POOL AT THE W HOTEL, LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA

I read somewhere that much like the Downtown Standard, the pool at the W Hotel in Westwood is open to the public. I had planned to bring my kids next week for a re-do of our Downtown Standard fiasco.

But when I called the hotel to check, I was told that while the pool is open to the public, non hotel guests must rent a cabana–$150 during the week and $200 on weekends. I don’t really consider cabana rental “open to the public,” especially since you can rent cabanas without staying at a number of properties including The Avalon in Beverly Hills, The Viceroy, SLS, and more. Yes, $150 is cheaper than a night at most of these places, but in some cases and off-season, not by much and certainly not what “open to the public” means to most of us.

Since I’d already done some research and collected photos, I think they’re worth sharing:

Here’s what the W says about their pool: “Step outside to The Backyard and WET, the perfect escape from the sprawling city. Sip and savor under the sun, take a dip in the pool or retreat to an airy cabana surrounded by lush botanicals in this ultimate Los Angeles hideaway.”

Online reviews say the pool is nice, but a little small, and, that of all the W’s in the world, this one is the most family-friendly. (Why does the image of “all the W’s in the world” make me smile so much? Like I’m watching a Sesame Street sketch where one animated W is handing out diapers, Lunchables and Leap Pads, while a hundred others are hanging out smoking crack, cursing like sailors and spiking the juice boxes?)

They screen movies by the pool at the W some Sunday nights and while a few people say the bar can turn into a bit of a scene on weekends, its nothing like the Hollywood location. In fact if you are a family staying at the W in Hollywood, they will send you here to use the pool.

Here’s the absolute best part of my research: The WET Pool becomes CHILL Ice Skating Rink, November through January. Now that we are going to have to check out!