Hyatt’s footprint in the Los Angeles area has improved nicely over the past several years. Unfortunately over the past year or so, we’ve seen quite a setback, as two Hollywood-area hotels have left Hyatt, to join Marriott.
In this post:
Tommie & Thompson Hollywood become Marriott properties
In 2021, we saw the opening of the 190-room Thompson Hollywood and the 212-room tommie Hollywood, located on the same block in Hollywood. Thompson is one of Hyatt’s popular lifestyle brands, and tommie is essentially a more budget friendly version of that, with smaller rooms (this was one of only two tommie locations, with the other being in Austin).
On October 28, 2024, the tommie Hollywood left Hyatt and joined Marriott. Specifically, it became the Hollywood VOLUME, a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property.
There’s now a second update. On July 29, 2025, the Thompson Hollywood left Hyatt and joined Marriott, becoming the Hollywood Grande, a Marriott Autograph Collection property (thanks to Brabbworld for flagging this). The hotel is honoring all paid reservations, while World of Hyatt members with reservations for award nights are told to contact Hyatt to learn about their options.
Why did these hotels leave Hyatt and join Marriott?
Us consumers are never really privy to the contract negotiations that go on between hotel owners and the major hotel groups, but suffice it to say that it’s not normal for a hotel to rebrand just a few years after opening. That’s especially true when we’re talking about a brand like Thompson, which has been performing really well, and is growing fast.
It’s my understanding that this rebranding is due to a contract dispute over perimeter rules for various brands. Keep in mind that Hyatt recently acquired Dream Hotel Group, and the Dream Hollywood is basically right across the street from these two properties.
I suppose it makes sense if this is the reason, though that also kind of sucks for Hyatt loyalists. I’d say that losing two properties in order to gain a Dream property in Hollywood isn’t a very good trade (though I understand this was part of a much bigger deal).
Now, it’s not like these properties won’t have competition in the area in the Marriott portfolio. Quite to the contrary, the W Hollywood is just a few blocks away. However, given Marriott’s much larger global footprint, the company has a relatively smaller footprint in Hollywood.
I feel like in the cases of these contract disputes, we sometimes see companies switch branding on principle, when they feel slighted, rather than taking a big picture look at the situation.
Bottom line
Hyatt has lost a couple of properties in Hollywood. The tommie left Hyatt as of October 28, 2024, and became a Marriott Tribute Portfolio property. Now the Thompson Hollywood left Hyatt as of July 29, 2025, and became a Marriott Autograph Collection property.
This seems to come down to a contract dispute between Hyatt and the property owners, given Hyatt’s acquisition of Dream Hotel Group.
What do you make of the tommie & Thompson Hollywood leaving Hyatt in favor of Marriott?
Only Hollywood is Ok and not all the Thompson brand. Cheap old Marriott will do just fine in there.
Not a big loss to Hyatt. Though the rooms are nice, the staff was the worst of any Thompson in the country. Preoccupied with god knows what, dismissive, and plain inattentive. Struggling actors are now front desk posers???
So Dream Hollywood is the reason Thompson and Tommie Hollywood left Hyatt, but the same company owns all three hotels. Something doesn't make sense, or someone didn't do their research.
If what you say is true. That makes perfect sense.
And someone (Nate) actually didn't do their research.
All the hotel brands are prioritizing unit growth, but it’s very hard to get new hotels built, especially in markets that are already built up like Hollywood. You will see more of this kind of switching as these brands grow. Los Angeles is a tough hotel market for a variety of reasons as well, so individual hotels will scrap for everything they can get.
In LA, among the branded hotels, I stick with West...
All the hotel brands are prioritizing unit growth, but it’s very hard to get new hotels built, especially in markets that are already built up like Hollywood. You will see more of this kind of switching as these brands grow. Los Angeles is a tough hotel market for a variety of reasons as well, so individual hotels will scrap for everything they can get.
