W Hollywood Pool Day Pass

When the sun is shining in Los Angeles and the weather is just right, there’s nothing better than sitting on the beach and soaking up the rays or relaxing by the pool with an ice-cold cocktail and a good book. While there are some unseasonably warmer days on the beach during the spring months, the cool breeze off the ocean can take temperatures down by about 10 degrees in Santa Monica, Venice, and Malibu compared to the weather in Mid City or Downtown. Most days at the beach average a windy 65-70 degrees. This April we opted for a day at the pool where we’d have better luck with the weather. Instead of spending hundreds per night on a staycation, we opted for affordable luxury and spent a fraction of the nightly cost of a hotel room on a day pass at the W Hollywood pool.

The W Hollywood Pool Location

The W Hollywood is a luxury hotel located in Hollywood on Hollywood Boulevard. Technically, it’s East Hollywood, but it’s nicely positioned far enough away from the large crowds of Hollywood and Highland, the Sunset Strip, and the Walk of Fame. The W Hollywood is part of the W Hotels chain, which is owned by Marriott International, and the hotel offers a range of upscale amenities, including a rooftop pool and bar (a.k.a. “Wet Deck”). The W Hollywood pool is located all the way up on the 12th floor just above the fitness center that takes up the entire 11th floor. There are 305 modernist-style rooms and suites at the W, and enough places to get a bite to eat or a beverage to sip on. The hotel’s location in Los Angeles also provides easy access to other parts of town, including West Hollywood, Beverly Hills, DTLA, and Santa Monica.

The W Hollywood pool has a panoramic view of the city, which is a gorgeous view under the right conditions. To the north lies the Hollywood Hills, and to the south you’ll catch a glimpse of Downtown, Koreatown, and Hollywood. The horizon line was fairly hazy when we visited even though we had blue skies above and the sun was shining. The Hollywood sign is viewable from the rooftop pool, but it’s partially obstructed and you’d need to move to one corner of the deck to catch a glimpse. Willie Nelson was in town to perform at the Hollywood Bowl, and a good handful of people were chatting about the concert. It’s about a 20-minute walk to the Hollywood Bowl from the hotel, and the walk to the Bowl is mostly uphill, which makes for an easier trip back after a show.

Getting to the W Hotel

The W has valet parking for $15 for the first two hours and then $10 per hour after that with a max charge of $36 for the day. We knew we’d be having a cocktail or two so we opted to Lyft, which ended up only being about $15 including tip. We also ended up lounging at the pool the entire day, so in addition to arriving early, getting a ride to the hotel was one of the better decisions we made.

When to Arrive at the W Hollywood Pool

Since this was our first trip to the W Hollywood pool, we were a little anxious about the accommodations. Based on some of the reviews we read, it could get very busy on a Saturday or a Sunday, especially during the hotter summer months. Since we booked a Saturday at the end of April, we were pretty confident that it wouldn’t be too crowded — at least in the early part of the day.

According to Resort Pass, where we booked our day pass at the W Hollywood pool, the pool would be open from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM. However, the fine print indicated that check-in starts at 10:00 AM. We decided we would get there early or at least split the difference. Knowing we might indulge in a few cocktails, we decided to take a Lyft from Mid City to East Hollywood. We arrived at the W at around 10:15 AM, and made our way to the front entrance. A valet was there to greet us and kindly asked where we were headed. We explained we had a day pass, so he directed us up to the 12th floor where we could check-in.

The W Hotel’s reception desk is on the 12th floor. Whether you’re checking into the pool or checking into the hotel for a stay, that’s where you go. It was a quick ride up the elevator, and a short wait for hotel guests to check in, but when it was our turn we had no issues. The desk attendant directed us to Will, the host at the W Hollywood pool, and he explained seating was first come-first served.

We were early enough to find two centrally-located lounge chairs at one corner of the pool. A few lounges chairs were already occupied when we got there, and by 11:00 AM the rest of the chairs were taken.

If you’re interested in spending the day poolside at the W Hollywood pool, then definitely arrive EARLY. Had we arrived any time after 11:00 AM, we would have had to park at the edge of the pool or on one of the steps to the cabanas. We can’t stress enough — arrive early!

