There are not enough stars in the universe for The Huntley Hotel, which gave us the most amazing, magical, wedding weekend, reception, and hospitality that one only gets from family. There's no exaggeration to that statement; the incredible staff feels like extended family. Mandy, the hotel's Director of Events (a.k.a Fairy Godmother) was on our picture list and is going in our wedding album. The majority of our wedding guests also stayed at The Huntley and they all echoed our appreciation for an amazing, unique, and truly magical weekend.
There is so much to write about The Huntley and they go above five stars in every possible category: luxurious style, comfort, hospitality, food, food, food, and their attention to detail extend to the moon and back. None of that, however, would happen without the caring, friendly and expert hotel staff, such as Tyler, Mandy, Adrian, Jesse, Alex, Eddie, Ramon, Manny, and Jose, who helped prepare and produce our wedding weekend. We also appreciate Peter, from the upstairs Penthouse bar, whom we've gotten to know from a few prior visits. He came down to see us on our wedding day, and along with the other bartenders, he took great care of us and our guests as our reception moved upstairs. Lastly, the concierge team of Stephen and Carlos, as well as Jacob, the front office lead, catered to us, and our guests, on multiple occasions.
Tyler and Mandy were always available to help us prepare and answer any question. Without fail, they promptly responded to us for months, so quickly in fact, we wondered if they all didn't have clones answering their emails and phone calls (more magic). We examined almost all of the other venues in Santa Monica, especially the hotels, but because of Tyler and Mandy's care and attention, there was no question in our minds that The Huntley was the perfect venue for our reception. (We had to call or email other venues multiple times before we got a response - if we ever got one.)
While our wedding reception was small, it felt like a big Hollywood production full of romantic style and touches. We hosted the reception in the hotel's beautiful, private, indoor / outdoor Regal room. (No additional decorations, beyond table flowers, were necessary.) Mandy and Adrian, the Events Manager, left no detail unattended or overlooked. We knew we were in good hands going into our day, but when it arrived the exceptional service continued, especially from Adrian, Jesse, Alex, Eddie, Ramon, Manny, and Jose.
First, Mandy came early that afternoon to see us and ensure we were calm, collected and in her excellent hands. She escorted us around the hotel for our "first look" photos, helping to adjust my bride's train. Second, that evening after the reception started, I quickly learned that Adrian had the timeline completely under control. A few times he, or our DJ asked if it was "OK" to do something a certain way, which of course it was - better than we'd thought about. As such, I deferred all further decisions to their expert hands thus leaving us with nothing to do but enjoy being newlyweds and spend time with our family and friends.
The Huntley also accommodated some special, unique requests, such as a ping pong table next to the dance floor, which they separated perfectly with beautiful white sofas, TV hookups for someone's toast, and when one of our guests asked for a martini with blue cheese olives, Eddie made them appear. While he may not have pulled those olives out of a hat, it felt like it and that care and attention is but one of many examples of how The Huntley produced a magical day and evening.
Did I mention food? Exceptional!! I'm not sure we qualify as foodies, but a few of our guests do and they commented how their steak entrée was perfectly cooked. All of our passed hor d'oeuvres during the cocktail reception were fantastic, and yet again, Mandy magically appeared with a special plate for my bride and I as she knew that we'd get to talking and not eating if she didn't tend to us personally. While there is a lot more to write about the food, in closing on this topic, The Huntley's room service burger should be a contender in Los Angeles' best burger battle.
The Huntley's hotel accommodations are definitely not to be overlooked and they rise above five-star standards. The rooms and beds are very comfortable --as we experienced and as our guests commented - and beautifully decorated mixing contemporary design and east coast Hamptons vibes to create a unique beach style of its own. When one looks around the hotel rooms, and out the windows to the amazing views of Santa Monica beach, Malibu, the mountains, and the Los Angeles skyline, there is no harsh transition. Rather, it is clear The Huntley's design and comfort fits perfectly within the splendor and beauty of Los Angeles. No physical structure, business, or hotel, however, exists on its own so the very bottom line about The Huntley is that it is run by a team of magicians. read more