In LA, among the branded hotels, I stick with West Hollywood Edition, Waldorf Astoria Beverly Hills, the Fig downtown (Hyatt), and the JW Marriott complex downtown. Andaz W Hollywood is OK, but Edition is better. The two Intercontinentals are also OK. Haven’t tried the Conrad.
Conrad DTLA is my go to. I've stayed there at least 10 times. It's in the quiet part of downtown & the rooms are very comfortable. Just had a suite last weekend and it was a wonderful space. Service has improved in the past year. Nice restaurant and a spacious separate bar across the lobby.
To add more insight to this, the owner of this property is Ten Five Hospitality which seems to have always had a strained relationship with Hyatt, so when they found a way to get out of these franchise agreements, they run with those opportunities. Now that Hyatt also has acquired Dream we should be anticipating that Hollywood location to transition also, especially when it's due for renovation. Hotel owners do not have the same loyalty...
To add more insight to this, the owner of this property is Ten Five Hospitality which seems to have always had a strained relationship with Hyatt, so when they found a way to get out of these franchise agreements, they run with those opportunities. Now that Hyatt also has acquired Dream we should be anticipating that Hollywood location to transition also, especially when it's due for renovation. Hotel owners do not have the same loyalty to brands as Hotel guests. These owners will go for the cheapest deal that yields the biggest ROI... I feel the Hotel brands need to protect themselves better by adding clauses their FDDs and license agreements that give them first rights to buy the properties before they can transition to another brand. Because these are the best hotels in Hollywood and it's sad to see Hyatt lose all of them.
I stayed at the Thompson at least 6 times as a Globalist, was given a suite every time except the last stay. I really enjoyed the breakfast on the roof. The pool was lively but not a loud party scene. Yes, the crowd at night was annoying and I had to fight with the bouncer to get through the drunks to the elevator. I will likely stay at the Sunset Marquis next time, the Dream...
I stayed at the Thompson at least 6 times as a Globalist, was given a suite every time except the last stay. I really enjoyed the breakfast on the roof. The pool was lively but not a loud party scene. Yes, the crowd at night was annoying and I had to fight with the bouncer to get through the drunks to the elevator. I will likely stay at the Sunset Marquis next time, the Dream looks like a younger party scene I am not interested in.
I have tried a few other Thompsons based on my experience here, none of them were as enjoyable.
Got nothing being a globalist from them, it almost felt they were doing me a favor staying there, good riddance
Ben I remember you loved your stay at Thompson LA. Must have changed alot.
What the hotel business is about now:
Expansion, expansion. Yesterday's negative earnings call with Chris Nasetta (Hilton CEO), he immediately jumped to tease with new brands coming.
Our experience the last 2 years, hotel CEO's are sharply focused in new brands, new hotels, buying other ones. Forgetting all about customer service for the ones bringing in the dollars...
Ben I remember you loved your stay at Thompson LA. Must have changed alot.
What the hotel business is about now:
Expansion, expansion. Yesterday's negative earnings call with Chris Nasetta (Hilton CEO), he immediately jumped to tease with new brands coming.
Our experience the last 2 years, hotel CEO's are sharply focused in new brands, new hotels, buying other ones. Forgetting all about customer service for the ones bringing in the dollars to their bottom line.
Customer services are incredibly decreased.
Terrible hotels… and I’m not talking about if I get a free substandard breakfast or special globalist welcome. Couldn’t care less…
The hollywood adjacent crowd is just weird, the bartender didn’t know what a manhattan was, things were stolen from the room, getting past the bouncers and crowd queuing for the rooftop bar is a nightmare and the same bar plays skull rattling disco beats until 2-3am in the morning several nights a week....
