Fairmont Miramar Hotel

Noisy noisy noisy Staying in the hotel this weekend in the ocean tower and the extremely loud music noise coming from the outdoor nightclub/bar below (called Bungalow, which is part of the hotel complex) makes sleeping impossible. Complained to reception who said they will ask them to turn it down… but they also admitted 3-4 other guests had also complained earlier and yet still the music is incredibly loud. Apparently no other rooms available to move into - only suites, which they wouldn’t allow - so basically just grin & bear it. Appalling for a luxury hotel. Sleepless nights on Thursdays thru the entire weekend. Do not consider staying here.

Know Before You Go My college philosophy professor described a city in decay as a chaotic place with garbage in the streets but really tasty food. Well, imagine the Fairmont Miramar as that city in decay...My husband and I stayed there for 5 days in June 2024. Its massive Ocean Tower had no working passenger elevators - both were out of commission (based on other Trip Advisor reviews in August 2024, this may still be the case). The one service elevator was crowded and slow so we mostly used the stairs but fortunately we only had to hike up to the 4th floor. On the hotel property is a courtyard where young people gather at night to listen to amplified live music - hotel guests in the Ocean Tower get to listen to this as well but from the comfort of their room! The food was delicious - and others thought so as well based on the discarded room service trays left outside the doors in the hallway. The room was comfortable. In spite of all the issues you normally don't have to deal with in this category of hotel, in August 2024, I made a reservation online to stay for four days at the Miramar again - BUT this time I booked and received confirmation for a Palisades room and not one in the Ocean Tower. This Miramar building does not have balconies or ocean views but, because of its distance from the noisy nightclub and presumably working elevators, we thought we would try the Miramar one more time. Well, upon check-in around 5pm, we were told no Palisades rooms were available but we would receive an "upgrade" to an Ocean Tower room. I really did not want to stay in the Tower again so I asked the clerk and the manager to explain why the room I booked on the Fairmont website described on the confirmation email as: " Fairmont Palisades 1 King Located In Historic Palisades Building, City Or Garden Views, Plush Bathrobe, Work Desk, Keurig Coffee Machine, Le Labo Bath Products" as not available. I also reminded the manager that I was contractually obligated to show up for the room or pay for one night's stay. A contract is a contract, but it appears The Fairmont does not observe these basic legal contractual requirements. The manager explained that the hotel does not know which room it books even on its own website (really?!). Well, we promptly retrieved our car from the valet and left the property. Of course, Fairmont won't be charging us for not staying there - it truly does understand contracts, and sometimes the bait and switch tactic fails. Well, Good-bye Miramar. Good-bye Fairmont sorry for your demise.

Worst Fairmont in the portfolio From the moment we arrived at the Fairmont Miramar, our experience was riddled with issues. Upon arrival, the bellman informed us they were unprepared for the influx of guests and lacked enough luggage carts to assist us. This initial mishap set the tone for a frustrating stay. As loyal members of ALL, Accor’s loyalty program, we were disappointed to find no priority check-in lane, despite this being a stated benefit. The lack of acknowledgment for loyalty members was disheartening and a clear oversight. We had booked two bungalow rooms, the most expensive room type on the property, expecting a premium experience as advertised. However, we were not guided to our rooms as promised, leading to confusion. Adding to the disappointment, the amenities that should have been provided for this room type were absent, particularly in my sister’s room. This was especially embarrassing, as this trip was meant to be a special birthday gift for her. Although the management attempted to rectify the situation, the evening took a turn for the worse. After dinner, we returned to find our bungalow infested with massive cockroaches. This was beyond unacceptable, and we immediately packed our belongings and went to the front desk, unwilling to stay in such unsanitary conditions. It took until nearly 11 PM to be relocated to a clean bungalow, by which point the damage to our experience was irreparable. The remainder of our stay was lackluster. The pool was small, overcrowded, and the amenities offered were sparse. The overall condition of the property was disappointing; it felt dirty and rundown, far from the standard expected of the Fairmont brand. The staff was all around helpful but expressed their embarrassment about the state of the property, which was disconcerting to hear. As a dedicated Fairmont guest, I have always chosen this brand as my first choice when traveling. However, this experience at the Fairmont Miramar has made me seriously reconsider my loyalty. It is deeply concerning that such a poorly maintained and managed property is part of the Fairmont portfolio. This visit felt like a nightmare and left a lasting negative impression on what should have been a special and enjoyable trip.

