The Farmer’s Daughter Hotel / Marriott LAX
Farmer’s Daughter The Farmer’s Daughter Hotel, a Los Angeles icon for the past thirty years, has been newly renovated. Its convenient location in Fairfax Village directly across from the Farmer’s Market and CBS studios is surprisingly affordable. The hotel has a storied and colorful history. It is frequented by Price is Right contestant hopefuls, and used to be the motel of choice to the cast of the Carol Burnett Show. You get the feeling that if the walls could talk, they would have wild stories.
Its chic country feel and cheery aura exudes cleanliness and comfort. The décor includes plenty of blue gingham, brass sinks, rooster wallpaper, faded barn-wood paneling, crisp denim bedspreads, cow-skin rugs, and hard wood floors. The color palette consists of cool blues and vibrant yellows. Brightly colored paintings of farm animals hang on the walls. The rooms fall into two categories- “his” and “hers.” “His” have rooster-print wallpaper and bright red and copper tones, while “hers” embrace the softer palettes of warm yellow and turquoise. Outside the hotel, the decorator’s attention to detail and theme include rubber animals floating in the pool and gigantic farm tools hanging on the walls, including one oversized pitchfork reminiscent of Grant Wood’s timeless 1930’s painting of the farmer and his wife “American Gothic.” If you’ve ever wondered why their stark expressions, perhaps it was the loss of their daughter who picked up and fled to L.A., leaving her Midwestern roots for the hope of stardom. You might even just run into her here; she is certainly “not the girl you used to know.”
– J. Hope Casselman
Marriott LAX
Airport hotels have long been associated with missed flights or early-morning connections. The Marriot Hotel, located 2 blocks from LAX, minutes away via the complimentary shuttle, has undergone a $22 million dollar transformation that turns a layover into a muchwelcomed, affordable vacation, banishing the need to take the costly trip downtown. The capacious hotel boasts 985 rooms, 19 suites, renovated floor-to-ceiling, 55,000 square feet of meeting space, and a range of on-site amenities. Take a dip in the heated tropical resort pool or hang in the sauna after not missing a beat in your workout in the fitness facility. Catch a game at Champion’s Sports Bar on one of its 50-plus flat screen Tvs or grab a macchiato at the in-house Starbucks. For a more deluxe dining experience that rivals any Beverly Hills restaurant in all areas except price, indulge in top-of-the-line steaks and wine at J.W.’s Steakhouse. This self-contained oasis also offers guests a beauty salon, FedEx Kinko’s, and Hertz car rental. ADA accessible rooms feature plush down bedding and state-of-the-art high-speed wi-fi. The friendly concierge staff will happily help plan a myriad of nearby activities — biking, horseback riding, jet-skiing, sailing, surfing, and tennis, just to name a few — that make guests feel spoiled for choice. Should you want to venture into Manhattan Beach and El Segundo, a convenient trolley takes you to more than 250 shops and restaurants. With all this and more, The Marriott at LAX is a leader in helping weary travelers equate “layover” with “luxurious.”
– Jean Chang
