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The newly renovated Westin LAX is more than an airport hotel

The newly renovated Westin LAX is more than an airport hotel

Airport hotels are primarily seen as business destinations. Travelers fly in from across the country or across the ocean, freshen up and get a good night’s sleep before their business meetings.

Or the hotel itself can be the business destination. The Westin Los Angeles Airport (Westin LAX) has 5,180 square meters of meeting space and is often used for MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) and other events.

But the Westin (a Marriott Bonvoy property) is also conveniently located to Los Angeles’ beach scene and entertainment venues like SoFi Stadium, so the hotel also sees significant numbers of social events and solo vacationers.

The hotel recently completed a $45 million renovation, which included a facelift to public spaces including the lobby, check-in desk and bar. The Westin Club is also new, serving complimentary breakfast, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages for Club Level members. The renovation also updated 56,000 square feet of flexible meeting space, as well as the 750 guest rooms.

The update has a “green” theme, with a nod to the El Segundo blue butterfly native to coastal Los Angeles County. The butterfly is featured in the carpet and there is a photo in every guest room.

Each updated guestroom also features bamboo bedding, which we found comfortable. In addition to being eco-friendly, sustainable, and antimicrobial, bamboo bedding is known to improve sleep thanks to temperature-regulating fibers with . This also ties into Westin’s Sleep Well program, as the property also offers a lavender essential oil turndown service.

The green theme also extends to the car park, where 45 charging points for electric vehicles have been installed. Many travelers make an effort to reduce their carbon footprint by renting an electric car or trying out an electric car before buying one.

While the hotel is located next to the airport, with a complimentary airport shuttle every 15 minutes, it is also within a 15-minute shuttle ride to the famous Los Angeles Beach Bike Path with easy bike or skate rentals and beaches such as Dockweiler, Playa Del Rey and El Segundo are all nearby. In fact, the Westin LAX now offers a dedicated surf concierge to take guests on a guided experience, navigating the best beaches, tide patterns and breaks near the hotel.

With a fitness room, swimming pool, bar and restaurant, the Westin also caters to leisure travelers and social events.

“Our $45 million renovation has transformed us into more than an airport hotel,” said Melanie Stroh, Director of Sales and Marketing at Westin LAX. “We are now a destination that caters to a diverse group of people, whether you are attending an event at SoFi or the Intuit Dome, planning a beach vacation, or hosting a meeting or group gathering.”

The hotel recently added a Topgolf Swing Suite, with 1,850 square feet of venue space. Groups can mingle, eat and drink while they judge their swings, hit a home run, kick a soccer ball, play Zombie Dodgeball or put the hockey sticks in the suite to good use. Those recovering from a long flight can also try it for $75 an hour. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, off-course golf is expected to be one of the fastest-growing sports in 2023, with a 67.5% growth rate.

The location makes it a central meeting place for social groups; the Westin hosted a group of 700 Freemasons when I visited. The hotel also has indoor and outdoor space for social events such as weddings and meetings. One room can hold up to 1,500 guests. The hotel also has a state-of-the-art Theater Room with a screen that can seat 200 guests in a classic “cinema” setting.

The Westin LAX is also less than four miles from the emerging sports and entertainment complex in nearby Inglewood, CA. That includes the 65,000-seat SoFi Stadium (home of the NFL Rams and Chargers), the 17,505-seat Kia Forum (primarily a concert venue) and the new 18,000-seat Intuit Dome (home of the NBA Clippers).

While the “people mover” that will ferry passengers around LAX has been delayed again, until Dec. 8, 2025, airport hotels like the Westin and their shuttles are also helping passengers get to and from LAX, one of the nation’s busiest airports.

Hotels like the Westin and their transportation partners like LA VIP Tours (motto: “No guest left behind”) also make it a lot easier to get to SoFi Stadium. SoFi, with an estimated 10,000 parking spaces for 65,000 people, is notoriously challenging for parking or rideshare access.

The LA Chargers, Rams and Clippers draw both local and opposing fans, who often travel from far away and need a place to stay nearby, like the Westin. Taylor Swift performed eight sold-out shows at SoFi last year, with over 450,000 ticket holders. It was no coincidence that those shows were also packed at the Westin.

SoFi and the Intuit Dome will also play a major role during the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“With SoFi Stadium, along with the soon-to-open Intuit Dome hosting headliners like Taylor Swift, the Rolling Stones and Usher, we are witnessing a trend where travelers are preferring to stay in the LAX corridor,” said Mark Goldrup, General Manager of the Westin LAX. “Our hotel, which is closest to this vibrant nightlife area and has full service, is quite busy during event nights.”

The comfortable rooms, easy access to the road and airport, and on-site dining make the Westin a great choice for concertgoers. Just as importantly, the Westin has helped guests navigate potential last-mile transportation nightmares.

For the Rolling Stones show, we were dropped off within a quarter mile of the stadium by a VIP bus full of raucous fans and picked up at a designated spot after the show. No hassle, no mess.

The day we stayed, the hotel staff did a smooth job managing almost 100 percent occupancy. The hotel lobby looked like a “little United Nations” with guests from all over the world.

The Westin staff supported 700 Masons at their convention, helping hotel guests check in while also directing Stones fans to the show. The mix was quite cordial, as well-dressed Masons and T-shirt-clad Stones fans mingled in the elevators and public areas.

It was a last-minute decision for us to see the Rolling Stones and their energetic 80-year-old frontmen Mick Jagger and Keith Richard. After all, it was our eighth Stone show. But staying at the Westin made it happen. Because as the song says, “This could be the last time.”