The head housekeeper told me that I needed to move my belongings to this new room, but I was concerned that I would contaminate the new one. I wanted to also make sure that the staff contacted a proper bed bug management professional to inspect. The head housekeeper said, "don't tell me how to do my job," and they proceeded to do their own inspection.

I was asked to speak with the general manager who was confrontational the moment he walked in. He asked, "what is it that you want?," in an accusing manner like I had an ulterior motive. I explained that I simply wanted to help the hotel get this issue resolved so that other guests didn't also encounter them: bed bugs can spread in any hotel. His response: he told me he would refund my stay, I would leave the hotel, and if I didn't then he would call the police. This was completely unprovoked!

Not to be bullied, I told him to call the police, as the staff wouldn't return my property: the live bed bug specimen I captured with my tape and paper. While waiting for their arrival, I warned guests about my experience in the lobby (the staff HATED this and yelled at me 😁) and found the first guest experiencing bed bug droppings on his sheets. When the police arrived, the staff refused to produce the specimen I captured, saying that it had been discarded. The officer was friendly and told me I was welcome to warn others about the hotel from the public sidewalk, but I needed to vacate the lobby.

I spent a few hours staging a protest in front of their building, warning others of the bed bug risk. One couple I warned returned about 30 min later and told me they found a live bed bug under their fitted sheet based on searching after hearing my warnings. They said the staff was extremely rude to them, too, but they got a refund.

The staff HATED my protest and called the police on me again. The police arrived, went in, came out, and told me they informed the front desk staff that my protest was free speech, protected by the First Amendment. They said that I was welcome to carry on 🤣

Just spend a few dollars more and get a room elsewhere. The room they moved me to had a live roach nymph on the floor, and another person found ants...

I stayed at Kawada Hotel for three nights recently, and was happy with my stay. The hotel is located less than five minutes’ walk from two Metro rail stations, Civic Center / Grand Park Station and the brand-new Historic Broadway Station. Civic Center / Grand Park Station is only one stop from Union Station, so the hotel is easy to get to from there, and is a particularly good place for a stopover. From Union Station, you can catch the Flyaway Bus to and from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). The trains from Civic Center / Grand Park Station also run directly to Hollywood / Highland Station, where you can go to Hollywood Boulevard and the many tourist attractions there, such as the Walk of Fame. The trains from Historic Broadway Station run directly to Exposition Park and Downtown Santa Monica. ||The room I stayed in was fairly small, but comfortable, with a fridge, microwave oven, and desk. The hotel is good value for Downtown LA, but considerably nicer and more modern than another budget hotel I stayed at in the area. The hotel staff were courteous and helpful, including when I checked in, which was quite late in the evening, and when I needed to borrow an iron and ironing board. ||I find Downtown LA a rather odd and unnerving area at times, especially at night, mainly due to not many people being around, which is very unusual for a downtown/CBD area. However, Kawada Hotel is definitely in the nicer and somewhat busier part of Downtown LA. For example, it is very close to Grand Central Market, various Downtown LA tourist attractions such as The Broad, and a number of pubs and nightclubs. ||Overall, I was happy with my stay, and would definitely stay...

We lost everything in the Eaton Canyon Fire and this hotel was listed as one of the places offering a discount. Totally honest take: The discount was literally five dollars off, which seems a predatory way to drive business to the hotel during a time of crisis without offering anything meaningful to those in need, so shame on whoever made that call. BUT the staff was absolutely amazing. Our bed was much too small for two large men to sleep in but the front desk guy hooked us up with a king without batting an eye. So much gratitude to him. Though, keep in mind that is what the Ramada Inn was offering evacuees for 65 bucks (a discount of 50%). It was his ethical behavior that really helped us out. His kindness was what let us get a good night sleep after losing everything. Thanks bro! After we left we noticed we had left our last pair of prescription glasses in the hotel and were now in another city. The housekeeping staff was phenomenally sympathetic and helpful and quick to respond. Our glasses were overnighted and we had them the next day. Thank you so much to the kind and professional staff who offset a bad experience that started with an unethical bait and switch your bosses made with the discount. You have our sincere gratitude