Terrible never again! I would never stay here again. After hours of trying to check in and empty promises of “15 more minutes” we were sent to our rooms up an old elevator bc the main ones weren’t working. It took about 10 minutes for an elevator to arrive bc not only the entire hotel had to use these elevators, but so did the housekeeping staff. The rooms were tired and tiny and no room for a rollaway is allowed as I was told even though we had a premier ocean view king room and was told at booking we could. The poor person working the concierge desk was the only person taking luggage to rooms and helping patrons. It was overbooked, underwhelming, and we will never stay here again.

Sleepless in Santa Monica I barely know where to start. Let me preface this by acknowledging the often terrible behavior of privileged travelers. Also, this is a 5 star hotel, and therefore a certain level of service and luxury are to be expected. Also important: our rooms were in the Ocean Tower. 1- Arrival: the valets and bellhops were utterly overwhelmed with luggage, out of bell carts, and not nice about it. 2- Check in took 45 minutes. One of us had a lovely, helpful staff member. The other had a gentleman who could best be described as “surly”. 3- The room was a 3 star room for 5 star money. The best I can say for it is that the housekeeping staff clearly works hard. 4- Guest “Services” are anything but. We had a package delivered. Despite showing the desk staff the tracking info showing the package was delivered, they insisted it couldn’t possibly be there because it wasn’t entered in the computer. Then, we were told they couldn’t go look for it because “it could be in any one of four places”. Finally, a senior staffer wandered over and asked what the problem was. We explained. She left the desk for less than 30 seconds and returned with the package. The staffer’s response? “Someone didn’t follow procedure.” Literally 10 minutes wasted when one human solved the problem in 30 seconds. 5- The elevators: This recurs again and again in other reviews: both guest elevator were out of service in the ocean tower, directing all guests into the service elevators. The housekeeping staff was very gracious as our party piled in in their wedding formalwear. 6-The Bungalow: Another fan least favorite: the noise from the nightclub. I used to love a nightclub. But not at my age while trying to sleep. It’s extremely sneaky that the hotel does not disclose that the south facing ocean view rooms also overlook a very popular outdoor club. It’s probably not an issue on weekends days, but Friday was loud, Saturday was louder. Even with ear plugs and a sound app the bass lines made the bed vibrate. At least that didn’t cost a quarter! This is a known issue. The least they can do is provide ear plugs for you or warn you it’s going to be loud. 7- The $57.80/day “resort fee” is simple highway robbery. Free WiFi my foot. It’s so slow that the Google splash page won’t even load. We had to upgrade the WiFi for another $15. That fee added over $200 to the room fee. Just sell me a room that costs enough for you to maintain the elevators!! The only reason this is 2 star review and not a 1 star: 1- The housekeeping staff was lovely. Very warm and friendly, and the room was as clean as a hotel room of that age can be. 2- The food and the dining staff were excellent. From room service to bartenders, they were all top notch. I couldn’t figure out for the life of me why the reviews of the hotel are all over the place. Then, we saw a room in the newer building. Those and the bungalows are beautifully updated. Those are 5 star rooms. The two buildings are night and day. I Do know this property has been attempting to start a renovation since COVID. At this point they’d be better off imploding the Ocean Building and starting from scratch. The rooms are too small, the bathrooms are postage stamps, the elevators are a safety issue, and the lack of soundproofing is unacceptable. Maybe enclose the club. Or disclose the noise issue when booking. Everyone in our party who was on that side of the building would have chosen a different type of room or stayed elsewhere. Here’s my theory: the guest-facing front of house staff is in a terrible position. They know exactly what they’re going to hear from guests in the old building. And some guests are not going to be nice about it. The management is AWOL. It’s completely unfair to hourly paid staff to put them in that position. No matter the business, the GM sets the tone. He/she is also in a tough position, answering to Fairmont/Accor and likely the investment firm that owns the hotel. That said, the ROI for this place is way out of whack. 5 star hotel. Get it together, do the reno or charge less for the old rooms. We’ve stayed in nicer Courtyards and Farfields.