Terrible hotels… and I’m not talking about if I get a free substandard breakfast or special globalist welcome. Couldn’t care less…
The hollywood adjacent crowd is just weird, the bartender didn’t know what a manhattan was, things were stolen from the room, getting past the bouncers and crowd queuing for the rooftop bar is a nightmare and the same bar plays skull rattling disco beats until 2-3am in the morning several nights a week. I can hear it as loud as if I was up there but 10 floors down…
Yawn, another overpriced and underwhelming USA hotel. Whenever I see adjectives like boutique and lifestyle being thrown around I know each adds $50 to the cost. I know Ben loves those descriptions however.
I would stay at Dream over Thompson simply to get the Brand Explorer stamp for a very small brand. (Tommie is part of JdV so doesn't get its own stamp.)
Probably the worst stay at a Hyatt we ever had in LA was at the Thompson. Snooty, depersonalized service - a terrible experience for a Globalist. Not a loss for us, and although I’m platinum lifetime Marriott too, I won’t be staying here.
Funny that you mention that. Over the years the only hotel in the LA area that was actually really "nice" to me has been the Regent Beverly Whilshire. I have stayed all over the LA area from Pasadena ( Ritz) to Long Beach and there is def an attitude in that corner of the world.
@BradStPete my go-to is the Sofitel across from the Beverly Center. Nothing but kind and hard-working staff. Close to everything. Yeah, not really private but the windows are well soundproofed, and if you get a rear-facing room which just faces the hills, you can almost pretend you live in BH. And man, what a scene. Drank a Scotch next to Quincy Jones at the bar one night and we talked jazz bassists and baseball while rating the various high-end hookers in the room.
My stay a couple years back at the Tommie was my worst Hyatt stay ever. Just a terribly run hotel with a shitty staff. To add insult to injury, my fiance was stabbed in the toe by a wire sticking out of the couch. They didn't even have a first aid kit on property. Promised 20,000 points from the night manager never hit my account and they played dumb when WoH followed up. Rooftop club...
My stay a couple years back at the Tommie was my worst Hyatt stay ever. Just a terribly run hotel with a shitty staff. To add insult to injury, my fiance was stabbed in the toe by a wire sticking out of the couch. They didn't even have a first aid kit on property. Promised 20,000 points from the night manager never hit my account and they played dumb when WoH followed up. Rooftop club noise was obnoxious at night.
Only good thing was the Globalist breakfast at the Thompson.
Same experience here. We stayed within the first few months of opening. That part of Hollywood is skank central. Nasty, blech
I made the mistake of walking across the street around 8pm a few blocks away to the 7-11 and passed by: hookers, nasty johns, a passed out junkie with a needle literally stuck in his arm, countless vagrants, oh and human feces. The service was non-existent, breakfast was decent, rooftop was ok, no...
Same experience here. We stayed within the first few months of opening. That part of Hollywood is skank central. Nasty, blech
I made the mistake of walking across the street around 8pm a few blocks away to the 7-11 and passed by: hookers, nasty johns, a passed out junkie with a needle literally stuck in his arm, countless vagrants, oh and human feces. The service was non-existent, breakfast was decent, rooftop was ok, no Globalist upgrades & slightly chaotic lobby. The only plus is that we snagged a table next door at Mother Wolf (Italian restaurant) last minute/no reservation just by mentioning we were staying at the hotel. Go there only & skip the hotel altogether. Superior quality food in a fabulous old bank building.
Perfect cultural fit for the properties with Marriott - riding on destination fees with no benefits guaranteed for elites.
That's exactly what I was thinking. I'm sure they were mortified to learn that points bookings would have free valet - it's incredibly expensive for a car-dependent city.
I'll take this opportunity to suggest the Hotel Bel-Air if you're in the area.
Crappy area, not a huge loss
Dude, for real. Bukowski would have laughed. Was walking back to our car near there in 2019 and a fight broke out down the street, shots fired and my friend felt a bullet whizz past his ear while we were about 100 yards away. F*** Hollywood. It's even worse now. LAPD needs to clean it up again.
Everyone in discussion groups complained about these hotels not honoring WOH benefits anyway, so perhaps the owners are just super stingy and looking for a deal that suits their business better.