This definitely seems like something that could be handled better…
In this post:
The multi-purpose SLS Beverly Hills
A Reddit user shares their experience staying at SLS Beverly Hills, which is a Marriott Luxury Collection hotel. The guest, who is also a Marriott Bonvoy Ambassador member, was staying there last weekend, and recounts “the weirdest experience” they’ve ever had at a hotel.
They noticed curtains next to the door of their room, which blocked off about a quarter of the floor, and had an “employees only” sign. Initially they didn’t think much of it, until they returned later in the day and noticed a heart rate monitor in the hall next to their room. They decided to take a peek past the curtains (which were already pulled a little to the side), and saw a nurse station, heart rate monitors, a doctor, hospital gurneys, and instructions with how people should be medicated.
Not only that, but when they returned to the hotel at 1AM, it was allegedly “super loud,” with nurses talking to one another, and heart rate monitors beeping.
Understandably they were confused. Were there some guests with coronavirus who were quarantining and/or being treated, or what was going on (not that this seems likely, but I think nowadays it’s the first thing that comes to mind)? The next day they decided to ask the hotel staff, and were told that the hotel has a relationship with Cedars-Sinai, and recent plastic surgery recovery patients are sent to the hotel to recover until they can fly back home.
The Reddit user concludes:
It wasn’t just one, but multiple plastic surgery recovery patients on the floor in the rooms next to us and we were sharing the same linens, towels, etc. with them at this hotel. To be honest I felt really grossed out. I felt like I was staying at a hospital seeing and hearing everything that was going on. Also, if you stay here in the future you might very well be staying in one of these recovery patient rooms and might have absolutely no idea. Some people might not be too bothered by this, but I think I’d not expect this for a category 7 Marriott property in Beverly Hills. Let me know your honest thoughts if you’d feel a certain way if this would’ve happened during your stay there too. I’m not sure if I should follow up with our Marriott Ambassador about it or not.
My take on this situation
First of all, it’s normal for hotels to have special rates and agreements with hospitals and plastic surgeons for them to stay while they’re recovering. That being said, I think there’s a distinction between someone who is just recovering for a few days without the need for medical attention, and someone who is receiving active medical attention.
The former is totally fine, if you ask me, while the latter is a different story. In my opinion if a hotel has a setup whereby patients are actively being monitored and treated, there needs to be more separation between that and other guests, perhaps in the form of blocking off a floor for this. At an absolute minimum, if there’s not going to be separation, there should be more proactive communication of this practice.
It kind of takes the fun out of a hotel stay if you’re seeing and hearing heart rate monitors right outside your room, without a clue of what’s going on.
The only thing I don’t agree with the Reddit user on is the concern over mixing towels and sheets with guests recovering from plastic surgery, or eventually being assigned those rooms. Much “grosser” stuff happens in sheets and towels without any sort of plastic surgery recovery, so that wouldn’t be my concern…
Bottom line
Reports suggest that the SLS Beverly Hills is being used as a plastic surgery patient recovery center. While that’s not that unusual, it seems like the hotel should do a better job separating that side-business from the rest of the hotel. If people are going to require medical care while they’re recovering, other guests probably shouldn’t have to see or hear heart rate monitors in the hallways, and wonder what’s going on.
Would you have issues with this practice if you stayed at the SLS Beverly Hills?
(Tip of the hat to @gummibaat)
I believe this property has offered cosmetic surgery recovery services for years, back to the days when it was a Le Meridien.
"we were sharing the same linens, towels, etc. with them at this hotel"
Who wants to tell them?
Well, yeah, first off, no issue with the linens because I would hope and expect that same high standards hospitals use would be followed by high level hotels. As someone who had her first unexpected hospital inpatient and rehab experience about a year ago, if I were being exposed to monitor sounds and equipment and uniformed medical staff, it would have been immensely stressful, a little PTSD for me....HOWEVER, I would hope insurance, since the...
