RTW TP Run in Jan 2026: Day 22 – Morning in Los Angeles

By Nige on February 8, 2026 at 12:52 pm
Type: Post
Story: Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026 Category: Travel
Tags: Hilton | Los Angeles

After walking out of Terminal 4 late last night, I set off on foot and walked about two miles down Century Boulevard to the Hilton Garden Inn, LAX Los Angeles Airport.

I’m still not quite sure why they felt the need to include both LAX and Los Angeles Airport in the hotel name. Perhaps they were trying to cover all bases.

The weather was lovely: around 16°C with a refreshing breeze. Absolutely perfect conditions for a late-night hike.

Earlier, I’d messaged the hotel front desk via the Hilton app to ask for confirmation that the front door would still be unlocked when I arrived after midnight. I never received a response.

When I did arrive, the doors were locked. The only reason I managed to get inside was because another guest happened to let me in.

The reception I received was frosty. There was no recognition of my status and I wasn’t offered any bottled water. I assumed — as is often the case — that water would be provided in the room. It wasn’t.

I went back down to the front desk to ask for some water and the response left me genuinely flabbergasted: they had none.

By the time I got back to my room and submitted a complaint to Hilton via email, sleep was off the table. So I headed back out, walked down the road to the 24-hour Starbucks, grabbed a coffee and bought a bottle of water.

In the end, I think I finally drifted off around 3am and didn’t wake until about 7:30am.

For the morning, I briefly considered hiking up to the Hollywood sign. However, transport was the issue. Public transport would have taken around three hours each way (according to Google Maps) and an Uber was going to cost about $70 each way. It simply wasn’t worth it.

So instead, I chilled for most of the morning.

Breakfast at the hotel was priced at $23.95 plus tax, for which I received a $20 credit (thanks, Vick). It was fine, but nothing special.

I also made the most of my free coffee rewards and grabbed another Starbucks.

I submitted my next two claims to BA for missing Tier Point credits. These were almost entirely BA codeshares, which — for reasons known only to BA — they were taking an age to process.

With my flight back to the UK departing at 3:30pm, I set off for the airport at around 11am. It was another enjoyable walk, although noticeably warmer this time. The sun was well and truly out.

On the walk, I reflected on my Hilton experiences during this trip.

What really stood out was the stark contrast between Hilton staff in Indonesia and those in the US.

In Indonesia, the staff simply can’t do enough for you. They take pride in delivering great service and always do so with a smile.

In the US, you’re lucky to get a grimace. It often feels as though providing service is beneath them — and they make sure you know it.

Shame.

Next up: My flight from Los Angeles (LAX) to London Heathrow (LHR) on Day 22 of my Round The World trip of a lifetime.

---

Round the World Tier Point Run in Jan 2026