What to Expect at the W Hollywood Pool

Why is it important to arrive early? The day pass that we purchased was essentially general admission. It’s the least expensive option and is for the entire day. It does not guarantee you a place to sit, which is why we highly encourage you to arrive early because there is a limited amount of seating, and, as Will was clear to point out, it is first come-first served. The W Hollywood pool is also 21+, so don’t plan a day out at Wet Deck with the kids.

Lounge Chairs

There are only about 30 lounge chairs around the entire W Hollywood pool, and when we got there around 10:15 AM on a Saturday, ten of those coveted lounge chairs were already secured by guests of the hotel. As we mentioned earlier, all of the lounge chairs were taken by 11:00 AM. We did find that chairs did turn over here and there throughout the day, but because so many pool-goers were waiting for seats, the lounge chairs got scooped up quickly.

Daybeds

There are upgraded passes that you can purchase, including a daybed pass in which the cost is per person for up to 4 people. The fee isn’t much more than the general admission day pass, but there is a minimum food and beverage charge, and a single daybed pass is only good for either the morning or the afternoon. There are about 7 daybeds available, and if you book one, then it is reserved for you and your group.

Cabanas

And then there is the cabana pass. Like the daybed pass, the cabana is bookable for the morning or the afternoon. This one is much more expensive, and the food and beverage minimum charge is higher. There are about 5 cabanas, and each cabana holds up to 12 people.

What Does a Day Pass at the W Hollywood Pool Cost?

We booked our day passes a few days in advance because we weren’t sure which weekend day would have the better weather. We opted for Saturday, and we chose correctly! Our passes were $45 apiece for the entire day. We got there early and stayed all day, clocking in about 7 hours of amazing poolside-sunshine time. If you choose to visit during a weekday, the cost can be as low as $30 per person.

For daybeds, the cost starts at $50 per person for up to four people for the early shift (10:00 AM – 1:30 PM) or $100 per person for the afternoon booking (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM). In addition to what you’re paying for your reservation, you’ll be required to spend $200 on food and beverage for the early booking and $300 on food and beverage for the afternoon booking.

Cabanas offer the same early and afternoon booking options for $200 and $300 per person, respectively. You can fit a maximum of 8 people to a reservation for the early book and a 12 people to a cabana in the afternoon. Expect to spend at least $300 on food and beverage during the early reservation and $600 on food and beverage for the afternoon booking.

What to Bring

It’s not advised to bring any outside food or drink, but we didn’t have the experience of security rooting through our bags. Make sure you bring a hat and sunglasses, flip-flops, a water bottle, sunscreen, headphones, and a good book. The hotel provides towels, offers ice water free of charge, and even had someone go around with complimentary sunscreen, offering pumps of sunblock to anyone that wanted it.

There are outside showers where you can rinse off and restrooms on either side of the pool bar, so bring a change of clothes and a pair of shoes if you decide to head out to dinner after your day at the pool like we did.

What to Order at the W Hollywood Pool

The food and the drinks were excellent, and our server, Mary, had the greatest attitude and added a little extra sunshine to our already sunny day. We ordered lunch and a couple of Arnold Palmers around noon. We got the Poke Bowl and the Thai Chicken Sandwich to share. The Poke Bowl was light and fresh, and the Thai Chicken Sandwich was next level (oh that sauce). We shared both and probably leaned toward the Thai Chicken Sandwich as our favorite.

After some good pool time, we ordered our first round of cocktails — an ice-cold Poloma and a Flor de Jamaica. We also sampled the Cool-Cucumber, which was refreshing and not too sweet. The food and drinks were pricy but not terribly out of range for a luxury hotel like the W. Between the cost of the day pass, the rides to and from the hotel, and our lunch and drinks plus tip, the seven-hour poolside staycation cost about $315, well under the cost of a single night’s stay at the W Hollywood hotel.

Expect the Unexpected at the W Hollywood Pool

One thing we didn’t expect to enjoy so much was the hours and hours of people-watching entertainment. There were so many interesting folks, young and old, from all over the country visiting our city, and everyone was in such a great mood (for obvious reasons). Early on there was a sighting of a Los Angeles Rams football player, but we weren’t able to identify who it was. We didn’t expect to see any celebrities, and as far as we knew there were none lingering around. All in all, it was a fantastic day at the pool and just our style. The sun was shining, the weather felt warmer than our weather app suggested, and the pool was kept at just the right temperature.

Have you been to the W Hollywood pool? Let us know how your experience was in the comments or send us a message!