This place is a hotel in a good location in downtown Los Angeles. But don’t expect friendly hosts who want to welcome you, nor the usual hotel level service either. If you get the shared room, it feels more like a dorm. The cleanliness is acceptable, but space is limited. The price reflects that.
It seems like the Freehand is trying to be many things at once, but if this is a hostel, it lacks the camaraderie and vibe of one. If it’s a fancy hotel, the service isn’t up to par. If the elevator is truly a classic elevator, it shouldn’t have modern buttons and a digital screen.
One thing that I don’t get, because it doesn’t cost them anything, is whether the staff would have treated me better if I had paid for a more expensive room. They kept me waiting for 30 minutes during check in because the bunk bed was not ready (at 3:30 pm), did not communicate and simply left me waiting with no apology, even though I had to go somewhere. Definitely felt a snobbish vibe at this place and I’ve been to way better hotels.
Stay here for a clean bed in downtown LA at a cheap price (plus facilities fee), but disappointing service.