At a glance:

Fronting a golf course in an otherwise generic area of Manhattan beach, the Westdrift aims to offer a laid-back and refreshed experience.

What is actually is: An old Marriott given a new life as an Autograph Collection hotel, this property appears to be popular for large groups and events.

What it is not: As unique as the name/brand may suggest.

Room: 1 Bedroom Executive Suite (King) with Balcony

Time of year: Summer

Scores:

Hotel Design: 77 – An effort has been made to make this hotel feel new and hip, but aside from that it’s inherent design feels old and generic.

Location: 80 – Convenient to Manhattan Beach and LAX, and walkable to some restaurants/stores in the area.

Sleep: 82 – Comfortable. Facing the golf course made it peaceful in the evening, but there was some hallway noise due to the old-style doors.

Service: 79 – No complaints, but generally pretty average.

Room Design: 82 – Almost needlessly spacious, with a nice view (for the area). The layout of our suite was slightly strange, with no real separation between living/bedroom area and a lot of wasted space.

Room Amenities: 82 – A large terrace facing the golf course was the highlight of this suite. They also had Malin+Goetz bath products. The patio also had very nice furniture that was comfortable and functional to enjoy spending time out there.

Hotel Amenities: 77 – A small pool area, games in the lobby, fire pits outside, a gym, a spa, fitness classes, and bike rentals.

Vibe: 72 – Large events/gatherings. Design made it feel a little like a cruise ship.

Cleanliness/Maintenance: 78 – No issues, although despite the renovation the age of the hotel is still very noticeable. They also need to consider a different system for the balcony, as the drainage areas showed signs of cockroaches, which is most likely unavoidable.

Value / Extras & Perks: 78 – Reasonable complimentary breakfast for Marriott Elite members. Excessively expensive parking and high rates at times might make for questionable value.

OVERALL: 78.7

Would we stay again? No