I am delighted to share (and recommend) my wonderful and glowing 5-star experience at Sogo in Little Tokyo/Downtown Los Angeles.
+ Check-In: The instructions for access/entry were immediately messaged to me upon reservation confirmation. The directions were clear; making the entire arrival/check-in experience, seamless. Additionally, upon check-in, I had the added bonus of meeting the friendly and welcoming on-site manager, London. He was kind to offer additional assistance, should I require them; regarding property, amenities, location, etc., . His direct contact information is conveniently posted at the contactless check-in/main entrance doorway; responding to any of my inquiries with lightening speed! Response time is relatively quick via the AirBnb Direct Messaging feature, too!
+ Accommodation: I love the whole vibe and architecture of the building. It’s a wonderful mix of ‘Old Japan’ meets Brooklyn (New York) Brownstone, circa 1960s. I especially loved the vintage artifacts hanging along the walls of the interior; depicting a beautiful history of the past. The hard wood floors throughout, were a lovely complement to the building’s exterior, too! The main entrance/doorway/lobby area, leads you into a convenience of “common-use” areas: + large and inviting living room with books, plush couches, a treadmill, etc., ... a dining room with three large tables, and a microwave and vending machines, too! The full-kitchen offers a large counter space, microwave, refrigerator, large sink, pantry, etc., oh, and keep in mind, the furnished AirBnb rooms offer a convenient mini-refrigerator, too! There are two washing machines and two driers; conveniently located near the kitchen, in an outdoor courtyard. The cost is very inexpensive USD$1.25 to wash your clothes, and USD$1.50 to dry. And not once, was there ever an issue with waiting for an available laundry machine to use. In fact, I am currently on my second stay, here at this AirBnb. And I’m happy to report, once again, no periods of long waiting to use the laundry facilities! And, my room had everything I needed, such as a comfortable bed (with clean bed linens and pillows, and a light comforter), a plug-in fan with three speed settings to cool the room, nightstand, desk (and chair), compact refrigerator, closet (with a few hangars and shelving space), a personal sink and mirror, and clean towels with provided bar soap and travel-size conditioning shampoo, which smells lovely, btw. =) oh, and a heater is provided in the rooms for those cold nights; which we do experience even in the summer season. There are multiple restrooms on every floor, sufficiently stocked, and always clean. The caveat of having the individual/private toilet rooms, separated from the individual/private shower rooms, is the fact that I never had to wait to use the toilet or the shower. And it makes sense actually, because if each restroom had both toilets and showers in the same room, it would reduce the availability of those amenities, while increasing the probability of a wait time; due to the number of people/rooms. And every room offers a large window that opens; drawing in that beautiful and bright California sun!
+ Location: I am all about Little Tokyo!!! It’s definitely THE BEST of Downtown Los Angeles. I can access the best ramen joints, super-cheap eats, local breweries, (large) supermarkets highlighting the tastes of Japan (and Korea), MetroRail Network, MetroBus Service, DASH (free local bus service; connecting the heart of Little Tokyo, to Central Downtown Los Angeles, and beyond... ), Japanese Museums, Disney Concert, Guggenheim Museum, the Arts District... all within a few walking blocks from this AirBnb. And, the most-important benefit of this AirBnb, situated along the outer edges of Little Tokyo, is better sleep. The neighborhood is totally safe and super quiet. The downtown traffic is in the opposite direction of this side of Little Tokyo; making it peaceful. Additionally, you will find additional conveniences and things to do, all within a three or four block walking distance, such as Angel City Brewery, locally-owned clothing boutiques, oh, and one of my favorite places to shop, Le Labo... is only about three or four blocks away.
So yes, I definitely recommend and highly-encourage you to consider a stay, here at Sogo in Little Tokyo. It’s safe (security cameras within the building), convenient, thoughtfully-appointed, and well-managed (thank you again, London!) by a team of individuals who care. =)