Booked to stay at the Hilton San Gabriel in November whilst passing through from Australia to the east coast. Due to an early flight arrival, no wait in getting a hire car, and very little traffic on a Sunday morning, I arrived at the hotel earlier than had been planned. Sadly there were no rooms available due to the hotel being booked up the previous evening, even for a paid early check in, so I did have to wait a few hours before checking in. However I made the most of it and walked around the area, had a coffee and some lunch, and returned to the lobby where the friendly team advised to come up at an allocated time to see if a room had become available. A room was allocated at the time in question, and was located on the western side of the building looking over San Gabriel/Alhambra. I was given a Honors bag at check in with some water and snack mix, and there were bottles of water in the room as well. The room and hotel are well kept, the room was clean and was comfortable for my three night stay. Albeit some of the decor and fittings are a little older, especially the ones in the bathroom, everything worked fine. Room service was used on the first night, the meal was good and the price was about right for room service. A service charge was clearly stated on the bill, was in plain sight and wasn't hidden, which is good. The reason for choosing this hotel was to keep my hotels all with Hilton for the trip (for Honors benefits), it is well rated with a cheap parking option, and is located in a more suburban area away from the hustle and bustle of busier tourist areas.
Hotel Facilities: There are dining options onsite, but I only used the room service option on the night I arrived. A shop where you can buy drinks and snacks is available onsite. Parking was affordable at $10 per night. Parking can be found at ground level, whilst there is more parking downstairs underneath the hotel where I found plenty of spaces. It should be noted that there are electric vehicle charging stations in the underground carpark as well, but I am unsure of the charges for this service as I did not need to use them. There is a pool available to guests, but I did not use it on this stay.
Airport Transport: No airport transfers at this hotel as it is found in suburban LA. However driving to and from takes about 40-60mins from LAX depending on traffic.
Public Transport: Easy access to metro buses can be found out the front and opposite the hotel. Some services link up to the El Monte Busway at the I-10 a few blocks from the hotel.
Around the area: There are many restaurants surrounding the hotel. Fast food can be found within walking distance from the hotel, as well as chain coffee stores, pharmacies and a supermarket. Gas/Petrol stations can be found close by as well, and being close to an interstate there is good access when driving for sightseeing in LA and beyond.
In summary, a nice hotel with a great team who were very friendly and accommodating. The rooms were clean and comfortable, and the hotel has decent facilities. The location is good with restaurants close by and fast food options a short walk/drive away. Public transport is available, but driving is recommended especially if you are touring around beyond the major tourist sites.