Well, yeah, first off, no issue with the linens because I would hope and expect that same high standards hospitals use would be followed by high level hotels. As someone who had her first unexpected hospital inpatient and rehab experience about a year ago, if I were being exposed to monitor sounds and equipment and uniformed medical staff, it would have been immensely stressful, a little PTSD for me....HOWEVER, I would hope insurance, since the equipment and staff were present WOULD cover such care as it would be less than a damn hospital room where germs are floating around anyhow. And I can tell you for sure, I would have DEARLY loved to be in a hotel over the hospital and rehab facility (which had cereal but no milk and served me a cold grilled cheese every other meal because I did not eat pork or red meat). A hotel would have no doubt allowed me to have visitors instead of coping with covid guidelines that were very traumatic from an emotional standpoint, feeling isolated, alone. IN fact, my pup could have come to stay with me if it were a pet friendly hotel and probably the activity of my getting her outside and back would have given me better PT than what I got. Not to mention the benefits of good nutritious food. It seems it would be good for the patient and the hotel business. I drove by our local Aloft the other day and noticed a sign out front with the logo of a local hospital system and the term "sleep clinic".
https://www.prestigeaftercare.com/ Appears to be the company operating out of the hotel.
"It wasn’t just one, but multiple plastic surgery recovery patients on the floor in the rooms next to us and we were sharing the same linens, towels, etc. "
The "Reddit" poster, despite having had time to think, didn't consider that the patients in the hotel room that were recovering from surgery were not using the rooms as an infectious disease ward nor would they have had post surgery complications such as infection. They...
"It wasn’t just one, but multiple plastic surgery recovery patients on the floor in the rooms next to us and we were sharing the same linens, towels, etc. "
The "Reddit" poster, despite having had time to think, didn't consider that the patients in the hotel room that were recovering from surgery were not using the rooms as an infectious disease ward nor would they have had post surgery complications such as infection. They were there for rest and recovery and observation.
Plastic Surgery (LOL) Ok yeah, its something else (and not covid).
Who freaking cares?
Also, that's a nice hotel. It's a nice place to stay when seeing concerts at the Wiltern
A Marriott Ambassador pretending to be oblivious to the normal history of linens LOL. Just an attempt to increase compensation (which is probably due for the other reasons).
I have thought of making getting LASIK a holiday by staying at the Beverly Wilshire during my recovery time.
This person is alarmed by sharing the same linens and towels with them? Are you joking? That's what hotels are lmao. This person obviously has no idea what happens in hotel rooms and how disgusting everyday people are.
My wife stayed here for two nights earlier this year to recover from a procedure. Fantastic experience, great care, far far better than a hospital. About 2-3x the normal room rate, but she had 24/7 care (by the most professional and caring nurses I’ve ever met), tasty custom meals, etc. one of the rooms was used as a base for the nurses and the chef. Highly recommended for aftercare. And you pay $$$ for it...
My wife stayed here for two nights earlier this year to recover from a procedure. Fantastic experience, great care, far far better than a hospital. About 2-3x the normal room rate, but she had 24/7 care (by the most professional and caring nurses I’ve ever met), tasty custom meals, etc. one of the rooms was used as a base for the nurses and the chef. Highly recommended for aftercare. And you pay $$$ for it - but tiny compared to what pay for elective surgery in Beverly Hills..!! :) Happy wife, happy…
My wife was on a floor that seemed to be used exclusively for this purpose, so I found it odd that your post mentioned a real guest staying near the recovery rooms. Maybe as hotels have started to fill up again commingling has become necessary? It would be odd to have the 24/7 medical care noise (etc) near traditional guests.
When you should really be alarmed is when the heart rate monitor is doing a continuous beep.
Especially if it's in YOUR room!
A quick glance of the internet reveals multiple companies that provide recovery services at SLS Beverly Hills.
https://www.prestigeaftercare.com/
https://pearlrecoveryretreat.com/
A few years (2019) ago I had Rhinoplasty surgery done to fix a deviated septum done by a surgeon in Beverly Hills. Coming from the east coast they suggested the SLS for a week long recovery. My procedure was relatively minor and didn't require any medical attention on a nightly basis but many other patients do. Having the nurses immediately available was a huge perk, and part of the reason to get the surgery there....
A few years (2019) ago I had Rhinoplasty surgery done to fix a deviated septum done by a surgeon in Beverly Hills. Coming from the east coast they suggested the SLS for a week long recovery. My procedure was relatively minor and didn't require any medical attention on a nightly basis but many other patients do. Having the nurses immediately available was a huge perk, and part of the reason to get the surgery there. And I was still able to earn more points on my stay. As an individual this is 10000000% better than stay at a hospital, which is more expensive and also takes beds away during a pandemic that could be used for contagious and life threatening situations.
Personally I'd like to see this option in more out patient procedures.